The 2024 “Save Home” Decree, definitively approved by the Senate on July 24, 2024, introduces a significant series of amendments and simplifications aimed at facilitating the regularization of minor building irregularities and promoting the redevelopment of the existing property stock. This measure seeks to streamline bureaucratic procedures while maintaining strict controls over building safety and compliance with current regulations. Let us take a detailed look at what changes and what opportunities are opening up for property owners.

Objectives of the Decree

The main objective of the “Save Home” Decree is to simplify and accelerate the process of regularizing minor building irregularities, which in the past could involve lengthy bureaucratic procedures and high costs. The measure introduces a more flexible approach, reducing the time and expense required to obtain the necessary permits. However, it is important to emphasize that this is not a “building amnesty,” but rather a series of measures allowing the regularization of minor violations, always in compliance with urban planning, building, and health regulations.

Main New Provisions

  1. Irregularities affecting common and private areas: Irregularities affecting the common areas of a condominium building do not prevent renovation work from being carried out on individual apartments, and vice versa. This prevents issues that had previously delayed projects such as the Superbonus.
  2. Reduced height and floor-area requirements: The decree introduces exemptions allowing residential units to be built with ceiling heights below 2.70 meters, reducing the minimum height to 2.40 meters for renovation and recovery projects. Similarly, studio apartments of 20 sq m and one-bedroom apartments of 28 sq m are permitted, overcoming some of the restrictions established by the 1975 regulations.
  3. Simplified change of intended use: Changes in intended use become easier, including those that do not involve building work and certain interventions classified as “free building activities.” This opens the way to new uses for spaces such as ground floors and basements, facilitating their conversion into residential units in compliance with regional legislation.
  4. Bioclimatic pergolas without authorization: Bioclimatic pergolas with retractable coverings are now included among activities that can be carried out without a building permit, provided that they do not create permanently enclosed spaces.
  5. Regularization of properties subject to pre-2006 restrictions: Works subject to restrictions established before the 2006 Cultural Heritage Code may be regularized, provided they are authorized by the municipality, without the need to obtain a prior assessment of landscape compatibility.
  6. Broader building tolerances: For mini-apartments of less than 60 sq m, the tolerance between the authorized dimensions and those actually constructed increases to 6%, while for other floor areas, lower percentages apply depending on the size of the property.
  7. Regularization of properties affected by the Vajont disaster: Properties rebuilt in areas affected by the Vajont tragedy may benefit from measures facilitating the certification of habitability or usability, with the final inspection certificate being treated as equivalent to these documents.

How to Apply for Regularization

For those wishing to regularize minor building irregularities, the 2024 “Save Home” Decree represents a significant opportunity. The procedure involves several steps, including the collection of specific documentation, such as:

– Updated floor plans of the property.
– Technical report prepared by a qualified professional.
– Declaration of compliance for building systems, where modifications have been made.

Once these documents have been collected, the application can be submitted to the technical office of the relevant municipality, with any applicable fines varying according to the seriousness of the violation.

What Can Be Regularized?

The decree allows the regularization of building works carried out up to May 24, 2024, provided that they comply with specific tolerance thresholds:

– 6% for properties under 60 sq m.
– 5% for properties between 60 and 100 sq m.
– 2% for floor areas exceeding 500 sq m.

These percentages provide greater flexibility, making it easier to resolve minor irregularities that often delayed building procedures.

Removal of the Double Compliance Requirement

Another key innovation introduced by the “Save Home” Decree is the elimination of the so-called “double compliance” requirement for minor irregularities. It is now sufficient for the work to comply with the urban planning regulations in force at the time the application is submitted, without the need to comply with the rules that were in force when the violation was originally carried out.

The Future of the Italian Construction Sector

The 2024 “Save Home” Decree represents an important step toward more streamlined and transparent management of the construction sector in Italy. The simplifications introduced, combined with new opportunities for urban regeneration and tax incentives, aim to encourage redevelopment projects and improve the quality of the national housing stock.

For anyone wishing to take advantage of these new provisions, it is essential to rely on experienced professionals to ensure that the works comply with current regulations and that the regularization process is completed smoothly.