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To establish abnormal financial relations
Droit Immobilier

To establish abnormal financial relations

📅 Decision of 16 June 2015🔄 Updated on 18 October 2026⚖️ Cour de cassation👁️ 26 views📖 2 min read

To establish abnormal financial relationships constituting a confusion of assets, the courts do not need to examine whether such relationships increased, to the detriment of its creditors, the liabilities of the debtor subject to collective proceedings whose extension is sought.

Reference decision: Cass. • No. 14-10.187 • 16 June 2015 • View decision →

This decision sheds important light on your property law. Here is what it changes for you.

The situation

To establish abnormal financial relationships constituting a confusion of assets, the courts do not need to examine whether such relationships increased, to the detriment of its creditors, the liabilities of the debtor subject to collective proceedings whose extension is sought.

What the law says

This decision reaffirms the fundamental principles of property law.

Key points

  • Scrupulously comply with statutory time limits for bringing an action
  • Keep all your supporting documents (title deeds, instruments, correspondence)
  • Plan ahead: preventive advice always costs less than litigation

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📌 Does this apply to your situation? Maître Cécile Zakine, French real estate lawyer, practises throughout France.
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Legal information

  • Number: 14-10.187
  • Court: Cour de cassation
  • Decision of: 16 June 2015

Keywords

droit immobilierjurisprudenceimmobilier

Practical use cases

1

Recovering unpaid renovation fees from bankrupt developer

A building contractor in Marseille completed €50,000 of renovation work for a property developer now in liquidation. The developer transferred assets to a sister company with the same director to avoid paying creditors.

Practical application:

This case law clarifies that to extend the liquidation to the sister company, you only need to prove abnormal financial relationships (e.g. shared accounts, no proper contracts), not that these actions increased the debtor’s liabilities. Gather bank statements and invoices showing intermingled funds, and petition the commercial court to extend the proceedings.

2

First-time buyer reclaiming deposit from insolvent developer

A young couple in Lyon paid a €20,000 deposit for an off-plan flat, but the developer went bankrupt before construction. The developer regularly moved money to a separate management company, leaving no assets to refund buyers.

Practical application:

Under this ruling, you do not need to demonstrate that the transfers worsened the developer’s debt to prove confusion of assets. Use evidence of irregular cash flows (e.g. no invoices, personal transactions) to ask the court to extend the insolvency to the management company, increasing your chance of deposit recovery.

3

Commercial landlord seeking unpaid rent after tenant insolvency

A landlord in Paris is owed €15,000 in rent from a clothing shop that filed for insolvency. The tenant secretly moved stock, equipment, and daily takings to a newly formed company with the same owner.

Practical application:

Based on this decision, you can request the insolvency be extended to the new company by showing abnormal financial ties—such as shared premises, staff, or bank accounts—without needing to prove your loss increased. Collect tenancy agreements, bank records, and correspondence to file an action with the commercial court.

Maître Cécile Zakine

About the author

Maître Cécile Zakine — Lawyer at the Alpes-Maritimes Bar, Doctor of Law. Every article in this magazine is based on the analysis of a real court decision, commented and put into perspective by Maître Zakine’s team.

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Disclaimer: The analysis presented on this site is for informational purposes only and does not constitute personalised legal advice. For advice tailored to your situation, contact a qualified lawyer.

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