EXPERTISE — VEFA CÔTE D’AZUR
Your new apartment in Cannes-la-Bocca was supposed to be delivered on June 30, 2023. It’s now November, and the developer announces another three-month delay. No penalties paid. You signed a sales agreement with a firm delivery date, but the construction site seems at a standstill. In France, 40% of VEFA (sale of future completion) projects experience an average delay of 6 months. What can you claim?
What You See — and What It Really Hides
The developer sends you a terse letter: “the construction site has been delayed due to exceptional weather.” You notice that the windows are not installed, the elevator is not installed. But the contract provides for late penalties of 1/3000th of the price per day of delay. What no one tells you: these penalties only apply from the contractual delivery date, and only if the delay is attributable to the developer. And if the cause is a failing subcontractor, that’s his problem, not yours.
Frankly, I’ve seen cases where the developer invokes weather for Cannes summer months without a drop of rain. On a case in Cannes last year, I measured that actual bad weather covered only 12 days out of 120 days of delay. The developer had simply subcontracted to a struggling company. The law is clear: the developer is responsible for delays caused by his subcontractors (art. 1147 C.civ., French Civil Code).
Calculation of VEFA Late Penalties
The Calculations That Change Everything — the Real Amount of Penalties
The formula is simple: daily penalty = sale price × 1/3000. For an apartment at €300,000, that gives €100 per day of delay. In practice, what does that mean? If the delay is 184 days (6 months), the penalty reaches €18,400. But be careful: the developer can deduct days of force majeure. What I often see in such cases: the developer invokes bad weather without official weather records. Article 1231-1 of the French Civil Code requires the developer to prove the external cause. Without proof, penalties run in full.
Take a real case in Cannes-la-Bocca: a program of 50 units, average price €320,000, delay of 8 months. Gross penalty: €320,000 × (1/3000) × 240 = €25,600 per unit. The developer argued a landslide due to rains. I consulted Météo-France data: 14 days of heavy rain over 8 months, i.e., 14 days of force majeure. Corrected calculation: (240-14) × €106.67 = €24,106. The developer had to pay €24,106 per buyer. The difference from the initial calculation is minimal, but it shows that each claimed day must be verified.
What Happens If You Do Nothing — the Risks of Waiting
Not claiming penalties means letting a sum that can reach 5 to 10% of the purchase price slip away. But there is worse: the delay can hide defects. On a site in Cannes, I saw a 6-month delay due to redoing foundations on swelling clay. The buyers had not claimed penalties, thinking the developer would finish quickly. Result: 2 years of delay, structural cracks, and remedial work costing €50,000 per unit. The penalties would have covered part of the costs.
In 6 months, defects worsen. Water infiltration in an unenclosed building can damage drywall. Replacement cost of a damp partition: €150/m². For a 3-room apartment of 60 m², that’s €9,000. Not to mention rental depreciation: a late-delivered apartment means lost rent. In Cannes, the average rent is €18/m², i.e., €1,080 per month for a 3-room apartment. In 6 months, €6,480 in lost income.
Recourse and Guarantees: What You Can Demand
You can demand payment of late penalties based on Article 1231-1 of the French Civil Code (old) or 1231-1 (new), combined with the contractual clause. The French Construction and Housing Code (CCH) L261-11 requires the developer to deliver by the scheduled date, except for force majeure. The procedure: send a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt to the developer, putting them on notice to pay the calculated penalties. Attach a day-by-day breakdown. If the developer refuses, file a claim with the Grasse court. In practice, a court expert may be appointed to verify the causes of the delay. I conduct such expert assessments: I review schedules, site reports, weather data. The cost of the expert assessment (€2,000 to €5,000) is often charged to the developer if the delay is attributable to them. Do not let deadlines pass: the statute of limitations is 5 years from actual delivery.
📅 Mis à jour le 24/08/2026 — Par Cassini Expertise, expert bâtiment indépendant 06 & 83. Devis gratuit : 04 22 46 06 04.
Questions fréquentes
VEFA livraison retardée pénalités calcul comment ?
En VEFA, en cas de retard de livraison, le vendeur doit des pénalités journalières si le contrat le prévoit, généralement de 1/3000 du prix par jour. Le calcul se fait sur le prix de vente TTC, déduction faite des frais d'acte et de la garantie financière.
Quel est le délai de carence avant pénalités VEFA ?
Les pénalités ne s'appliquent qu'après une période de tolérance de 3 mois suivant la date de livraison prévue au contrat. Passé ce délai, chaque jour de retard entraîne des pénalités, sauf cas de force majeure.
Comment réclamer pénalités de retard VEFA ?
Envoyez une mise en demeure au vendeur par lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception, en précisant le montant des pénalités calculées. Si le vendeur ne paie pas, vous pouvez saisir le tribunal judiciaire dans un délai de 5 ans.