House purchase gone really bad - and experience and/or advice please.

 Hi Alan, sorry to hear about your predicament. It is a very complicated case where you need advice and guidance from a clever lawyer. If you are unhappy with the way your local avvocato is handling your affairs, it would be better to engage another lawyer. What are the other four people who bought the remaining apartments? Have you had any contact with them? Best wishes

Sorry to hear your sad tale. In Scotland  we have a saying :" You can't take the breeks off a Highlander" Fingers crossed your deceased buider does not fall into that category.

What a horrible position to be in. I can recommend solicitor Charlotte Oliver (who is a poster on here) who works at a law firm in Rome. I know other posters have used her services and I have been very happy with her services.

 Alanino, what a nightmare. Wish you well. You really need a lawyer specialising in property disputes here. (not a generalist). As Penny says, maybe Charlotte Oliver can help. Alternatively, The Italian chamber of commerce in the UK (1 Princess Street, London 020 74958191- I think) may be able to point you in the right direction). Your point 2 was interesting. I'm not sure how generally well known this is, but its by no means uncommon for those involved on a site to be "paid" by receiving part of the build.

What a mess - as regards whether the estate agent is negligent - I would say you have a reasonable case.  The decree of June 2005 (no122) is concerned with buying off plan.  By the date of the compromesso the builder/seller must have deposited a sum equivalent to the caparra with a bank or insurance company to guarantee all the money that the builder will pocket up until the property is handed over to the buyer.  If this is not done the compromesso is can be annulled only by the buyer.  In this case the estate agent should have cjhecked that there was the sum lodged with the bank, and he was negligent in allowing you sign the compromesso, as well as the builder acting illegally.   Although the law can be a nightmare, in my experience a judge faced with such facts will order the immediate restitution of the caparra (and possibly the agents commission).  Of course that is no guarantee that the heirs will do so.    However, it also depends on whether the apartments were built with a full concessione edilizia and other procedures completed.