Public procurement and performance · France and Switzerland : separate country-labelled rules
Construction retention: prepare release evidence
A public-contract retention claim starts with the actual security clause, acceptance record, outstanding reservations and withheld amount. France and Switzerland do not share one universal release date or percentage. Keep retention, alternative security and unpaid invoices separate. The ledger reconstructs the contractual events and claim; it does not certify that every withheld sum is already repayable.
- Official texts cited
- Sources checked on
- Drafted with AI assistance, our method
General legal information with official references and dated checks. It is not personalised advice: for a decision that commits you, have your situation checked by a qualified professional.
Julie by AlphaDeep
Which acceptance and defect records exist?
For France, R2191-32 concerns covered reservations. Record acceptance, notified defects and clearance rather than relying only on the final invoice.
Read the referencesYour question concerns “Construction retention: prepare release evidence”. I can help organise the facts and records. Which document have you received or prepared, and is this a French or Swiss matter?
3 free questions at signup. Avoid names and sensitive information.
Which records are still missing from your file?
Indicate which records you have. The result identifies gaps and prepares a complete question for Julie, without requiring an account.
Fictional example · Your preparation
Point to complete: Retained and paid amounts. Documented base times the entered rate, minus payments already made. Fictional inputs establish neither a statutory rate nor release entitlement.
- Retention clause
- Record available
- Acceptance and reservations
- Record available
- Security and release
- Record available
- Retained and paid amounts
- Needs checking
- Records indicated
- 3 / 4
- Arithmetic result
- 50.00
- What does the calculation illustrate?
Use one currency and one period. Initial figures are fictional; the result is arithmetic only. This worksheet organises records; it does not establish admissibility, entitlement or a procedural outcome.
Which security does the public contract provide?
Separate cash retention, first-demand guarantee and surety. Their release mechanisms are not interchangeable.
Code de la commande publique art. R2191-32Code de la commande publique art. R2191-35Code de la commande publique art. R2191-36220 : Art. 82220 : Art. 367DGIP Conditions générales travaux V2025-08, §5.7.3 retention maturity
Which documents answer which questions?
| Record or information | Issue to check |
|---|---|
| Retention clause | Separate cash retention, first-demand guarantee and surety. Their release mechanisms are not interchangeable. |
| Acceptance and reservations | For France, R2191-32 concerns covered reservations. Record acceptance, notified defects and clearance rather than relying only on the final invoice. |
| Security and release | R2191-35 provides a thirty-day branch after guarantee expiry or clearance of specified outstanding notified reservations. It differs from guarantor-release wording. |
| Retained and paid amounts | Documented base times the entered rate, minus payments already made. Fictional inputs establish neither a statutory rate nor release entitlement. |
Code de la commande publique art. R2191-32Code de la commande publique art. R2191-35Code de la commande publique art. R2191-36220 : Art. 82220 : Art. 367DGIP Conditions générales travaux V2025-08, §5.7.3 retention maturity
Which acceptance and defect records exist?
For France, R2191-32 concerns covered reservations. Record acceptance, notified defects and clearance rather than relying only on the final invoice.
What governs French cash repayment?
R2191-35 provides a thirty-day branch after guarantee expiry or clearance of specified outstanding notified reservations. It differs from guarantor-release wording.
Which official provision helps explain this situation?
Lorsque le marché prévoit une retenue de garantie, celle-ci est remboursée dans un délai de trente jours à compter de la date d'expiration du délai de garantie.
In plain English: No. Swiss contract type and the incorporated security clause matter; CO 82 and367 are not a uniform public-retention release scheme.
What does the calculation illustrate?
Documented base times the entered rate, minus payments already made. Fictional inputs establish neither a statutory rate nor release entitlement.
Is there a nationwide Swiss public-retention deadline here?
No. Swiss contract type and the incorporated security clause matter; CO 82 and367 are not a uniform public-retention release scheme.
Code de la commande publique art. R2191-32Code de la commande publique art. R2191-35Code de la commande publique art. R2191-36220 : Art. 82220 : Art. 367DGIP Conditions générales travaux V2025-08, §5.7.3 retention maturity
What does the Vaud purchaser example add?
Its actual incorporated terms have reception, defect, account and security conditions. They are one purchaser's contractual example, not national Swiss law.
Code de la commande publique art. R2191-32Code de la commande publique art. R2191-35Code de la commande publique art. R2191-36220 : Art. 82220 : Art. 367DGIP Conditions générales travaux V2025-08, §5.7.3 retention maturity
How should an unresolved reservation be explained?
Connect claimed defect, notice, corrective work and response. Unclassified silence does not automatically establish clearance.
What does the retention file deliver?
It links clause, acceptance, reservations and payments. It releases no guarantee and determines no legally due amount.
What other questions arise in this file?
Which acceptance and defect records exist?
For France, R2191-32 concerns covered reservations. Record acceptance, notified defects and clearance rather than relying only on the final invoice.
Code de la commande publique art. R2191-32Code de la commande publique art. R2191-35Code de la commande publique art. R2191-36220 : Art. 82220 : Art. 367DGIP Conditions générales travaux V2025-08, §5.7.3 retention maturity
What does the calculation illustrate?
Documented base times the entered rate, minus payments already made. Fictional inputs establish neither a statutory rate nor release entitlement.
Code de la commande publique art. R2191-32Code de la commande publique art. R2191-35Code de la commande publique art. R2191-36220 : Art. 82220 : Art. 367DGIP Conditions générales travaux V2025-08, §5.7.3 retention maturity
Is there a nationwide Swiss public-retention deadline here?
No. Swiss contract type and the incorporated security clause matter; CO 82 and367 are not a uniform public-retention release scheme.
Code de la commande publique art. R2191-32Code de la commande publique art. R2191-35Code de la commande publique art. R2191-36220 : Art. 82220 : Art. 367DGIP Conditions générales travaux V2025-08, §5.7.3 retention maturity
How should an unresolved reservation be explained?
Connect claimed defect, notice, corrective work and response. Unclassified silence does not automatically establish clearance.
Code de la commande publique art. R2191-32Code de la commande publique art. R2191-35Code de la commande publique art. R2191-36220 : Art. 82220 : Art. 367DGIP Conditions générales travaux V2025-08, §5.7.3 retention maturity
Which official references should you consult?
- Code de la commande publique art. R2191-32Légifrance
- Code de la commande publique art. R2191-35Légifrance
- Code de la commande publique art. R2191-36Légifrance
- 220 : Art. 82Fedlex
- 220 : Art. 367Fedlex
- DGIP Conditions générales travaux V2025-08, §5.7.3 retention maturitySource officielle
Texts cited last checked: 1 November 2026