Fire prevention certificate and fire safety notice in a condominium

When the condominium is a regulated activity

Presidential Decree 151/2011 identifies the activities subject to fire prevention controls in an annex that classifies them by type and size. For condominiums, the two elements that most often trigger the obligation are: condominium garages with a surface above a certain threshold, and residential buildings with a fire safety height above a certain measure.

Fire safety height is the height of the last habitable floor, increased by one metre, measured from the lowest drivable level adjacent to the building. Checking whether your building falls among the regulated activities is the first step: if it does not, there are no fire safety obligations towards the Fire Brigade; if it does, the required procedure must be started.

From the certificate to the fire safety notice

The reform introduced by Presidential Decree 151/2011 replaced, for the start of the activity, the old prior issue of the certificate with the Certified Notice of Commencement of Activity for fire safety, the SCIA. It is the condominium, through a qualified technician, that submits the notice certifying the activity's compliance with fire prevention rules.

The Fire Brigade then carries out controls, also on a sample basis, and may issue, on request, the certificate of compliance. The shift from the logic of the prior certificate to that of the notice with subsequent control does not reduce responsibilities: the substantial compliance of the building with the rules remains a full obligation of the condominium.

Periodic renewals and renewal certification

The obligation does not end with the initial notice. Regulated activities must submit, at the frequency set by the rules, the renewal certification of fire safety compliance, with which a qualified technician certifies that the safety conditions and the efficiency of the fire safety systems still hold.

The manager must therefore keep the renewal deadline under control, because letting it lapse means operating with an out-of-date fire safety position, with consequences in case of a control or an accident. The precise frequency depends on the category in which the activity is classified.

Equipment maintenance and the control register

Alongside the obligations towards the Fire Brigade, the condominium must ensure the maintenance of the fire safety equipment: extinguishers, hydrants, fire doors, detection and alarm systems, emergency lighting, according to the applicable technical standards and the frequency they set.

It is good practice to keep a fire safety control register noting the periodic checks of the equipment, the maintenance works and any anomalies found. This register, besides being required in many situations, demonstrates the manager's diligence in managing fire safety.

Keeping the fire safety documentation in order

Between the notice, periodic renewals, equipment maintenance and the control register, a condominium's fire safety documentation is substantial and with different deadlines. Losing a document or forgetting a renewal is a real risk, especially when managing several regulated buildings.

A management tool such as AmministraPro lets you archive each condominium's fire safety documentation in an orderly way, link it to the related deadlines and receive reminders before renewals and equipment checks. The features are described on the /funzioni page and the plans on /prezzi, useful support when the portfolio includes garages or regulated buildings.

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