{"id":2443,"date":"2026-02-16T16:20:50","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T16:20:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/studio-mauro.it\/non-categorizzato\/preliminary-purchase-and-sale-and-certificate-of-practicability-when-you-can-withdraw-and-get-double-the-deposit-supreme-court-2132-2026\/"},"modified":"2026-02-16T16:20:50","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T16:20:50","slug":"preliminary-purchase-and-sale-and-certificate-of-practicability-when-you-can-withdraw-and-get-double-the-deposit-supreme-court-2132-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/studio-mauro.it\/en\/real-estate-law\/preliminary-purchase-and-sale-and-certificate-of-practicability-when-you-can-withdraw-and-get-double-the-deposit-supreme-court-2132-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Preliminary purchase and sale and certificate of practicability: when you can withdraw and get double the deposit (Supreme Court 2132\/2026)"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Homebuyers (or investment property) often sign a preliminary purchase and sale agreement<\/strong> by paying a deposit<\/strong>. But what if, on the date of the deed, the property lacks a certificate of occupancy<\/strong> and – even worse – does not even qualify for it? <\/p>\n

On this point the Supreme Court (Sec. II), Order No. 2132, Feb. 2, 2026 <\/strong>, offers a very useful clarification for buyers and sellers, and especially for those who rely on a real estate lawyer<\/strong> or real estate attorney<\/strong> to protect themselves before (or after) signing the preliminary.<\/p>\n

1) The case: usability promised in the preliminary, but the deed is missing<\/h2>\n

In the case decided by the Supreme Court, the promising sellers had committed in the preliminary agreement to deliver the certificate of fitness by the date set for the deed<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Arriving on the day set for the final, the certificate was not available<\/strong> and the property had substantial criticalities<\/strong> that prevented it from being obtained (building discrepancies, nonconforming heights, health problems including infiltration).<\/p>\n

The promissory purchaser then exercised withdrawal<\/strong>, demanding the return of twice the deposit.<\/strong> The judges on the merits agreed with him, and the Supreme Court upheld. <\/p>\n

2) The principle: without agibility, there can be a serious default of the seller<\/h2>\n

The decision reiterates a simple but decisive concept: the buyer has a concrete interest in obtaining a usable and marketable<\/strong> property. If there is a lack of usability (or a lack of the conditions to obtain it), the seller’s conduct may constitute a material breach<\/strong>, in some cases traced to the scheme of “aliud pro alio<\/strong>.” <\/p>\n

In practical terms: if I buy a property that should be fit for use (living or otherwise in accordance with its function) and instead is not, I am not receiving exactly what I was promised.<\/p>\n

3) The most important clarification: the situation on the date of the deed counts<\/h2>\n

The most “useful” step in practice is this: the situation existing on the date set for the final contract to be concluded counts<\/strong> in assessing the legitimacy of the termination.<\/p>\n

This means that:<\/p>\n

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    it is irrelevant<\/strong> to argue that at the time of the preliminary, the requirements “maybe” were there;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    it is irrelevant<\/strong> to produce documents or initiate paperwork after<\/strong> the date of the deed to prove that “then” the property was settled;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    it is not enough to “catch up” later: if at the deed, the usability is missing and cannot be obtained, the default is assessed at that time.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    For those who assist clients in buying and selling, this is a key point: any defense of the seller based on late activities or documents often fails to neutralize the consequences of default.<\/p>\n

    4) Agibility: not nullity of contract, but problem of performance<\/h2>\n

    The Supreme Court also reiterates another point that is of great interest to those who do real estate law<\/strong>: lack of fitness does not automatically make<\/strong> the contract void<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    The issue concernsperformance<\/strong>: that is, whether a party has fulfilled its obligations and whether the breach is so serious as to warrant remedies such as:<\/p>\n

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      withdrawal (if there is down payment and the conditions are met),<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      resolution,<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      compensation for damages.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      This distinction avoids frequent misunderstandings: not every property that lacks fitness “resets” the act, but it can generate important liabilities and protections.<\/p>\n

      5) Attention: land registry regularity does not mean building regularity (nor practicability)<\/h2>\n

      In the case addressed, the sellers had also tried to support their argument by citing later administrative documentation and profiles of “regularity.”<\/p>\n

      This is where a recurring theme in real estate disputes comes in: land registry<\/strong> and urban planning\/building<\/strong> are different planes.<\/p>\n

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        The cadastre describes and surveys the property (for tax purposes as well).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Urban-building conformity, on the other hand, concerns titles, lawful status, heights, sanitation and safety requirements.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        Habitability presupposes that the property is fit for use in terms of sanitation, safety, and other requirements.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Therefore, in negotiations and litigation, it is essential to make proper and “targeted” verifications, not settling for a single document.<\/p>\n

        6) Clauses in the preliminary: when the buyer’s waiver is really effective<\/h2>\n

        The Supreme Court recalls an extremely practical principle: the absence of practicability may not legitimize rescission only if<\/strong> the buyer has expressly waived<\/strong> his claim to the certificate (or exonerated the seller).<\/p>\n

        In practice one often sees generic clauses (“the property is sold in the state of fact and law…”, “the buyer declares that he knows…”). These formulas alone are not always sufficient. <\/p>\n

        To reduce the risk of litigation, a real estate lawyer in Milan<\/strong> (or where the property is located) usually steps in to:<\/p>\n

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          Clarify whether agibility is a prerequisite for negotiation;<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          Insert specific clauses (delivery obligation, terms, penalties, deposit, conditions precedent);<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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          Provide clear remedies in case of noncompliance.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          7) Practical implications: what to do before signing (and what to do if the problem emerges later)<\/h2>\n

          If you are a promissory purchaser<\/h3>\n
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            Demand that it be written in the preliminary that who is to do what<\/strong>, by when, and what happens if the usability is missing.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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            Evaluates (before signing) a technical-legal due diligence<\/strong>: zoning, construction, health, compliance, titles.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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            If the deed lacks usability and requirements, withdrawal with a demand for double the deposit<\/strong> may be a concrete protection (to be evaluated on a case-by-case basis with a real estate lawyer).<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            If you are a promising seller<\/h3>\n
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              If the property has critical issues, address them before<\/strong> the preliminary or state precisely the status and contractual consequences.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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              Avoid relying on “fix it later”: count the situation on the date of the deed.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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              If you want to sell without agibility, you need a clear and unequivocal<\/strong> waiver clause, otherwise the risk of withdrawal remains high.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Conclusion: a decision that strengthens buyer protection<\/h2>\n

              Ordinance 2132\/2026 consolidates a very concrete message: if, in the preliminary, the seller obligates himself to deliver the usability by the deed and, on the fixed date, the document is missing and the property is not in a condition to obtain it, the buyer may be entitled to withdraw<\/strong> and demand double the deposit<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

              It is a particularly useful pronouncement for those working in the real estate market and for preventing errors in the preliminary or handling disputes over usability and breach of contract.<\/p>\n

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              <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Homebuyers (or investment property) often sign a preliminary purchase and sale agreement by paying a deposit. But what if, on the date of the deed, the property lacks a certificate of occupancy and – even worse – does not even qualify for it? On this point the Supreme Court (Sec. II), Order No. 2132, Feb….<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[44],"tags":[570,576,346,569,573,345,577,571,342,435,563,428,575,574,572],"yoast_head":"\nPreliminary purchase and sale and certificate of practicability: when you can withdraw and get double the deposit (Supreme Court 2132\/2026) - Studio Legale Mauro<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Court of Cassation 2132\/2026: When the lack of usability in the preliminary legitimizes withdrawal and double the deposit. 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