Moroccan buyers ordered to pay €96,000 after occupying Saint-Quentin building for eight years
Two buyers of Moroccan origin have been ordered to pay €96,000 for occupying a building in France for eight years while seeking to buy it. The sale was never completed, leading to a lengthy legal battle. The Saint-Quentin court ordered the return of the €150,000 paid to the notary, as well as the payment of occupancy compensation.
It all began on 4 August 2018. Two people born in Morocco signed a preliminary agreement with the real estate company Atlas to buy a building containing several homes for €210,000. They deposited €150,000 with the notary and immediately moved in, with the owner’s consent. The final sale was to be signed before 30 September. It never was.
On Bladi.net : Couple Wins Back €21,000 Despite Withdrawing Too Late From Property Purchase
The years went by, and appointments with the notary followed one after another. A mortgage registered on the building initially complicated the transaction. Then came disagreements over the property boundaries, particularly a courtyard behind the building. The buyers argued that some windows overlooked the neighbour’s land, which could force them to seal several openings.
In June 2021, they finally announced their intention to withdraw from the purchase. The seller challenged their decision. The case ended up before the Saint-Quentin court, where each side accused the other of preventing the sale from being signed.
The judges examined correspondence with the notary, the mortgages and the cadastral disputes. They concluded that neither party had been shown to be at fault in a decisive way. The preliminary agreement was therefore terminated, and the €150,000 had to be returned to the buyers.
Eight years of occupancy to pay for
But the two buyers continued to occupy the building. With the preliminary agreement cancelled, their occupancy was retroactively deemed to have no legal basis. The company Atlas then sought compensation of €1,592 per month.
The court ultimately set compensation at €1,000 a month, taking into account the condition of the building and the work carried out. For eight years of occupancy, the bill comes to €96,000. It will continue to rise by €1,000 each month until they leave.
Work carried out in the homes also fuelled the dispute. The buyers sought €50,000 for the improvements they had made. The property-owning company, for its part, sought €187,500 to restore the building. Both claims were rejected for lack of sufficient supporting evidence.
On Bladi.net : French Notary Ordered to Pay Moroccan-Born Couple €29,045 After Demolition Threat
In its ruling of 21 September 2026, the court ordered the amounts owed to be offset against each other. Based on the principal amounts set as of that date, €54,000 remains payable to the buyers, before interest and additional compensation. The two occupants have two months from service of the ruling to leave the building. Each party must also pay half of the legal costs.
