Monday, 5 January 2015

Regularization of Illegal Buildings in Andalusia

Illegal Buildings in Andalusia – Applicable Regime

Architect Daniel Trujillano
http://www.arquitectotrujillano.com/legalization/home.html
Legalization of Buildings in Andalusia

Tuesday, 30 December 2014

Rules for the Valuation of Properties According ECO/805/2003 (IV)

Valuation Rules According ECO/805/2003 (IV)

Floor Areas used in the Valuation of a Property


In general, the floor area that must be used in order to calculate the value of a building in Spain is the floor area as checked by the valuer. However, the particular circumstances of a building may require using other floor areas:
  • if it's not possible to check the floor area on-site, the area to use will be the lowest between the floor areas considered by the Cadastre and the Property Registry
  • if it was possible only to check the Gross Floor Area or the Gross Internal Area without the floor area of the common parts, due to operational difficulties involved in checking all the floor area of the common parts, the area to use will also be the lowest one between the cadastral floor area and registry floor area with common parts, provided that the valuer considers that the proportion between the floor area finally used and the checked one is reasonable
  • if the checked floor area of a building exceeds by more than 5 percent to the registry floor area or to the cadastral floor area, the adoption of the checked floor area will require to verify the adequacy to the applicable urban planning regulations
  • if the checked floor area of an element of a building exceeds by more than 10 percent to the registry floor area or the cadastral floor area, the adoption of the checked floor area will require to verify the adequacy to the urban planning regulations
  • if the building lacks of Statement of New Building entered in the Property Registry, the adoption of the checked floor area will also require to verify the adequacy to the urban planning regulations
  • if the floor area of the private outdoor spaces for the exclusive use of the building exceeds by more than 15 percent of the total floor area thereof, the floor area of the outdoor spaces shall be measured separately and valued with a different unit price
  • in the valuation of homes subject to public protection, for the purposes of calculating their maximum legal value, the floor area that should be adopted is the one contained in the Certificate of Qualification.

Valuation of Buildings in Spain














Architect Daniel Trujillano

Monday, 29 December 2014

Legalization and Occupation in Andalusia (III)

The Occupation of Legalized Buildings in Andalusia (III)

Occupation of Buildings with Expired Urban Offense and Requiring Adaptadion Works. Occupation of SAFO Buildings in Un-Developable Land.


In Andalusia, when a building expired in terms of the deadline for adopting measures for the protection of the Urban Planning Law requires the performance of works for the adaptation to the intended use, two situations can arise:
  • that the building complies with the urban planning regulations, in which case, after obtaining the recognition of the accordance situation, it shall be tacitly recognized as legalized by prescription, at the moment the authorization of the required works gets granted, and at the completion of the works it will proceed to obtain the Occupation or Utilization License
  • that the building does not comply with the urban planning regulations (in any case the use must be in accordance with the planning), in which case it will be necessary to obtain the statement of the Situation of Assimilated to Outside Planning (SAFO) before obtaining the authorization of the necessary works, which shall never exceed those required by the strict maintenance of the security, living and sanitation conditions, and at the completion of these works the granting of the Occupation or Utilization License will proceed.

Occupation of Buildings Declared in SAFO and on Un-Developable Land

Andalusian Decree 2/2012, about the regime of the buildings and settlements on un-developable land, states that the buildings declared in Situation of Assimilated to Outside Planning (SAFO), because of their illegality and disagreement with the urban planning, can never obtain an Occupation License, even if the offense has expired. Actually, the only thing preventing from obtaining the Occupation or Utilization License is the disagreement of the building use. However the same document expressly permits that, after obtaining the recognition of the Situation of Assimilated to Outside Planning, buildings may be affected by the intended use thereof, even if this use disagrees with the urban regulations and planning. The declaration of SAFO, along with its permission of use, enables the supplier companies to provide the basic services, and enables the notaries and registrars to make the registration of the building in the Property Registry.

Unlicensed Buildings Constructed Before 1975 on Un-Developable Land

Andalusian Decree 2/2012 provides that all detached buildings built without planning permission on un-developable land and completed before the entry into force of the Land Law of 1975 are entitled to obtain the Occupation or Utilization License, provided that the building use is the original one or is in accordance with the current urban planning regulations.

Occupation of Buildings on Developable Land and Unconsolidated Developed Land

The buildings on Developable Land and Unconsolidated Developed Land can not receive any Occupation or Utilization License, because the Law on Urban Planning of Andalusia (LOUA) states as a prerequisite that the development works should be completed previously.
Legalization of Buildings in Spain














Architect Daniel Trujillano

Friday, 26 December 2014

Rules for the Valuation of Properties According ECO/805/2003 (III)

Valuation Rules According ECO/805/2003 (III)

Market Value and Replacement Value. Checked Area and Computable Area. Comparable Properties. Urban Levels.


The Spanish Order ECO/805/2003 defines the Market Value (VM) as the price at which the property could be sold on the date of the valuation. In determining the Market Value is necessary to consider:
  • that there is no prior relationship between seller and buyer
  • that neither the seller nor the buyer holds any personal or professional interest in the transaction, excluding those associated with the cause of the contract
  • that the public offering to the market occurs through a proper marketing strategy and with no inside information
  • that the price of the property is consistent with the public offer and reflects a reasonable estimate relating to market conditions existing at the date of the valuation
  • that the price does not include any taxes or marketing expenses.

Definition of Replacement Value (VR)

The Replacement Value (VR) can be gross or net. The Gross Replacement Value (VRB) is the sum of all the investment costs required to build, on the date of valuation, another property with the same characteristics (capacity, use, quality, etc.) but using current technology and materials. The Net Replacement Value (VRN) is the result of deducting from VRB the physical and functional depreciation of the property on the date of the valuation.

Checked Area and Computable Area

The Checked Area is the floor area as measured by the valuer. The Computable Area is the floor area used in the valuation.

Comparable Properties

Comparable properties are those that are considered similar to the property that is being valued, or appropriate to apply the homogenization, because of its location, use, type, size, antiquity, condition or other relevant physical characteristic.

The Urban Levels of the Land

For the purposes of the valuation, Spanish Order ECO/805/2003 classifies the land into two levels:
  • level II: non-developable land
  • level I: developable and developed land.

Valuation of Propierties














Architect Daniel Trujillano

Wednesday, 24 December 2014

Legalization and Occupation in Andalusia (II)

The Occupation of Legalized Buildings in Andalusia (II)

Occupation License for Expired Buildings that do not Require Adaptation Works


The Urban Discipline Regulations in Andalusia (RDUA) provide the documentation needed for obtaining an Occupation or Utilization License for buildings with expired deadline for the adoption of measures to protect the urban legality. If the building with expired deadline does not require the performance of any building works for the adaptation to the intended use, the documentation required for obtaining the Occupation or Utilization License depends on whether the works comply or not with the urban planning regulations.

Prescribed Building Works that Comply with the Urban Planning

If the building works conform to the urban regulations, the document needed for obtaining the Occupation or Utilization License shall be a Descriptive and Graphic Certificate stating:
  • the date of completion of the works
  • review about the condition of the building and of its installations
  • accreditation about the fitness of the property for the contemplated purpose
  • cadastral and registry identification (if applicable)
  • current urban conditions
  • documentation attesting the correct operation of the installations
  • where applicable, certification by the supplier companies about the feasibility of the access to all building installations, without the need of new works.

In this case, the granting of the Occupation or Utilization License will involve a simultaneous recognition of legalization by prescription.

Prescribed Building Works that do not Comply with the Urban Planning

If the works do not conform to the urban planning regulations (in any case, the use must be in accordance with the urban planning) the documentation needed for obtaining the Occupation or Utilization License shall be:
  • statement of the Situation of Assimilated to Outside Planning (SAFO)
  • review about the condition of the building
  • description of the operation of the installations, including certification by the supplier companies.

In this case, the granting of the Occupation or Utilization License will involve the simultaneous recognition of the declaration of SAFO.
Legalization of Building Works














Architect Daniel Trujillano

Tuesday, 23 December 2014

Rules for the Valuation of Properties According ECO/805/2003 (II)

Valuation Rules According ECO/805/2003 (II)

Valuation Entity. Updating. Rehabilitation. Antiquity.


In Spain, the Valuation Entities are:
  • in general, Valuation Companies approved and registered in the Special Registry of the Banco de España
  • for valuations aiming at the mortgage warranty of loans that are or will be part of the coverage of mortgage titles issued by institutions, developers and builders described by the Spanish Royal Decree 685/1982, the Valuation Services of loan entities approved and registered in the Special Registry of the Banco de España.

Updating

Updating a valuation is to review a valuation issued by a Valuation Entity before two years from the date of issuance, or three if the purpose of the valuation is to cover the technical provisions of insurance companies required by the Spanish Royal Decree 2486/1998. The updating can modify the warnings, the conditions or any of the values.

Rehabilitation

A building in rehabilitation is a building, or an element of a building, which has started some works that meet the following requirements:
  • they are being performed under a building permit
  • they are being performed according to a set of Construction Documents endorsed by the Architects' Association
  • they affect at least a 50 per cent of the floor area, involving the improvement of the living conditions (replacing, restoring or upgrading constructive elements or installations) or a substantial alteration of the morphology of the building
  • the construction cost reaches, at least, a 50 per cent of the gross replacement value of the building, excluding the value of the land.

In the valuation of an entire building in which a partial reform is being performed, the definition of rehabilitation may be applied to the affected part if the works cover, at least, a complete storey.

Antiquity

For the correct interpretation of the Order ECO/805/2003, the antiquity is the number of years between the date of construction or complete rehabilitation of the property and the valuation date.
Valuation of Buildings














Architect Daniel Trujillano

Monday, 22 December 2014

Legalization and Occupation in Andalusia (I)

The Occupation of Legalized Buildings in Andalusia (I)

Legalization Projects and Occupation Licenses


In Andalusia, when the building works finish, whether with a granted building permit or not, upon completion it will be necessary to obtain an administrative approval for the occupancy and/or utilization, bound for the intended use of the building. Such approval will be formalized by an Occupation License if the building use is residential, and by an Utilization License in the case of any other building use.

Occupation or Utilization License for Buildings with a Building Permit

If the building works are performed counting with a granted building permit, the granting of the Occupation or Utilization License will require to verify that the finished works comply with the terms of the building permit, so it will be necessary to submit the following documents:
  • a Statement about the Conformity of the works with the Construction Documents
  • documents attesting the functionality of the installations
  • the Final Performance Certificate, attesting the completion of the works.

If it turns out that the performed works don't comply with the terms of the granted building permit, the granting of the Occupation or Utilization License will require the prior (or simultaneous) legalization of the performed works, or the replacement of the altered physical reality.

Occupation or Utilization License for Buildings without a Building Permit

The legalization of building works performed without a building permit or breaking the conditions of a granted building permit, restores the disturbed legal order, for the sake of its substitute character of the building permit, but it does not provide for itself the licensing of the occupation or utilization, which will have to be the subject of further administrative actions. In fact, the legalization of a building does not even require that the works are completed, contrary to what happens with the occupation. The application of an Occupation or Utilization License is also required for completed buildings recognized in Situation of Assimilated to Outside Planning (SAFO).

Compliance with Urban Planning

The verification of the compliance with the Urban Planning regulations is not an attribution of the Occupation or Utilization License, but obtaining an Occupation or Utilization License for completed parties which are technically and functionally independent of the rest requires that these parties comply with the Urban Planning regulations and that the rest of the building shows no significant disagreements.
Legalization of Buildings














Architect Daniel Trujillano