Note
Building inspection (ITE/IEE) when buying in Spain
Quick answer
Many older buildings must pass a periodic inspection of their condition, known by names such as ITE or IEE depending on the place. The owners have a legal duty to conserve the building. Ask the community for the latest report and any works that it ordered, because repair costs are shared.
Applies toBuyers of flats in older buildings, who share the cost of repairs with the other owners.
On this page: 8 sections
§ 1What it is
Older buildings in many places must be inspected from time to time, to check their structure, facades, roofs and installations. The name differs: ITE (inspección técnica de edificios) or IEE (informe de evaluación de edificios) are common, and some regions use another term. The inspection is carried out by a technician and the report is filed with the authorities. It is part of the building-level checks in the basics of due diligence.
§ 2The legal duty to conserve
The state land law says that the duty to conserve a building includes meeting the basic building requirements. The inspection is a tool for checking that duty. In a block of flats the duty falls on the community of owners, and the cost of any works is shared by the owners. A buyer takes on a share of that, which is why the report matters.
§ 3Documents to ask for
Ask the administrator for the latest inspection report, the date, the result and any works ordered. Ask for the minutes of the owners’ meetings that discuss them. Ask whether works have been approved and not yet paid. The law also provides that the building’s documentation, the building book, must be handed to the final users, which is another source of information.
§ 4Financial consequences
Repairs required by an inspection can be large: facade, roof, lift, structure. Owners pay by quota, and a special assessment, a derrama, may be called. The effects on you as a buyer are covered in the chapter on communities of owners. Ask who pays a derrama voted before the deed, and put the answer in the contract.
§ 5Interpreting the report
Reports use ratings such as favourable or unfavourable, and may list defects by urgency. An unfavourable report is not a reason to walk away, but it is a reason to find out what is needed and when. Ask your surveyor to read the report and to estimate the cost for your unit.
§ 6If there is no report
If the building should have an inspection and has none, ask why. A building overdue for inspection can face penalties and may have problems nobody has checked. Ask your lawyer how that affects the price.
§ 7Related checks
Compare the report with the debts checked in the basics of checking for debts and the certificates of no debt covered in no-debt certificates step by step.
§ 8More on this topic
The basics of the nota simple explains the registry extract and the basics of checking title explains how to confirm the seller owns the property.
The basics of encumbrances explains mortgages, seizures and other charges and the basics of the cadastre explains the cadastral reference and how to compare it with the registry.
The basics of the first occupation licence explains the licence that confirms a home can be lived in and the basics of the habitability certificate explains the regional document confirming minimum living conditions.
The basics of the energy certificate explains the mandatory energy performance certificate.
FAQRelated questions
Does every building have an inspection?
Not every one. The duty depends on the age of the building and on regional or municipal rules, and the name and the interval vary. Ask the administrator whether the building is subject to one, and when the last report was issued.
What if the report finds defects?
The owners may have to carry out repairs, and the cost is shared according to each unit’s share. Ask for the report, the works required, the deadline and the budget. If a derrama has been voted, ask who will pay it.
Does the inspection cover my flat?
It covers the common elements and the structure of the building, not the inside of your flat. For your own unit you need a survey. The inspection report is a good guide to whether larger repairs are coming.
Sources
- Boletín Oficial del Estado: Texto refundido de la Ley de Suelo y Rehabilitación Urbana (RDLeg 7/2015) (official source, opens in a new window), Arts. 15, 17 and 21: duty to conserve; rural and urbanised landLast checked 17 October 2026
- Boletín Oficial del Estado: Ley 38/1999 de Ordenación de la Edificación (official source, opens in a new window), Articles 17 and 19; disposiciones adicionales primera y segundaLast checked 17 October 2026
- Boletín Oficial del Estado: Ley de Propiedad Horizontal (Ley 49/1960, BOE-A-1960-10906) (official source, opens in a new window), Arts. 7, 9, 10, 13, 16 and 17 (consolidated text of 3 October 2026)Last checked 26 October 2026
Legal note. How the process works in general. It is not legal advice, and it never replaces an independent Spanish lawyer acting for you.