Supreme Court settles two-decade architect fee dispute

The Supreme Court of Cyprus has issued a final ruling in a twenty-year legal battle, ordering a woman to pay 403,047 euros to an architect for professional services. The dispute originated from a July 2002 agreement to design a luxury residence in Agioi Trimithias, which was ultimately never constructed following the death of the client's husband in January 2004.

The central point of contention was the total value of the project, which determined the architect's fee of 7 percent. While the client argued the project was worth approximately 500,000 Cyprus pounds, citing documents submitted to local authorities, the architect maintained that the project value was 4.5 million pounds. The court sided with the architect, confirming he had successfully completed the required architectural studies, tender terms, and permit procedures.

Rejecting the woman's claim that the documents were signed in blank and the work remained unfinished, the Nicosia District Court previously ruled in favor of the architect. The Supreme Court has now unanimously upheld this decision, concluding the prolonged litigation process.