My pellet stove isn't working, and my installer is in court-ordered liquidation—what can I do? What are my legal options?

 

Recourse in the event of a faulty stove and the installer's liquidation.

 

When the stove installer is in court-ordered liquidation (insolvency proceedings), your rights against them are limited by the insolvency process: your claim (cost of the stove, compliance work, loss of use, etc.) must be filed with the liquidator within two months of the liquidation judgment being published in the BODACC.

 

It may then be settled—depending on the order of creditor priority and under the supervision of the liquidator and the court—pursuant to Article L641-9 of the Commercial Code.

 

You also have additional avenues for recourse, specifically against other parties involved (such as the seller/manufacturer or the installer's insurer—details of which you should always obtain *before* work begins).

 

Several legal frameworks apply: the warranty of conformity, the warranty against hidden defects, and ten-year liability (decennial liability), depending on the nature of the installation.

 

Example: The Court of Cassation rules out ten-year liability when the stove is considered detachable equipment not incorporated into the building's structural fabric (Nîmes Court of Appeal, February 22, 2018, No. 15/04294) but upholds it when the stove constitutes the sole heating source and renders the building unfit for its intended purpose (Douai Court of Appeal, February 14, 2019, No. 17/05019; Riom Court of Appeal, January 27, 2026, No. 21/01980)

 

Everything depends on an analysis of your specific installation. Always remember—and pay close attention to—the time limits for taking action if problems are detected.