Owner fined for unauthorized basement alterations

ATA/33/1998Court of Justice / Administrative ChamberJan 27, 1998Dismissed

Extracted by Omnilex

Omnilex summary

A landlord company was fined CHF 1,000 for allowing unauthorized basement alterations to be made and maintained for the tenant’s benefit. The court held that the landlord, as the party with legal control over the premises, could not escape responsibility by arguing that the tenant had initiated the work. The fine was upheld on the basis that the company was the situationally responsible party under the building-control rules.

Omnilex headnote

LCI art. 137 al. 2; fine of the owner/landlord for unauthorized works carried out on leased premises; the person who has legal control over the property may be sanctioned as situationally responsible when he allows non-authorized construction to be executed or maintained for the tenant’s benefit. The fact that the tenant initiated the works does not exclude the landlord’s liability, if the landlord could intervene and prevent the infringement. Situation of factual execution is not decisive where legal control and power to stop the work are established.

Full text

Descripteurs

CONSTRUCTION ET INSTALLATION; AMENDE; PERTURBATEUR PAR SITUATION; TPE

Normes

LCI.137 al.2

Résumé

Amende infligée à la bailleresse pour avoir construit sans autorisation au bénéfice de la locataire. Amende de CHF 1'000.- infligée à une société bailleresse de locaux situés en sous-sol, dans lesquels elle a laissé construire, sans autorisation, des aménagements non conformes à l'utilisation des lieux. La bailleresse, qui a la maîtrise de droit sur ceux-ci, ne peut se retrancher derrière le fait que le locataire a lui-même entamé les travaux.

Keywords

construction controladministrative finelandlord liabilityunauthorized workssituational responsibilitytenant improvements

Extracted by Omnilex

Key legal questions extracted by Omnilex

Key legal question

Whether the landlord company could be fined for construction work carried out without authorization on leased premises.

Extracted holding

Yes. The landlord, having legal control over the premises, could not rely on the tenant’s having started the work and was liable as the situationally responsible person.

Extracted reasoning

The court held that the landlord’s legal power over the premises made it responsible for unauthorized construction left in place for the tenant’s use; the tenant’s initiative did not exclude the landlord’s liability.

Owner fined for unauthorized basement alterationsAI generated