How do I know if my vacation home has a certificate of occupancy?

If you have opted to market your unused vacant property, you may already know what you need to do to obtain a tourist rental permit. You will already know that a tourist property has to be registered in order to be marketed legally. From Alquilair, as managers of holiday homes in Mallorca, we want to help you.

What is a certificate of occupancy?

By Alquilair

But the first thing you should check is that your home has a license of habitability. And it is that the certificate of habitability is what certifies if a house, local or any other space destined to lodge people meets the minimum conditions of surface, hygiene and suitable facilities for its correct function. All property owners must apply for it. Thus, it is not possible to contract basic services of water supply, sewage, gas, electricity, or even telephone, if you do not have the certificate of occupancy.

How to know if a house has a certificate of occupancy? 

If you are wondering whether your home has a certificate of occupancy or not, don't worry. As there is a registry it is easy to find out. Each Autonomous Community has its own, and in the case of Illes Balears, it is the Department of Territory of the Consell de Mallorca, which, in addition, is where it is requested, in case of lacking it. What is necessary to find out is in what situation is your holiday home.

The different types of cases

For buildings constructed before March 1, 1987, there is a type of certificate of occupancy known as a "cédula de carencia". For newly constructed buildings, on the other hand, there is a certificate of first occupancy. And finally you have to know that the cédula de habitabilidad is not for life, they expire after ten years. So, when they expire, you have to apply for a renewal.

Cédula de habitabilidad: requirements

• Necessary documentation to obtain the certificate for deficiency: You must submit the application form together with the following documents:

  • Document that accredits you as owner or representative,

  • Current photograph of the property, dated and signed by an architect, technical architect or competent technician,

  • Certificate of urban situation requested to the corresponding city council,

  • Site plan of the building drawn up by a competent technician,

  • Certificate of habitability signed by architect, technical architect or any other competent technician.  

    In this case, one of the requirements of habitability of the house is the certificate of urban situation. To request it you will have to prove that the completion of the works was prior to March 1, 1987, that there is no record of the opening of urban infraction proceedings and that after March 1, 1987, you have not carried out any works for which you would have required a major works license.

• Documentation required to obtain the certificate of first occupation: You must submit the application form together with the following documentation:

  • Documentation that accredits you as owner,

  • Current photograph of the property, dated and signed by an architect, technical architect or competent technician,

  • Site plan of the building,

  • Municipal building permit,

  • Certificate of completion and habitability issued by the Project Management (architect, technical architect or, if applicable, any other competent technician).

• Necessary documentation to obtain the renewal certificate: In the latter case, to obtain the renewal cédula, together with the application you must submit:

  • Documentary proof of ownership or its representative,

  • Last license granted or documentation that proves to have had it,

  • Certificate of habitability signed by the architect,

  • An updated photograph of the property, dated and signed by the architect or technical architect,

  • Site plan of the building.

Do you have any questions? Contact us!