NEWS

Change in fines for illegal homes

New draft legislation unveiled Tuesday by the Environment Ministry offers greater incentives to owners of homes that were illegally built or altered before 2003 to declare the properties to authorities and be exempted from future fines or demolitions.

The bill groups the illegal properties into three categories. Homes illegally built or altered before 1975 can be “legalized” with a payment of 500 euros. Owners who have paid a fine in the past will be reimbursed.

For properties illegally built or modified between 1975 and 1982, the owner must pay 15 percent of the applicable fine to avoid demolition. In the case of newer homes built or altered between 1983 and 2003, owners must pay 20 percent of the applicable fine.

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