Implied terms in contracts lecture notes: contract and unjustified enrichment
- implied terms in law
- implied terms in fact
- implied terms in general
- sale of goods act 1979
L4 implied terms
Thursday, 27 August 2020
13:41
Commercial contract: single document signed by all parties
A. IMPLIED TERMS IN GENERAL
content (terms) of contract agreed by parties, but law can occasionally add
content; if no expressed term made
Contract may include terms + obligations not expressly stated by the
parties
Content added by parties: expressed terms
Content added by law: implied terms; adds content parties normally would
agree on anyway
Parties "contract out": agreed exclusion OR agreeing express terms which
inconsistent with laws implied terms
Terms only implied if consistent with parties intentions determined
objectively from whole circumstance
Contract regulation: some rules law imposes that parties cant contract on
Main implied terms:
Terms implied in law- terms implied in ALL contracts of the kind in question
(unless the parties agree otherwise)
Terms implied in fact- implied by court in individual contracts; where
satisfied parties contract doesn’t cover circumstance which arise + requires
solution. One which parties would have agreed at time of contracting; only
included if parties intention to do so can be made out in accordance with
rules on subject
B. TERMS IMPLIED IN LAW;
By Statue: e.g. Sale of Goods Act 1979, s14 (as amended), contracts for
the sale of goods act 1893, consumer rights act 2015
At Common law: relationship terms implied in fact (forms precedent),
terms implied in fact can mature into terms implied in law.
Duties of care + skill imposed upon professionals (less important) + fitness
for purpose (goods must work); guarantee of result (more important) sale
of goods
By custom; if custom well-known, notorious and reasonable; if making
contracts on regular basis, certain ways of doing things carried out on
same basis in future contract.
Generally in contracts: apply to all contracts; duty to cooperate, completion
in reasonable time, party cant act to prevent performance of contract,
discretionary powers given by contract to be exercised reasonably
Good faith: can override expressed terms; can be excluded by contract, not
overriding it; implied in law (UK) unless inconsistent with expressed terms; Not yet
approved by appellate courts.
1. 'relational' contracts governing long term relationships; lacking detailed
provisions on performance
2. Contracts conferring 'unlimited' discretionary powers on only one of parties
Sometimes concepts so general; best regarded as rules of law about contract or
their interpretation/construction
C. TERMS IMPLIED IN FACT; - solution to problem
When incomplete contract doesn’t express term necessary in instance which has arisen
and needs resolved; unforeseen situation/ lack of agreement so term not included in
contract
Prerequisites - court must be satisfied that the term:
(a) would have been agreed by the parties
Judge has to identify what they think parties would have agreed in initial
contract; court cant impose contractual obligations on all parties
(b) is necessary to make the contract work/to give the contract business efficacy:
doesn’t need to be reasonable only necessary
(c) will be clear, certain and obvious
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