Order No. 17148 of 2024: The Sale of Illegal Construction and the Reference to Art. 1489 of the Civil Code

The issue of the sale of real estate in violation of building permits is of great relevance in the Italian legal context. With order no. 17148 of June 21, 2024, the Court of Appeal of Naples provided an important clarification regarding the responsibilities of the seller in the case of illegal construction. In particular, the order focuses on the application of Article 1489 of the Civil Code, which deals with the rights and burdens associated with the sold property.

The Regulation of Art. 1489 of the Civil Code

The Italian civil code, in Article 1489, establishes the conditions under which guarantees for eviction and defects in the sold property apply. According to the ruling, in the case of a sale of a construction carried out in violation of the building permit, reference is made to this rule if the defect does not result in structural anomalies of the property. Furthermore, it is essential that the discrepancy was not declared in the contract or was not known to the buyer at the time of purchase.

GUARANTEE FOR - IN GENERAL Sale of illegal construction because it is different from the building title - Regulation of art. 1489 c.c. - Applicability - Conditions. In the case of a sale of a construction carried out in violation of the building permit, Article 1489 of the Civil Code applies regarding burdens and third-party rights affecting the sold property when the defect of the property does not materialize in structural anomalies of the good, provided that the discrepancy was not declared in the contract or, in any case, was not known to the buyer at the time of purchase.

The Conditions for Applying the Guarantee

It is interesting to note that the Court specified the conditions under which Article 1489 of the Civil Code can be applied. In fact, the rule applies when the seller has not declared the discrepancy and the buyer was unaware of it. This implies that transparency in negotiations is fundamental. Otherwise, the seller could be held liable for any damages or defects that arise post-purchase.

  • The discrepancy must not be declared in the contract.
  • The buyer must not be aware of the discrepancy at the time of purchase.
  • The defect must not concern structural anomalies of the property.

Conclusions

In summary, order no. 17148 of 2024 offers an important point of reflection for those dealing with real estate law. Clarity regarding the seller's guarantees in cases of illegal construction is essential to protect the interests of buyers and promote more transparent sales practices. Therefore, knowledge of the regulations and the conditions for their applicability plays a central role in ensuring that the rights of all parties involved are respected and protected.

Bianucci Law Firm