What is the Certificate of Habitability?
The certificate of habitability is the administrative document that verifies that a building or dwelling meets the basic conditions to be inhabited, without prejudice to the fact that other authorized activities may be carried out within it.
What are the basic conditions to obtain the certificate of habitability?
This will vary depending on the autonomous community in which the dwelling or building is located, as well as its year of construction. What you should know, above all, is that the minimum usable floor area of your home and the different rooms, openings, and linear dimensions must be measured according to the required standards. Therefore, the person preparing the report must be a qualified technical architect or higher, being different from the one who issues it, as it will be a municipal technician who accepts or rejects this information and signs the certificate. Due to this, it will be the property owner or authorized representative who can request a certificate of habitability.
What is the document like?
The document must contain all the information required by local regulations, so it will vary depending on the autonomous community. It will normally include the following data: address and location of the dwelling, usable floor area of the dwelling, rooms and spaces that comprise it, maximum occupancy threshold, and identification of the qualified technician who carried out the certification.
What is the certificate of habitability for?
The certificate of habitability is a legal requirement to be able to register electricity, gas, and water services. It is also an essential requirement to be able to sell or rent the property. The purpose of this certificate is to guarantee the habitability of the home based on its healthiness, hygiene, and solidity. Furthermore, this document will allow us to register the electricity service in accordance with the law.
Types of Certificates of Habitability
There are three types of certificates of habitability depending on the age of the property.
- First occupation certificate: This is the license required for newly built dwellings, that is, the certificate of habitability for a new home.
- Second occupation certificate: This is the license required for existing dwellings, and basically consists of renewing the first occupation certificate.
- First occupation certificate for renovation: This is required for dwellings that have been renovated, where significant changes have been made to their physiognomy. The architect will certify that pillars or load-bearing walls have not been affected.
When is the certificate of habitability mandatory?
Generally, all dwellings must have a certificate of habitability or first occupation license, since, otherwise, they cannot have access to electricity, gas, and water. This obligation extends to other situations, such as family reunification for foreigners or the granting of a mortgage. It is very important to note that with regard to public housing, the certificate of habitability is not mandatory for a period of 25 years, being substituted during this time by a definitive qualification.
Does Arquifach Arquitectos handle the certificate of habitability procedures?
As we have already commented in the article, the information contained in the certificate of habitability will depend on the locality where it is submitted. At Arquifach, an architecture studio in Calpe, we have been working on the Costa Blanca for 50 years and we are perfectly familiar with the procedures and administrative formalities of each of the towns that comprise it. This experience is concentrated in the construction, architecture, and urban planning sector, with a professional team specialized in different fields. These include architectural design, construction, planning, pathology reports, valuations, and general advice. Arquifach Arquitectos offers these services with the utmost seriousness and professionalism possible, supported by the work of a human team that is always at the client’s disposal to carry out work that fully satisfies them.
The importance of surrounding yourself with good architects: Arquifach
Building a home is a process whose success depends on many factors. The best way to ensure it is to count on architects who offer guarantees. A guarantee that is based on experience. It is important to choose an architecture studio that guides you throughout the process from the initial design to the delivery of the final documentation to inhabit the house, that has experience in the area and qualified personnel to carry out the comprehensive management of the project, but above all that designs according to your needs and expectations.
