When it comes to renovation bonuses, many take it for granted that the tax benefit is only available to the property owner.
In reality this is not the case, and knowing this can make a real difference when filing your tax return. The Revenue Agency clarified that the discount equal to 50% of the expenses incurred, up to a maximum of 96,000 euros per immovable unit, can also be granted to those who are not home owners, as long as they meet certain conditions.
A much wider range of beneficiaries than you think: roommates, tenants, borrowers and family members can access it, under certain conditions. Here’s everything you need to know.
Who can access the bonus even without being an owner
The building asset recovery legislation provides that all taxpayers subject to the IRPEF who directly support renovation expenditure can benefit from the deduction. Therefore, it is not necessary to be the owner of the property: usufructuary, usufructuary or surface right holders, tenants with a regular lease and borrowers are also entitled to the benefit.
Beneficiaries also include the cohabiting family members of the owner, i.e. the wife, relatives up to the third degree and in-laws up to the second degree. This means, in practice, that if a couple lives together in an apartment that is registered to only one of the two partners, the other can deduct the costs incurred for the works.
It is an arrangement designed to reflect the reality of modern families, in which the financial management of the home is often shared regardless of who is officially the owner. The important thing is that the person requesting the benefit is resident or in any case subject to IRPEF in Italy.
The specific requirements must be met in order not to lose the benefit
Accessing the deduction without being the owner is possible, but requires attention to formal details, which can make a difference during the tax audit phase.
The fundamental requirement is that invoices and transfers relating to the works are made to the person intending to deduct the expenditure: it is not enough to make a financial contribution informally or verbally, the payment must be traceable and formally traceable to the person claiming the benefit.
In addition to the traceability of payments, proof of cohabitation with the owner or occupier of the property through a declaration instead of an affidavit is necessary. This co-existence must already exist on the date of commencement of the work and at the time the expenses are incurred.
Important fact: the roommate can benefit from the discount even without a formal loan agreement, as long as the other conditions are met. Ultimately, the renovation bonus rewards those who actually bear the costs, not just those who own the property on paper: a meaningful approach that widens the potential for tax savings for many Italian families.
