Work Acceptance
Report Application

Acceptance date, identification of the parties (owner, contractors), description of works, list of reservations with precise location, deadline for lifting reservations (party agreement), and acceptance ruling (with or without reservations, or refusal). The acceptance must be adversarial (article 1792-6 of the French Civil Code). The report triggers the legal warranties.

Perfect completion warranty (1 year): repair of all defects reported in the report or notified within the year. Biennial warranty (2 years): separable equipment elements (fittings, shutters, radiators). Decennial warranty (10 years): damage compromising the structural integrity or rendering the building unfit for its intended purpose. These warranties are mandatory by law.

Yes, if the works are not completed or have serious defects rendering the building unfit for its intended purpose. The refusal must be justified and notified in writing. The contractor must then complete or redo the works. Note: taking possession of the premises without reservation may constitute tacit acceptance (Court of Cassation case law), triggering the warranties despite the absence of a formal report.

Each reservation must be precise, located, and descriptive: nature of the defect, exact location (room, wall, element), apparent severity. Examples: "30 cm crack on the north wall of bedroom 2, at 1.20 m from the floor" or "Loose tiles — 3 tiles — bathroom, shower corner". Avoid vague wording. Attach numbered photos if possible.

The Civil Code does not set a legal deadline. In practice, the parties agree on a deadline in the report (usually 30 to 90 days). If the contractor does not lift the reservations within the agreed deadline, the owner may have the work carried out by a third party at the contractor's expense (after a formal notice left unanswered). The perfect completion warranty (1 year) covers this obligation.