Limitation of Actions Consultation - Law Commission

(vii) A one-year period 425
applies, inter alia, to actions by bailiffs for their wages
for the writs they serve and for commissions which they execute; 426
actions for the
revocation of a gift on account of ingratitude, 427
and actions for damage, loss or
delay arising out of contracts for maritime or terrestrial transport. 428
(viii) Six-month periods apply to actions by teachers for lessons given on a
monthly basis 429
and to actions by hoteliers and caterers for the supply of
accommodation and food, 430
amongst others. 431
(ix) Finally, two and three month periods apply to a few actions. 432
10.134 A special regime applies to construction contracts. In French construction law,
acceptance 433
terminates for most purposes the ordinary contractual obligations of
the contractor. 434
Most obligations become covered by the three statutory
guarantees specified in Article 1792 of the Code Civil. 435
These provide a broad
range of protections for the client as well as to subsequent purchasers. 436
They
extend for periods of one, two, or ten years, 437
which run from the date of the
formal act of acceptance. 438
Thus, two years applies to claims in respect of hidden
damage to items which are separate 439
from the building, while the ten year period
applies to claims in respect of hidden damage to the structure and inseparable 440
fittings which renders them unsuitable for their purpose. 441
424 Art L 114-1, c assur. This is not a presumptive prescription; J-Cl Civil, arts 2270 - 2278, nº
103.
425 See generally, Les Obligations, nº 1383.
426 Art 2272, al 1er, c civ. This is a presumptive prescription. J-Cl Civil, arts 2270 - 2278, nº
12-13.
427 Art 957, c civ.
428 Art 108, c com.
429 Art 2271, al 1, c civ. If the lessons are given on a termly basis then the five year period in art
2277 applies (Cass req 12 Janv 1820).
430 Art 2271, al 2, c civ.
431 Les Obligations, nº 1384. These periods are presumptive prescriptions. J-Cl Civil, arts 2270 -
2278, nº 5-11.
432 Les Obligations, nº 1385 - 1386.
433 Réception.
434 P D V Marsh, Comparative Contract Law: England, France, Germany (1996), p 186.
435 Garantie de parfait achèvement, garantie décennale, and garantie biennale. These guarantees are
given by those termed constructeurs, who include architects, contractors, etc.
436 See P D V Marsh, Comparative Contract Law: England, France, Germany (1996), p 186.
437 Arts 1792-6, 2270 c. civ. They are technically not prescription periods, but délais d’épreuve.
438 Procès verbal de réception.
439 Dissociable.
440 Indissociable.
441 Different rules apply in the case of works for public authorities; see P D V Marsh, op cit, p
186.
230