Buildings which are more than 50 years old are to be obliged to have a so-called ITV/MOT inspection from July. The new legislation affects buildings older than 50 years in towns of more than 25,000 inhabitants. Buildings will be obliged to display a certificate before any flats can be sold. The ITE Inspección Técnica de Edificios has been in existence for some time, but only from July 7 2012 will it become obligatory. The buildings will be subjected to a complete technical inspection by a competent architect or engineer who will draw up a report on the state of the building, indicating any deficiencies detected and whether they are serious or not. In the case that work needs to be done, a further inspection is needed when the work is completed. Fines of 1,000 – 6,000 € are envisaged for those who don’t comply. The process will have to be repeated every ten years.