City of Loimaa has started the updating project of building registers. The aim is to carry out the project in 2024–2027.

The aim of the project is to update the building registers. The building data to be updated include the number of buildings on the property, their location, year of completion, purpose of use and surface area.

Up-to-date building register information is important for building control, land use planning and rescue services. An updated building register also has an impact on the city’s property tax revenues. It will increase tax equality for municipalities by ensuring that all buildings subject to property tax are included in the register. It should be noted that the property owner has an obligation to inspect and report to the tax authorities all buildings subject to property tax and the municipality has an obligation to report to the Population Information System on buildings within the municipality.

The Population Information System (PIS), maintained by the Finnish National Directorate for Digital and Population Information, contains information on buildings and the apartments in them. Also known as the Register of Buildings and Apartments (RHR), it is based on building permit data provided by municipalities. For buildings completed before 1980, the data are mainly derived from the 1980 population and housing census, which is not fully comprehensive. In addition, gaps in the registers are due to factors such as the old building stock, system changes and data transmission errors, unauthorised construction and unsolicited final inspections. In the future, data will be maintained in the new built environment information system, to which existing data will be transferred.

The audit project will go through all properties in Loimaa, area by area, by comparing map data, aerial photographs and register information. In case of doubt, the owner of the property will be contacted and asked to provide details of the buildings on the property. On the basis of the information provided, a decision will be taken on whether or not to organise an inspection and measurement visit.