Skip to content In the global competition for talent, moving a specialized employee to Italy represents a significant opportunity that can benefit a multinational organization. However, the transition for the employee is rarely simple. Italy’s unique mix of bureaucratic complexity, a fast-paced rental market, and hyper-local regulations can turn a rewarding opportunity into a source of stress for both the assignee and the HR department.
When an assignee is preoccupied with gas contracts, residence permits or the Italian lease law, they are not focused on the business objectives. Professional relocation services act as a bridge, ensuring that employees are productive from day one while the company maintains compliance with Italian laws.
This article outlines the essential phases of a successful relocation project, from initial planning to local settling-in.
Planning the arrival
The success of any international move is rooted in preparation. Before booking any flights, a structured orientation phase is necessary to align the employee’s needs with the local market and the company mobility policy.
In fact, a failed relocation is almost always the result of a misalignment between expectations and reality.
Introduction call
The initial consultation serves mainly to set expectations. The relocation consultant conducts an initial briefing with the expat to explain the timeline and the nuances of the Italian real estate market.
The client will leave the call with a deeper understanding of how the housing market moves. For instance, they will get insights about the different districts of Milan or the most areas to consider if relocating to Modena.
Relocation questionnaire
The questionnaire is a data-gathering instrument that covers everything from family size, schooling requirements, pets, and lifestyle preferences. This data allows consultants to filter residential areas that match the employee’s profile. For example, ensuring that the commute to the office is okay with the lifestyle needs of the family.
Home search
Italy’s housing market varies drastically between cities like Milan, Rome or Turin. In high-demand hubs, quality listings often disappear within 24 to 48 hours.
Furthermore, it is highly fragmented. Unlike in some foreign countries, there is no centralized multiple listing service. On the contrary, listings are spread across various portals, local agencies and private networks.
Residential units selection
Relocation experts perform a pre-selection of properties, filtering a lot of listings to find those that are compliant.
This ensures that the client only receives units that are “expat-friendly”. This means that, for instance, owners are open to corporate contracts and the property meets safety and international standards.
House hunting day: the local consultant’s role
A physical “House Hunting Day” is the most intensive part of the field operation. Accompanied by a local consultant, the employee visits a curated list of properties.
Beyond just viewing the apartments, the consultant provides an area orientation, pointing out local amenities, public transport links, and proximity to international schools. This “on-the-ground” support helps the client make a confident decision in a single day, rather than spending weeks on independent searches.
In some cases, the company may decide to offer to their employee a pre-assignment trip, before the actual transfer. During the trip, the expat and the family will go on an orientation tour with the relocation consultant.
Lease contract
Once the family chooses a property, the contract negotiation begins. In Italy, spoken agreement are never enough. The parties shall include any specific agreement in writing on the contract, and the legal framework for rentals is quite rigid.
Lease proposal
The negotiation usually starts with a lease proposal. This is a formal, written document in which the tenant expresses their interest in renting the property at defined terms and conditions.
It serves as a preliminary offer that, once accepted by the owner, becomes a legally binding agreement.
Lease negotiation and payments coordination
Following the proposal acceptance, the parties will sign the rental contract. The Italian rental market is governed by specific laws (e.g. Cedolare Secca) that can be confusing for newcomers.
Relocation professionals handle the contract negotiation to ensure terms are favorable and compliant with local regulations. The assigned consultant coordinates and advises the expat about the security deposit transfer, the first month’s rent payment as well as agency fees and contract registration taxes.
House delivery
The check-in meeting is a formal procedure where the owner hands over the property to the tenant. A professional relocation service will produce a detailed check-in report, which is a critical step for liability.
A professional report usually includes a room-by-room survey accompanied by photographic documentation. It captures, for instance, the state of floors, walls and appliances.
Without a proper check in and inventory, the employee risks being liable for already existing damages. The aim of the report is to protect the tenant’s security deposit at the end of the lease.
Furthermore, during the check-in, the consultant will record gas, water, and electricity meters to ensure accurate billing from the lease start date.
Settling in
The first month after settling in is when the most “relocation problems” usually occur. The family is busy settling-in in the new environment but, at the same time, they just deal with many bureaucratic aspects.
The truth is that setting up a household in Italy requires navigating multiple private providers and municipal offices.
Utilities activation
To make the settling-in as smooth as possible, the relocation consultant will manage the transfer of name for electricity, gas, and water. This usually involves retrieving the “codice POD” and “codice PDR” from the counters, which can baffle a newcomer.
Furthermore, the consultant will register the tenant with the local municipality for the payment of the mandatory waste collection tax (TARI). In fact, neglecting this may lead to cumulative fines for the tenant years later.
Digital connectivity
The relocation consultant will also facilitate the installation of an Internet landline, which is notoriously slow in Italy and often requires dealing with the provider through phone calls in Italian language.
In some cases, it will be necessary to coordinate with the house owner for the installation of fiber or broadband which requires specific technical coordination. The relocation consultant will try to expedite technician visits, ensuring the employee has Internet access as soon as possible, for instance to work from home.
ZTL permit
For employees who need to drive, the ZTL (Limited Traffic Zone) can be a major hurdle. These are restricted areas in most Italian city centers where unauthorized driving leads to heavy fines.
Relocation services assist in obtaining the parking permit for one vehicle, ensuring the expat can access their home without legal issues.
Airport pick-up
Finally, to provide a “soft landing, the consultant will coordinate a dedicated airport pick-up.
A private driver meets the employee and their family upon arrival, providing a seamless “door-to-door” experience that eliminates the stress of navigating a new airport with heavy luggage.
Why investing in relocation services
Relocation services are not only booked by companies but also by private individuals who decide to move to Italy with their families.
One may decide to invest in relocation support for many reasons.
First, to ensure compliance with the local laws. In fact, Italian tax and lease laws are strict. Errors in the lease contract or in the contract registration can lead to never-ending legal disputes.
Secondly, HR departments want to invest in employee’s productivity. If employees spend a lot of time dealing by themselves with Italian bureaucracy, the cost to the company in lost productivity exceeds cost invested in a good relocation service.
Finally, companies value employee retention. A difficult start in a new destination country is often one of the leading causes of early departure. Furthermore, when the spouse and children of an employee are happy and integrated, the risks of assignment failing drops considerably.
To conclude, Italy is for many aspects an extraordinary destination country. However, navigating into the local bureaucracy may be hard for a newcomer. By providing a structured relocation package, the employer can ensure that the expat feels valued and supported. In the end, a well-managed relocation proves to be a good investment for the company.