What is the ITE?
The ITE (Technical Inspection of Buildings) is a mandatory periodic review of the state of conservation of a building, performed by a qualified professional (architect or building architect), that evaluates the condition of the structure, facade, roof, common installations and accessibility.
It is not a one-time inspection for a specific work: it is an obligation that falls on the building itself, regardless of whether it is being renovated or not, and is repeated every certain number of years.
What buildings have to undergo it and how often?
The obligation and frequency depend on the age of the building and the municipality, because each municipality regulates its own ITE ordinance within the general framework, that is why in some places it is required from 30 years and in others from 45 or 50, with reviews every 10 years.
Multi-family buildings are the ones most commonly subject to this obligation: single-family homes can also be subject to it depending on local ordinance, so it is advisable to check with the corresponding municipality before assuming it does not apply.
What does the technician review in the ITE?
The technical inspection assesses the state of conservation of the common elements of the building: foundation and structure, facades and party walls, roof, common installations (water, electricity, drainage) and, in many municipalities, also basic accessibility conditions.
The technician does not repair anything during the inspection, their work is to assess the condition of each element and, if deficiencies are detected, classify them by severity to set the deadlines for correction.
How is the ITE passed?
The community of owners (or the sole owner, if single-family) hires a qualified professional to conduct the visual inspection of the building and draft the corresponding report, which is then presented to the municipality or competent municipal body within the set deadline.
In some autonomous communities, Catalonia being the most well-known case, through the Housing Agency, the procedure has its own specific administrative circuit, different from the general one.
What happens if a building does not pass the ITE?
If the inspection detects deficiencies, the report classifies them by severity and sets a deadline for remediation, from minor repairs with no urgent deadline to situations that require immediate action due to safety risk.
Not submitting the ITE on time, or not executing the required repairs, can result in municipal penalties and, in the most serious cases, a declaration of ruin or inability to process certain operations on the property, such as its sale with certain aid programs or its inclusion in certain rehabilitation programs.