Completing a property purchase in Italy: the rogito, final checks and handover

Read the final deed before the appointment

The rogito is the final notarial sale deed. In an ordinary sale it records the transfer on its stated terms; it should not be treated as a ceremonial repeat of the preliminary agreement. Request the draft and attachments early enough to raise questions and understand any changes.

Use the terms agreed in the preliminary contract as a comparison point. Ask about differences before signing, particularly any wording that appears to settle a disputed issue or acknowledge complete performance.

Close the outstanding checks and inspect the property again

Ask the notary and other professionals to identify what is complete and what is still unresolved within their respective roles. A booked appointment does not itself establish that every agreed condition has been met.

Follow up the findings from title, building and condominium due diligence. Obtain the promised evidence of remedial work or document updates, and ask whether any searches or statements need refreshing close to completion.

A final visit is not a substitute for a technical survey. If a new concern appears, record it and ask the relevant professional what it means for the transaction. Obtain advice on the available remedies before refusing completion or withholding money.

Agree how the balance will be paid and released

Ask for a written reconciliation showing the balance, taxes and fees separately. The purchase payment timetable should identify when funds must be available and who receives them. If there is a mortgage, confirm the lender's actual release arrangements rather than relying only on approval of the loan.

Provide the payment evidence requested for the deed and check any change in bank details through an independently established contact channel. Distinguish money already transferred from a transfer merely scheduled or awaiting clearance.

The Notariato's guide to depositing the purchase price explains the protection during the interval between signing and transcription. It is not the same thing as the contractual caparra already paid to secure the agreement.

Where money is to be retained for a further purpose, such as later delivery of possession, agree the amount, release conditions and evidence with the parties and notary. Specify the protection sought; a general request to “hold the money” leaves essential terms unclear.

Make the delivery of possession explicit

Keys are commonly delivered at completion, but the parties may agree a different date. Record who will hand over possession, what must be delivered and how completion of that step will be documented. If someone else collects the keys for you, give them clear instructions about what to check and report.

The Notariato's instructions on price deposit describe its possible use where the seller retains possession after the sale. The terms need to fit the transaction rather than being copied from a generic clause.

Read any handover declaration before signing it. A statement that everything has been received in satisfactory condition should reflect the facts; obtain advice about wording that may waive a claim or settle an unresolved problem.

Collect the documents and complete the ownership follow-up

After signing, the notary carries out the relevant tax registration, transcription in the property registers and cadastral update. The Notariato explains these post-signing formalities. Ask when the deed copy and confirmation of the formalities will be available, and how they will be delivered to you abroad.

Keep the deed and attachments, payment evidence, professional invoices, relevant reports and handover record together. Arrange utility-account changes and the appropriate communication to the condominium administrator. Confirm any local tax or waste-charge declarations, insurance arrangements and continuing obligations attached to relief you claimed.

Raise unresolved issues before the final signature

If you need legal assistance before completion, explain which parts of the proposed arrangements remain unclear. A review of the final deed can focus on changed terms, outstanding obligations or a deferred handover, within an agreed scope and in coordination with the notary.

Use the contact form with the property location, completion date, whether you will attend and a short description of the concern. State which drafts and reports are available; wait for instructions before sending confidential documents. Any paid assessment is quoted before work begins.

General information, not confirmation that a particular transaction is ready to complete. An enquiry does not create an engagement or acceptance of responsibility for a deadline.