Building contracts in Italy: liabilities of the contractor for building works
Whether you are building a new property in Italy, or renovating an existing Italian property, having the right building contract is vital to ensure that everyone involved knows their rights and responsibilities. A building contract constitutes a legally binding agreement, recorded in written form between two parties; one or more property owners and one or more contractors.
A building contract sets forth all the terms and conditions under which construction or renovation work is to be carried out. This includes, but is not limited to, the basis of remuneration, time scale, and penalties, if any, for failure to comply with the terms of the contract.
In Italy spouses can chose between two default[1] matrimonial financial regimes: community of properties/assets (comunione dei beni) and separation of property regime (separazione dei beni).
Married couple buying a house
If no matrimonial regime option is expressly made by both spouses through a notarial deed or upon marriage celebration, Italian married couples’ finances and assets are regulated under the community of property regime.
A certificate of habitability (certificato di abitabilità) confirms a property’s compliance with safety and sanitation rules, the efficiency of the property’s systems and that the property complies with building regulations and planning permission.
Recently the certificate of habitability has been replaced by what could be as certificate of habitability report, which should include the following documents:
In Italy, homeowners are expected to pay tax on any payment they receive from long or short term rental of their Italian properties.
Generally speaking, the Italian law requires that tax from rental
income is paid by all the co-owners of
the property on a pro quota basis, no matter who actually signed the rental
contract or if the rent is paid in favour of only one of the co-owners.
Deposito prezzo is the term used for a specific bonded holding account for the balance of payment related to the purchase of an Italian property.
Deposito prezzo protects against the risk of legal claims or encumbrances that may arise between the signing and registration of the deed of sale at the land registry (catasto).
Once you have signed a deed of sale, it is sent to the
land registry, where an official stamp is placed on the deed of sale. The
registered deed of sale is returned to the notary you used to authenticate the
transaction.
It generally takes two to three months to obtain the
registered deed of sale and thereafter, you can obtain a copy from your notary.
Make sure to read this, prior to signing any property purchase offer in Italy
You’ve seen it:
the Italian property you’ve always dreamt about.
Now you have a
pen in your hand and the property purchase proposal in front of you, ready to
be signed.
Take your time before putting pen to paper, no matter who drafted that proposal for you.
You deserve a
little hesitation, especially if you are going to sign a boilerplate template
provided by a Real Estate Agent and not by your own legal advisor, or if there is anything
whatsoever that you feel is unclear to you.
If the proposal has
been provided by Real Estate Agents, I am sure they told you that it’s a
standard proposal, drafted as per common
general terms and in compliance with the Italian civil code; and that the
standard template itself has been approved by the Chamber of Commerce.
In Italy only an Italian Notary Public’s escrow account benefits from full and complete legal protection against possible creditors.
There are two main payments
you are expected to make when buying a property in Italy,or
that you will receive, if you are selling an Italian property; the deposit and the balance.
The deposit is usually paid upon purchase offer acceptance and it is aimed at confirming the parties’ intention to proceed with the purchase-sale contract. The balance is customarily paid upon closing, unless otherwise agreed.
You’ve signed a preliminary contract on a property. You rather rushed in to it because you didn’t want to miss out on what you thought was a great opportunity. It’s long been your dream to own a penthouse in the centre of Rome and when you saw this apartment, you just had to have it.
However, in hindsight and after viewing the apartment again, you realise the penthouse isn’t as big as you thought. When you first saw the place, you could see potential to extend in to the roof space, but you now doubt that the municipality will grant permission to convert the space. Besides, you recognise that even if your planning application is accepted, it’s going to be prohibitively expensive. The date for signing the deed of sale is looming. What can you do? (more…)
Italian inheritance tax, “Imposte di Successione” was abolished by law no. 383 of 18 October 2001. Subsequently, the government re-introduced inheritance tax through law no. 286, dated 24th November 2006. The law has been applicable to inheritance cases since 3rd October 2006. (more…)
This property selling guide focuses on the issues that a seller may encounter during an Italian property conveyance.
When selling an Italian property, there are some legal issues which should be seriously considered. Due to the language barrier and differences in legal systems, real estate transactions in Italy can appear as a difficult and protracted process for foreign investors. The Italian legal process is obviously technical and might expose you to some risks. Considering the interests at stake in a real estate transaction, it is advisable that you seek the assistance of a qualified bilingual legal advisor, who has the competence to guide you through the process and advise on potential risks. (more…)
opportunity. It’s long been your dream to own a penthouse in the centre of Rome and when you saw this apartment, you just had to have it.
Italian inheritance tax, “Imposte di Successione” was abolished by law no. 383 of 18 October 2001. Subsequently, the government re-introduced inheritance tax through law no. 286, dated 24th November 2006. The law has been applicable to inheritance cases since 3rd October 2006. 
legal systems, real estate transactions in Italy can appear as a difficult and protracted process for foreign investors. The Italian legal process is obviously technical and might expose you to some risks. Considering the interests at stake in a real estate transaction, it is advisable that you seek the assistance of a qualified bilingual legal advisor, who has the competence to guide you through the process and advise on potential risks.