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Travel, Renting, Buying and COVID-19

In these uncertain times during the Covid-19 pandemic,we would like to offer you a brief FAQ file regarding travel and renting in Tuscany, and what we can do to help you have a better and safer stay in your rental property.

Tuscany in general, and Florence in particular, have been relatively spared by the Covid-19 outbreak. But the lower numbers of contagions in this region have not prevented the lock downs and the travel restrictions that have been imposed. As we adjust to the new rules such as social distancing, face masks, hand sanitizers, and contact tracing, etc., that are necessary to keep us safe, we are thinking of ways to improve the interest in our Region and make the rentability of properties easier for the future.

We think one of the biggest expectations of our clients will besafety. You will expect to enter a property, whether it be for a night or a month or a year, that is not only clean but possibly also sanitized prior to being occupied. This major concern is something we are planning for so that we may offer with confidence any apartment, house or villa that Pitcher & Flaccomio represents.

You can find out more in our FAQ page.

Please consider the items under what we can do to help you as “suggestions”, since we are a Real Estate company and not an official health institution nor doctors.

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Drinking Water Regulation – Condominium Responsabilities

A new regulation recently came into effect regarding the responsibility of Condominiums to assure that the water that arrives in their building meets current legal hygienic norms. A recent High Court ruling assigns this responsibility in equal parts to the city’s public utility (in Florences case, the manager of Publiacqua) and to each building. Publiacqua is responsible for the water up to the point of the water meters (contatori) but, from that point to the faucets, the building administrator or each private owner must check the quality of the water.
In a nut shell, it is now each owners responsibility to check the water that comes out of the taps, since the pipes from the water meters into the various properties are not under the jurisdiction of City Council (Publiacqua).
This implies further responsibilities and duties for each Condominium administrator, although there are not yet any laws that force such controls on either the administrators or the private citizens. However, there are high fines and possible legal consequences if such controls are not made knowing that there could be some issues with the water system in the building or house.
Therefore, most Condominium administrators are starting to hire private companies to check the quality of the water directly from the taps in each house or apartment, in order to avoid any future claims or complaints against them. The cost of these tests will of course be borne by the owners of the properties, but it shouldnt be too high; probably in the range of Euro 150 (plus VAT) total for a small condominium.

Reference :

D. Lgs 31\2001 – art. 1 lett. b – and art. 5
Ministry of Health 10 June 2004
2015/1787/UE
D.M. 14 June 2017

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Australians Purchase Real Estate in Italy

Regarding Australian citizens that would like to purchase a house in Italy, as far as we know and our notary has told us, the condition of reciprocity between our two countries has been satisfied so it is possible to purchase as a “person” a property in Italy, as long of course that you have a valid entry visa or Permit of Stay (Permesso di Soggiorno).

For reference the laws (and links to the pdf files) are:

-T.U. on immigration Dlgs 286\98
-Article n. 51 of law 218\95 – modifications on Italian Private International Law
-Agreement between Australia and Italy signed in Canberra on the 26\09\67
ratified in Italy with the law D.P.R 9 December 1970 n. 1430 art. n. 28
-Tuscan Notary Council – issue n. 7 – 2006

There is also a recent article on the Domain Australia web site here.