AZE.US
Differences between contractually advertised and officially registered apartment sizes are prompting legal concerns among buyers in Azerbaijan, highlighting the importance of measurement standards and due diligence in property transactions.
Apartment buyers in Azerbaijan are increasingly reporting discrepancies between the floor area stated in sales agreements and the size reflected in official property registration documents.
In many cases, purchasers say they paid for a larger number of square meters than what ultimately appears in the official extract (çıxarış). The issue often emerges after state registration is completed, when the legally recognized area is smaller than the figure used during the sale.
Legal experts note that disputes typically arise from differences in measurement methodology. Some developers calculate total area based on external wall dimensions, effectively including wall thickness in the overall figure. However, official registration follows state-approved construction and measurement standards.
According to regulations applied by the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture, the total area of an apartment includes living and auxiliary rooms, as well as certain outdoor elements such as balconies, loggias and terraces, but with reduction coefficients.
For example, balconies and terraces are counted with a 0.3 coefficient. This means that a 10-square-meter balcony adds only 3 square meters to the total registered area. Loggias and enclosed balconies are calculated with a 0.5 coefficient. Interior room areas are measured along the finished inner surfaces of walls at floor level, and internal partitions are not included in the total area.
Lawyers say the statute of limitations for claims related to purchase agreements is generally three years. If the apartment was purchased at the project stage, the period to file a court claim may extend to five years. Missing these deadlines could weaken a buyer’s position in court.
Authorities advise buyers to carefully review how the apartment’s total area is calculated before signing any agreement. If a discrepancy emerges between the contract and the official extract, the matter can be challenged in court.
For investors and expatriates considering residential property in Azerbaijan, specialists recommend conducting independent technical verification of floor area calculations and ensuring that contracts clearly specify the methodology used.
Even small differences in square meters can translate into significant financial impact in high-demand urban markets such as Baku.