Distinguish data, explanation and seller contributions
An area published by Catastro, an explanation of a map and a photo supplied by the agent are different things. All can help, provided you know their source and what they show.
A seller's photo may show a renovation without demonstrating permission. Resolving that requires the work's documents. The report should let you follow this connection without presenting an opinion as a verified fact.
- Check who publishes or supplies each item.
- Check which home or document it concerns.
- Request documents supporting an important claim.
Check the data date as well as the access date
You can open a map today that was prepared years ago. The access date tells you when it was consulted; the map date tells you when its information was produced. Both help assess freshness.
This matters when streets have changed, buildings have been constructed or you want to understand an area's past. If a date is absent, record the uncertainty and avoid assuming the information necessarily describes today's situation.
- Find when the map or document was prepared.
- Check whether information covers one year or several.
- Ask about recent changes not yet reflected.
Missing information leaves the question open
Sometimes data does not cover an area; sometimes a consultation fails or cannot find the home. No answer does not establish that no problem exists. What helps is knowing what happened and what remains to be checked.
A map may also leave the plot unmarked for a risk. That only concerns what this map studies. Before concluding the home is safe in every situation, check which sources were consulted and which questions fall outside them.
- Distinguish ‘not found’ from ‘does not exist’.
- Find what information could actually be consulted.
- Ask where missing information can be clarified.
Check whether information describes your flat or the whole area
A municipality-wide figure does not precisely describe your street. Likewise, the shared plot's area is not your flat's area. Understanding each item's geographic scope prevents misleading comparisons.
Before using a conclusion to decide, ask whether it concerns your home, building, land or neighbourhood. Then consider what needs another check: maps help explain surroundings, while the inside of a home requires a visit.
- Check the location each figure or map describes.
- Separate flat details from whole-building details.
- Take questions about the interior to the visit.
Frequently asked questions
Does official data mean the whole report is certified?
An official publisher helps establish a datum's origin. It does not turn every explanation into a certificate or replace documents needed for a purchase or building work.
What if a datum has no date?
Account for that limitation and ask whether a newer version exists. It may offer orientation, but should not automatically be treated as describing the current home or area.
Where to consult this information
These official pages help you learn more and prepare your questions.