Sheet, parcel, sub-unit: the cadastral identification in the appraisal report (perizia)

What cadastral identification means in plain words

The land registry is the register where the State keeps the list of all properties, with the data for each one. Each property has a code made of three parts:

• Sheet (foglio): the number of the map of the municipality where the property is located.
• Parcel (particella): the number of the plot of land or of the building on the map.
• Sub-unit (subalterno): the number that distinguishes the individual units within the same parcel, for example two flats in the same building.

In the auction notice you usually find the municipality, the address and sometimes the three numbers. In the sale notice, published on the Public Sales Portal (Portale delle Vendite Pubbliche, PVP, the Ministry of Justice website where all the notices for judicial auctions are kept, pvp.giustizia.it), the lot is described with the same data. The appraisal report is the technical document prepared by the appraiser, more detailed, and it reports the cadastral data with the land registry extract attached.

The land registry does not tell you everything: it does not tell you whether the house is compliant, whether the walls are where they should be or whether the balcony has been enclosed. It only tells you which unit is registered under those numbers. That is why identification is the first check, not the last.

Where to find them in the appraisal report

Look for the section dedicated to the identification of the asset. It usually contains:

• the municipality and the cadastre (buildings or land);
• sheet, parcel and sub-unit;
• the cadastral category (for example A/2 for a flat, C/6 for a box or garage);
• the cadastral income (rendita catastale) and the size, that is the rooms or square metres recorded.

The appraisal report usually attaches the land registry extract (visura catastale), that is the extract from the land registry with the unit's data, and the floor plan (planimetria), the drawing of the layout. Compare the numbers written in the text with those in the extract: if they do not match, ask the appraiser to clarify before you make an offer.

An example. The notice says «flat on the third floor, Sheet 12, parcel 345, sub-unit 7». The appraisal report states Sheet 12, parcel 345, sub-unit 17. Only one digit differs, but the difference could mean a different flat, or a box, or a cellar. Do not assume it is a typo: have it confirmed.

Why the land registry map matters more than the address

The address can be written in different ways across documents, with street numbers changed over time or with staircases and internal numbers left out. The cadastral code, on the other hand, identifies only one unit. That is why sheet, parcel and sub-unit are the safest reference for verification.

When the appraisal report describes a property with the same parcel but a different sub-unit from the one you saw in the notice, it may be two distinct units in the same building. This often happens with flats and cellars or boxes sold separately. The lot must match the unit indicated in the sale notice, not another one in the building.

What to check in the three numbers

Carry out this check in order. Each step is simple, but skipping one is the most common way of getting the wrong lot.

1. Compare the three numbers in the sale notice with those in the appraisal report. They must be identical.
2. Compare the three numbers in the appraisal report with those in the attached land registry extract. They must match.
3. Check that the cadastral category is consistent with what the property is: a box should not be described as an A/2 dwelling.
4. Check that the size (rooms or square metres) is compatible with the floor plan.
5. If the lot includes more than one unit, check that every sub-unit is indicated and explained.

If you find a discrepancy, the sale is not necessarily flawed: it may be a typing error in the notice. But it must be clarified with the sale delegate (delegato alla vendita), who manages the sale, before you submit your offer.

What happens if the land registry does not match the actual house

The land registry records the unit as it was declared. If the house has been modified, for example with a wall removed or a room created from a former balcony, the cadastral floor plan may not match the actual state of the property. This does not mean the house is unauthorised, but it does mean it should be updated in the land registry and that the appraiser should point it out.

The subject of cadastral compliance is covered in detail in the guide Cadastral compliance in the appraisal report: what to check. For the difference between the land registry floor plan and the actual state, read Land registry floor plan and actual state: the differences to note.

Unauthorised building works (abuso edilizio) are a different case. The land registry is not a building permit: a property may be compliant with the land registry and irregular from a planning point of view, or the other way round. For this reason the cadastral identification must be read together with the planning part of the appraisal report.

What changes if the auction concerns a share or several units

In some auctions only a share of the property is sold, for example the undivided half of a flat of which another half belongs to a co-owner. In this case the three numbers remain the same, but the lot is the share, not the whole unit. Read the description carefully: anyone who buys a share becomes a co-owner with others and does not have exclusive use of the property.

If the lot is made up of several sub-units, for example a flat plus a cellar, each sub-unit must be identified. Check that all of them are listed in the notice and that the appraisal report describes both. A lot with a missing sub-unit may not correspond to what you expect to buy.

The most common mistakes

• Relying only on the address without checking the three numbers.
• Not comparing the appraisal report with the attached land registry extract.
• Ignoring the cadastral category: a box sold as a flat is a serious error.
• Assuming that the land registry guarantees building compliance: it does not.

In practice

• Find the three numbers of the lot in the sale notice on the PVP: sheet, parcel, sub-unit.
• Compare them with those written in the appraisal report and with the attached land registry extract.
• Check that the cadastral category matches the type of property you are interested in.
• If anything does not add up, ask the sale delegate for clarification before making an offer.
• To see how the appraisal report is compared, read the guide How to read an auction appraisal report, section by section.

Frequently asked questions

Are the sheet and the parcel enough to identify the property?

Usually not, they are not enough on their own. The sub-unit is needed to distinguish the units within the same parcel, for example two flats or a flat and a box in the same building. Always use all three numbers.

Can I check the land registry myself?

Yes, for the owner the extract is free online on the Italian Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) website. For other people the service is paid. The appraiser attaches the extract to the appraisal report anyway, and you can use it as a starting point.

If the sub-unit in the appraisal report is different from the one in the notice, what do I do?

Do not submit an offer until you have clarified it. It may be a typing error or another unit in the building. Ask the sale delegate named in the notice for confirmation.

The land registry says the house is in a certain category: is it always the real one?

Not necessarily. The category is the one declared to the land registry. If the actual use is different, for example a room used as a dwelling, it should be reported. The appraiser must describe the actual state.

Sources

• Code of Civil Procedure, art. 569 (sale order)
• Implementing provisions of the Code of Civil Procedure, art. 173-bis (content of the appraisal report)
• Public Sales Portal
• Ministry of Justice
• Italian Revenue Agency (Agenzia delle Entrate) — land registry extract