HOW TO USE A PROPERTY
FOR HOSPITALITY IN ITALY
Do you have a property that you do not use and do not know how to make the most of it?
Here is one of the solutions: open a “Casa per Ferie” or a “Casa Vacanze Gruppi”.
Here’s a quick guide on how to open and operate a hospitality business to host
temporarily individuals or non-profit groups.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today we want to inform you about a topic that could be of great importance to you if you have properties available and do not know how to use them to the fullest: the possibility of opening a “Casa per Ferie” or a “Casa Vacanze Gruppi” that will allow you to make the most of your property, keeping it in use and taking advantage of it economically.
Let’s see below what this is about and how to go on about it.
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What is meant by “Casa per Ferie” and “Casa Vacanze Gruppi”? What are the differences between the two types?
The definition, characteristics, structural and functional requirements, as well as the procedures for the operation of accommodation facilities, including non-hotel facilities where “Case per Ferie” are classified, are established by the different Regions, which are the exclusive holders of legislative authority in the field of tourism.
Although there is not complete uniformity in the regulations adopted by the various Regions, “Case per Ferie” can be defined as: “accommodation facilities equipped for the tourist stay of people or groups and managed, outside the normal commercial channels, by public bodies, associations or religious bodies operating on a non-profit basis for the achievement of social, cultural, welfare, religious, or sports purposes, as well as by bodies or companies for the stay of their employees and their families“.
It is therefore evident the instrumentality of the accommodation activity, managed by a non-profit organization or association, for the pursuit of one of the aforementioned purposes.
Among the subjects holding the authorization to operate a “Casa per Ferie” (except for subjective limitations provided for by regional regulations), there may be, among others, associations, both recognized and unrecognized, religious institutes and bodies, foundations, and cooperatives.
With reference then to civilly recognized ecclesiastical entities (which are required to be listed in the register of legal entities at the competent Prefecture), the management of a “Casa per Ferie” is inherent to the pastoral and evangelization mission – in this way, given the peculiarity of the managing ecclesiastical entity, operating on a non-profit basis, said management is a real tool for the pursuit of the institutional purpose of religion and worship.
The “Casa per Ferie” may then take on additional specifications, related to the category of user hosted or to the specific purpose, agreed with the reference Municipality, which may establish the conditions for the use of the additional specification.
For example, it can assume the additional typological specification of Vintage Residence if the structure is subject to the constraints provided for by the Code of Cultural Heritage and Landscape (Legislative Decree no. 42 of 22 January 2004) and is mainly furnished with vintage furniture (except for installations, technological equipment, and services).
The name of “Casa Vacanze Gruppi” is given to those structures equipped for the stay of people organized on a voluntary basis, who directly self-manage the structure during the period of stay.
“Casa per Ferie” are also considered those accommodation complexes with similar purposes such as guesthouses, student pensioners, youth accommodation, religious hospitality houses, holiday centers for the elderly or minors, and similar.
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Application for opening
To start the activity, the applicant should submit the SCIA (the Certified Start of Activity Report for Holiday Home) to the Municipality where the structure is located through the Single Electronic Desk of Production Activities (SUAP), accessible via the link: www.impresainungiorno.gov.it, after authentication through SPID (Public Digital Identity System), CIE (Electronic Identity Card) or CNS (National Service Card).
Any requests for modification or termination must also be forwarded in the same manner.
The presentation of the SCIA enables the applicant to carry out, together with the accommodation service and in compliance with current legislation on the matter, the administration of food and beverages to the people staying, their guests and those who are hosted in the accommodation facility on the occasion of organized events and conferences – as well as, in compliance with specific regional regulatory requirements, also to people who are not staying there.
Finally, among the regulatory requirements required for the operation of the “Casa per Ferie” it is also necessary to consider an adequate insurance policy to cover the risks for any civil liability towards the customers and guests of the accommodation facility.
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Costs and constraints
Traditional “Case per Ferie” and those with the term “Casa Vacanze Gruppi” must comply with current regulations on urban planning, health and safety, and fire prevention.
For this reason, it is always good to rely on experts in the field (lawyers, accountants, and engineers) before undertaking any activity. In fact, professionals will have to carry out a prior assessment of your property, verifying that all the technical, legal and tax requirements are met to undertake the activity in complete safety.
Traditional “Case per Ferie” and those with the term “Casa Vacanze Gruppi” must have minimum structural requirements and minimum requirements regarding the services offered, which are indicated in the relevant regional laws.
In any case, the activity manager is required, among other things, to comply with the following regulatory obligations:
- Communicate the names of the guests to the Public Security Authority, within 24 hours, through the web portal of the State Police: Alloggiati Web Polizia di Stato.
- Enter online the tourist attendance (forms C59-ISTAT) in the Provincial Tourism System (STU) for the ISTAT statistical survey.
- Pay the provincial Occupancy tax, collected from your guests, at the established deadlines. Guests of “Case per Ferie” named “Casa Vacanze Gruppi” as well as guesthouses, student pensioners, the youth accommodation, religious hospitality houses, holiday centers for the elderly or minors and the like are not subject to the payment of tourist tax.
If this topic is of interest to you and you want to know more about it, if you are interested in exploiting your properties by opening an accommodation business, do not hesitate to write to us at info@fiatlux.legal or call us at +39.338.1530687.
The experts in our team (lawyers, engineers, and accountants) will be happy to assist you and provide the necessary support.
Kind Regards,
Avv. Federica Loreti
Fiat Lux Legal