Real estate sale agreements: particular attention should be paid to the starting point of the limitation period.
In Mes Finances magazine, our partner Frédéric Coppinger comments on a decision handed down by the Third Civil Chamber of the French Supreme Court (Cour de cassation) on 22 January 2026 concerning the enforcement of a bilateral preliminary sale agreement.
He explains that a claim seeking specific performance of the sale is subject to a five-year limitation period. A key issue is therefore to identify its starting point correctly, as the limitation period may begin to run as soon as the deadline set for signing the notarial deed has expired.
The decision highlights the importance of acting promptly when a real estate transaction is delayed or fails to complete.
Read the article in Mes Finances magazine, issue No. 178, p. 13.
