Legalization in Croatia

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON PROBLEMS WITH LEGALIZATION? 

At the moment, the biggest problem is finding old documentation and obtaining a cadastral certificate confirming that the building was built prior to February 15,1968.
In Pula the land records are scattered on several locotions and the place to go to for a specific permit depends on the year of construction. When you request a document from the land record department, you usually have to wait for about 7 to 10 days to get it. The cadastral certificate usually takes 60 days to obtain. Those ore the bottlenecks of the legalization procedure. We would recommend to all the owners to pay close attention to the company doing the legalization for them. It often happens that the cheapest offer for preparing of documentation turns out to be the most expensive one in the end. This is because some companies don't do a proper job and later coerce the home owners into accepting additional charges. Maris does the whole procedure in one place - from free consulting and procurement of all the necessary documents, to submitting them to competent authorities and contacting the clerks in charge. In other words, we solve the legalization procedure without the real estate owner having to go to any offices or have any contacts with administrative personnel. 

WHAT HAS TO BE LEGALIZED AND BY WHAT TIME? 

Any and all buildings built after February 15, 1968 without a building permit or those not built in accordance with the permit will have to be legalized. 
Furthermore, all balconies and loggias that have had their original purpose changed, i.e. that have been turned into parts of living space (room, kitchen and alike) will have to be legalized. Loggias and balconies which have only been glassed and closed up don't have to be legalized. Deadline for submission of documents is June 30, 2013. 

WHAT IS THE CHEAPEST WAY TO LEGALIZE WHAT'S NECESSARY IN A BUILDING AND WHAT IN A DETACHED HOUSE? 

Balconies on buildings built before 1991 may be legalized by as many co-owners as possible joining up and splitting the costs. That way the cost of preparing the documents may be less than 1 ,500 Kuna per balcony. Any buildings built after 1991 with an entry stating that there was no use permit for such building might be somewhat more complicated to deal with. The same goes for houses. It is necessary to inspect all the existing documentation, to determine the condition in the codastre, etc. For each such case it is necessary to consult our expert team which will explain the legalization procedure to you. 

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER JUNE 30, 2013? 

There is no answer to that question, but the assumption is that there won't be any postponements of deadlines and that legal sanction wiil follow. Joining the EU wil probably be the point zero for putting things in order and there will probably be no leniency whatsoever. Of course, not everything will be demolished. That is just impossible to do.
But there will be fines - and they will surely be rigorous. The title deeds of anyone who cannot pay will be encumbered by the State and they will have to pay legal interest. When trying to sell or transfer your real estate, you'll be faced with an illegal real estate with a fine attached to it.

 I do believe that it is an opportunity to sort out all the loose ends which have for various reasons been left unfinished for some 50 years, and to get a legally registered real estate. The threats of the Ministry and the building inspection are not what really matters at the moment -it is about being safe in the knowledge that your real estate documents are in order. 
There will always be costs -that is invenitable, and this can be seen as a yet another way of collecting money for the state and bodies in charge with sorting out the documents. However, the costs involved in the process in question are quite low.

 The state has defined minimum amounts of the fee for retaining illegally built buildings (4-10 KN/m3), as well as big discounts and payment in instalments. Towns and municipalities are lowering their municipal fees and also grant big discounts and instalment payment options.
Maris has formed a team of experts who can assist you in legalizing your real estate. You can contact us at any time for free advice in order to find the simplest way of sorting out the documents for your real estate. We are open for cooperation and we have also introduced payment in instalments, in order to provide even more assistance to our clients in legalizing their real estate. What matters is that there are no hidden expenses, which means that by signing a contract with Maris you agree on the final price of the entire process, and the last instalment becomes due at the moment of obtaining the As-Built Certificate. This is your guarantee that we will fully complete the procedure or otherwise we will not be paid. Of course it is impossible to regulate a 50-year-mess in just 8 or 9 months, but one has to start somewhere. We have to get to point zero and be able to say that all the real estate in Croatia are legal as of today.

Author: Opereta