Russia’s Supreme Court reconsiders deadline for apartment defect claims

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  Russia’s Supreme Court sent a dispute over serious defects in an apartment back to an appeals court for reconsideration.

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  The Court said the limitation period should be assessed under consumer-protection law, not rules for shared-equity construction.

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  It said the period began when the apartment was transferred to the plaintiffs, not when it was handed to an investor.

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  The defects included cracked, overly thin wall panels that made the apartment cold and damp.

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  The plaintiffs sued the developer in July 2023 after an arbitration ruling established that the defects were serious and impossible to remedy.

Who

Apartment buyers sued the developer over serious defects.

What

The Supreme Court sent their claim back to an appeals court and set out how to assess the limitation period.

When

The Supreme Court issued its ruling on 7 July 2026; the buyers filed their lawsuit on 12 July 2023.

Where

The apartment was in a residential building in Russia; the case was heard by Russia’s Supreme Court.

Why

The Court said the period should be assessed under consumer-protection law and run from transfer of the apartment to the plaintiffs.

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