Every house and building has its own history and there is a document that records it. This is the building book, a document that is required by law and contains the essential information about the house.
What is the building book?
The building book is a series of graphic and written documents that collect basic information about a building, from its physical characteristics to its technical, legal and administrative aspects.
In other words, it is a sort of summary with all the relevant data about the building.
The building register is regulated by the Building Regulations Act (LOE), which in its article 7 specifies that it must be delivered to the end users of the building. This documentation may not only be required in new constructions, but also when rehabilitating residential buildings and single-family homes.
Article 9 of the Mortgage Law also recalls the obligation to include the building's registry file in the Property Registry, which is where the simple registry note must be requested.
In addition to this general regulation, there are regional regulations that may include changes to the building register, which also covers single-family homes. However, many regions have left this type of house out of the obligation to have a building register.
What should the building book contain?
The information in the building register is also regulated by the Building Regulations Act.
The file must include the identification of all companies and agents involved in the construction, as well as instructions for use and maintenance of the building and its facilities.
The complete material that must appear in the building book is:
- The construction project together with the approved modifications.
- The minutes of acceptance of the work.
- The identifying list of agents who have participated in the construction process.
- Instructions for use and maintenance of the building and its facilities, as well as planning of maintenance operations. That is, how often they should be carried out.
- Construction and first occupancy permit.
- The Final Certificate of Work.
- Quality Control Certificate.
- Reception Control Documentation.
- Energy Efficiency Certificate of the Completed Building.
- Documentation of the Building's Thermal Installations.
- Subcontracting Book.
- Copy of the request for contracts and supplies.
- Documentation of any repair, renovation or rehabilitation interventions that have been carried out.
- Technical inspections or building evaluation reports.
- The housing developer is the one who is obliged to prepare and deliver the building's book.
How is the building book managed?
The building book must be updated every time an extension, renovation or rehabilitation work is carried out on the entire building or any of its floors.
It must also be updated when work is carried out in common areas.
The obligation to update the book falls on the community of owners.
Where can the document be consulted?
Article 7 of the LOE establishes that the building register must be provided to all end users. This includes all homeowners, who must have the part of the register that refers to the building in general and to their property in particular (their house, parking space and storage room, for example).
In fact, this book is usually among the documentation that is delivered when purchasing a second-hand house .
What happens if you can't find the building's book? Most often, the president of the community has it and you can ask for a copy. If not, the College of Architects or the City Council should have it.
In the last case, the Property Registry should also have a copy, since its deposit is obligatory and necessary to carry out certain registrations of new construction. The file number of the property book should appear on the real folio of the property, unless the book is not required due to its age.
