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- Before the work, find out which building filing is required: a licensed technician decides.
- If you touch common parts of the building, talk to the condominium.
- In the historic center the property may be protected: ask the Soprintendenza.
- Sign a written contract with the contractor and pay in stages, by bank transfer.
Which filing is required
Before calling a contractor, be clear about what work you want to do. For light work, such as redoing a bathroom and kitchen, a notice of start of works signed by a technician is usually enough. For heavier work, such as touching the structure or changing the facade, more complex filings are needed. Which filing is the right one is determined by the licensed technician, after seeing the home.
Filings are submitted to the municipality. For Rome’s rules and forms, see the Roma Capitale website (comune.roma.it) and ask which office and which borough (Municipio) are responsible for your property.
First check that the home complies with the records. An existing violation can block or complicate any new filing. The technician can verify this with a cadastral search and floor plan.
The condominium
If the work affects the facade, roof, stairs or shared systems, the condominium’s consent is required. Inside your own apartment you can work, but without damaging the common parts and the safety of the building. Always read the condominium regulations: they often set work hours, use of the elevator and where to leave materials.
If you live abroad, give the building administrator a contact address and consider a written proxy for meetings. For the majorities required at a meeting, ask an attorney before deciding.
Historic center and the Soprintendenza
Many buildings in central Rome are protected. If the property is restricted, even interior work or replacing windows and doors may require authorization. Before hiring the technician, ask the competent Soprintendenza (heritage protection authority) whether your property is restricted. You can find the information on the website of the Ministry of Culture (cultura.gov.it). Without authorization the work can be stopped, and you may be ordered to restore everything as it was.
The contractor agreement
Sign a written contract with the contractor, in Italian, with a translation you understand. It should state the work, materials, timing, a penalty for delay and payment terms.
- Pay in stages for completed and verified work, by traceable bank transfer.
- Avoid large advance payments.
- Choose a site supervisor yourself, rather than letting the contractor choose one: they check quality and verify the stages.
Defects and delays
If the work has defects, write to the contractor right away and describe the problem. The deadlines for doing so are limited: do not wait, and ask an attorney. Keep photos, invoices, messages, the project and site records.
Building tax incentives
Tax incentives have their own rules and change often. This is only a warning, not tax advice: get information on the Revenue Agency website (agenziaentrate.gov.it).
Typical case
A problem that comes up often. Typical case described in general terms: names, places and details do not refer to real people or cases.
An owner who lives abroad buys a three-room apartment in the Parioli district and entrusts the work to a contractor with a verbal agreement. After two months the kitchen has been moved, but no filing appears to have been submitted and a neighbor writes to the administrator. The first step is to stop the payments and ask the technician about the status of the filings.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start the work before submitting the filing?
No. Ask the technician to submit it before the work begins.
Can I pay the contractor in cash?
A traceable bank transfer is better: it serves as proof.
Learn more: Legal guides from Studio Legale Fiorentino.
The firm sees clients by appointment in Naples (P.zza Giovanni Bovio 22 and Via Monte di Dio 14), Rome and Bari, and remotely throughout Italy.
Original in Italian: https://www.studiolegalefiorentino.net/roma-ristrutturare-appartamento-cila-condominio-appalto/
Author: attorney Renato Giuseppe Fiorentino, Naples Bar. Informational text, not a substitute for advice on your case. For up-to-date details, consult the official websites mentioned in the text. It is not legal advice. The firm does not handle the law or taxes of other countries.
Do you have a similar issue?
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