In this short blog post, Kyle Pullicino, our director and the brains behind Insulae, explains how he came up with
the idea for a condominium management software system based on his experience.
When I moved into my new apartment in 2019, heavy machinery from the construction site next door had burst through the
common party wall and left a massive gap leading straight into a two-storey pit. The outdoor common area had slowly
deteriorated over the years, after the previous condominium administrator had washed their hands from their caretaking
duties (or perhaps they were overwhelmed with all the work).
Seeing all of this, I couldn't just sit idly by and complain on social media hoping that, by some miracle, the
situation got better. No... I had to collect some funds and do something to improve what is, after all, our shared
living space. In a few months, I familiarized myself with the Maltese Condominium Act, collected enough signatures to
become the designated Condominium Administrator and started collecting money.
It took only a few months and a little bit of active effort to return the complex into its former glory. However, my
lowly spreadsheet and the 'Mail Merge' tool was becoming a bit too cumbersome to handle the affairs of my complex.
Our complex, made up of 47 flats and 105 garages was proving too much to handle. Despite searching for a proper
software package that could handle my use-case, anything I tried always came up short.
It is no wonder, then, that we hear these horror stories about condominium administrators in Malta. It turns out that
the best available tool for them, even when managing tens and hundreds of blocks, is still a mere spreadsheet. It is
at this time that, I directed the team here at Phalanx Software Ltd to develop our own tool, based on my experience,
that works in a sensible way for anyone fulfilling the role of a condominium administrator. When developing the system,
for full transparency, I wanted my neighbours in the block to have access to all the information that they are entitled
to, by law, at all times. It is for this reason that we designed the application, from the get-go, to be as simple to
use, for both the administrators and the owners that entrusted them with that responsibility.
After developing and using the application for a number of months myself, it was time, in March 2024, to release the
product for the general public, aptly called Insulae. The word "Insulae" comes from the ancient Roman empire and it
refers to a multi-dwelling building: they were the ones who developed the technology to construct the first
condominiums within their own towns and cities.
I hope that by sharing the same tool and system that has helped me elevate the standards within my own residential
complex, condominium administrators around Malta & Gozo can elevate their work to the next level.
You can try out Insulae yourself right away by applying for the Free Trial. Otherwise,
feel free to Contact Us and we'll be sure to get back to you.