反不公平契約條款法 Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977

UnfairContractTermsAct1977PartIAmendmentofLawforEnglandandWalesandNorthernIrelandScopeofPartIForthepurposesofthisPartofthisAct,"negligence”meansthebreach—ofanyobligation,arisingfromtheexpressorimpliedtermsofacontract,totakereasonablecareorexercisereasonableskillintheperformanceofthecontract;ofanycommonlawdutytotakereasonablecareorexercisereasonableskill(butnotanystricterduty);ofthecommondutyofcareimposedbytheOccupiers'LiabilityAct1957ortheOccupiers'LiabilityAct(NorthernIreland)1957.ThisPartofthisActissubjecttoPartIII;andinrelationtocontracts,theoperationofsections2to4and7issubjecttotheexceptionsmadebySchedule1.Inthecaseofbothcontractandtort,sections2to7apply(exceptwherethecontraryisstatedinsection6(4))onlytobusinessliability,thatisliabilityforbreachofobligationsordutiesarising—fromthingsdoneortobedonebyapersoninthecourseofabusiness(whetherhisownbusinessoranother's);orfromtheoccupationofpremisesusedforbusinesspurposesoftheoccupier;andreferencestoliabilityaretobereadaccordinglybutliabilityofanoccupierofpremisesforbreachofanobligationordutytowardsapersonobtainingaccesstothepremisesforrecreationaloreducationalpurposes,beingliabilityforlossordamagesufferedbyreasonofthedangerousstateofthepremises,isnotabusinessliabilityoftheoccupierunlessgrantingthatpersonsuchaccessforthepurposesconcernedfallswithinthebusinesspurposesoftheoccupier.Inrelationtoanybreachofdutyorobligation,itisimmaterialforanypurposeofthisPartofthisActwhetherthebreachwasinadvertentorintentional,orwhetherliabilityforitarisesdirectlyorvicariously.NegligenceliabilityApersoncannotbyreferencetoanycontracttermortoanoticegiventopersonsgenerallyortoparticularpersonsexcludeorrestricthisliabilityfordeathorpersonalinjuryresultingfromnegligence.Inthecaseofotherlossordamage,apersoncannotsoexcludeorrestricthisliabilityfornegligenceexceptinsofarasthetermornoticesatisfiestherequirementofreasonableness.Whereacontracttermornoticepurportstoexcludeorrestrictliabilityfornegligenceaperson'sagreementtoorawarenessofitisnotofitselftobetakenasindicatinghisvoluntaryacceptanceofanyrisk.LiabilityarisingincontractThissectionappliesasbetweencontractingpartieswhereoneofthemdealsasconsumerorontheother'swrittenstandardtermsofbusiness.Asagainstthatparty,theothercannotbyreferencetoanycontractterm—whenhimselfinbreachofcontract,excludeorrestrictanyliabilityofhisinrespectofthebreach;orclaimtobeentitled—torenderacontractualperformancesubstantiallydifferentfromthatwhichwasreasonablyexpectedofhim,orinrespectofthewholeoranypartofhiscontractualobligation,torendernoperformanceatall,exceptinsofaras(inanyofthecasesmentionedaboveinthissubsection)thecontracttermsatisfiestherequirementofreasonableness.UnreasonableindemnityclausesApersondealingasconsumercannotbyreferencetoanycontracttermbemadetoindemnifyanotherperson(whetherapartytothecontractornot)inrespectofliabilitythatmaybeincurredbytheotherfornegligenceorbreachofcontract,exceptinsofarasthecontracttermsatisfiestherequirementofreasonableness.Thissectionapplieswhethertheliabilityinquestion—isdirectlythatofthepersontobeindemnifiedorisincurredbyhimvicariously;istothepersondealingasconsumerortosomeoneelse."Guarantee"ofconsumergoodsInthecaseofgoodsofatypeordinarilysuppliedforprivateuseorconsumption,wherelossordamage—arisesfromthegoodsprovingdefectivewhileinconsumeruse;andresultsfromthenegligenceofapersonconcernedinthemanufactureordistributionofthegoods,liabilityforthelossordamagecannotbeexcludedorrestrictedbyreferencetoanycontracttermornoticecontainedinoroperatingbyreferencetoaguaranteeofthegoods.Forthesepurposes—goodsaretoberegardedas“inconsumeruse”whenapersonisusingthem,orhastheminhispossessionforuse,otherwisethanexclusivelyforthepurposesofabusiness;andanythinginwritingisaguaranteeifitcontainsorpurportstocontainsomepromiseorassurance(howeverwordedorpresented)thatdefectswillbemadegoodbycompleteorpartialreplacement,orbyrepair,monetarycompensationorotherwise.Thissectiondoesnotapplyasbetweenthepartiestoacontractunderorinpursuanceofwhichpossessionorownershipofthegoodspassed.Saleandhire-purchaseLiabilityforbreachoftheobligationsarisingfrom—section12oftheSaleofGoodsAct1979(seller'simpliedundertakingsastotitle,etc);section8oftheSupplyofGoods(ImpliedTerms)Act1973(thecorrespondingthinginrelationtohire-purchase),cannotbeexcludedorrestrictedbyreferencetoanycontractterm.Asagainstapersondealingasconsumer,liabilityforbreachoftheobligationsarisingfrom—section13,14or15ofthe1979Act(seller'simpliedundertakingsastoconformityofgoodswithdescriptionorsample,orastotheirqualityorfitnessforaparticularpurpose);section9,10or11ofthe1973Act(thecorrespondingthingsinrelationtohire-purchase),cannotbeexcludedorrestrictedbyreferencetoanycontractterm.Asagainstapersondealingotherwisethanasconsumer,theliabilityspecifiedinsubsection(2)abovecanbeexcludedorrestrictedbyreferencetoacontractterm,butonlyinsofarasthetermsatisfiestherequirementofreasonableness.Theliabilitiesreferredtointhissectionarenotonlythebusinessliabilitiesdefinedbysection1(3),butincludethosearisingunderanycontractofsaleofgoodsorhire-purchaseagreement.MiscellaneouscontractsunderwhichgoodspassWherethepossessionorownershipofgoodspassesunderorinpursuanceofacontractnotgovernedbythelawofsaleofgoodsorhire-purchase,subsections(2)to(4)belowapplyasregardstheeffect(ifany)tobegiventocontracttermsexcludingorrestrictingliabilityforbreachofobligationarisingbyimplicationoflawfromthenatureofthecontract.Asagainstapersondealingasconsumer,liabilityinrespectofthegoods'correspondencewithdescriptionorsample,ortheirqualityorfitnessforanyparticularpurpose,cannotbeexcludedorrestrictedbyreferencetoanysuchterm.Asagainstapersondealingotherwisethanasconsumer,thatliabilitycanbeexcludedorrestrictedbyreferencetosuchaterm,butonlyinsofarasthetermsatisfiestherequirementofreasonableness.(3A)Liabilityforbreachoftheobligationsarisingundersection2oftheSupplyofGoodsandServicesAct1982(impliedtermsabouttitleetcincertaincontractsforthetransferofthepropertyingoods)cannotbeexcludedorrestrictedbyreferencestoanysuchterm.Liabilityinrespectof—therighttotransferownershipofthegoods,orgivepossession;ortheassuranceofquietpossessiontoapersontakinggoodsinpursuanceofthecontract,cannot(inacasetowhichsubsection(3A)abovedoesnotapply)beexcludedorrestrictedbyreferencetoanysuchtermexceptinsofarasthetermsatisfiestherequirementofreasonableness.ThissectiondoesnotapplyinthecaseofgoodspassingonaredemptionoftradingstampswithintheTradingStampsAct1964ortheTradingStampsAct(NorthernIreland)1965.Misrepresentation(ThissectionsubstitutestheMisrepresentationAct1967,s3andtheMisrepresentationAct(NorthernIreland)1967,s3)EffectofbreachWhereforrelianceuponitacontracttermhastosatisfytherequirementofreasonableness,itmaybefoundtodosoandbegiveneffectaccordinglynotwithstandingthatthecontracthasbeenterminatedeitherbybreachorbyapartyelectingtotreatitasrepudiated.Whereonabreachthecontractisneverthelessaffirmedbyapartyentitledtotreatitasrepudiated,thisdoesnotofitselfexcludetherequirementofreasonablenessinrelationtoanycontractterm.EvasionbymeansofsecondarycontractApersonisnotboundbyanycontracttermprejudicingortakingawayrightsofhiswhichariseunder,orinconnectionwiththeperformanceof,anothercontract,sofarasthoserightsextendtotheenforcementofanother'sliabilitywhichthisPartofthisActpreventsthatotherfromexcludingorrestricting.The"reasonableness"testInrelationtoacontractterm,therequirementofreasonablenessforthepurposesofthisPartofthisAct,section3oftheMisrepresentationAct1967andsection3oftheMisrepresentationAct(NorthernIreland)1967isthatthetermshallhavebeenafairandreasonableonetobeincludedhavingregardtothecircumstanceswhichwere,oroughtreasonablytohavebeen,knowntoorinthecontemplationofthepartieswhenthecontractwasmade.Indeterminingforthepurposesofsection6or7abovewhetheracontracttermsatisfiestherequirementofreasonableness,regardshallbehadinparticulartothemattersspecifiedinSchedule2tothisAct;butthissubsectiondoesnotpreventthecourtorarbitratorfromholding,inaccordancewithanyruleoflaw,thatatermwhichpurportstoexcludeorrestrictanyrelevantliabilityisnotatermofthecontract.Inrelationtoanotice(notbeinganoticehavingcontractualeffect),therequirementofreasonablenessunderthisActisthatitshouldbefairandreasonabletoallowrelianceonit,havingregardtoallthecircumstancesobtainingwhentheliabilityaroseor(butforthenotice)wouldhavearisen.Wherebyreferencetoacontracttermornoticeapersonseekstorestrictliabilitytoaspecifiedsumofmoney,andthequestionarises(underthisoranyotherAct)whetherthetermornoticesatisfiestherequirementofreasonableness,regardshallbehadinparticular(butwithoutprejudicetosubsection(2)aboveinthecaseofcontractterms)to—theresourceswhichhecouldexpecttobeavailabletohimforthepurposeofmeetingtheliabilityshoulditarise;andhowfaritwasopentohimtocoverhimselfbyinsurance.Itisforthoseclaimingthatacontracttermornoticesatisfiestherequirementofreasonablenesstoshowthatitdoes."Dealingasconsumer'Apartytoacontract“dealsasconsumer"inrelationtoanotherpartyif—heneithermakesthecontractinthecourseofabusinessnorholdshimselfoutasdoingso;andtheotherpartydoesmakethecontractinthecourseofabusiness;andinthecaseofacontractgovernedbythelawofsaleofgoodsorhirepurchase,orbysection7ofthisAct,thegoodspassingunderorinpursuanceofthecontractareofatypeordinarilysuppliedforprivateuseorconsumption.(1A)Butifthefirstpartymentionedinsubsection(1)isanindividualparagraph(c)ofthatsubsectionmustbeignored.Butthebuyerisnotinanycircumstancestoberegardedasdealingasconsumer—ifheisanindividualandthegoodsaresecondhandgoodssoldatpublicauctionatwhichindividualshavetheopportunityofattendingthesaleinperson;ifheisnotanindividualandthegoodsaresoldbyauctionorbycompetitivetender.Subjecttothis,itisforthoseclaimingthatapartydoesnotdealasconsumertoshowthathedoesnot.VarietiesofexemptionclauseTotheextentthatthisPartofthisActpreventstheexclusionorrestrictionofanyliabilityitalsoprevents—makingtheliabilityoritsenforcementsubjecttorestrictiveoronerousconditions;excludingorrestrictinganyrightorremedyinrespectoftheliability,orsubjectingapersontoanyprejudiceinconsequenceofhispursuinganysuchrightorremedy;excludingorrestrictingrulesofevidenceorprocedure;and(tothatextent)sections2and5to7alsopreventexcludingorrestrictingliabilitybyreferencetotermsandnoticeswhichexcludeorrestricttherelevantobligationorduty.ButanagreementinwritingtosubmitpresentorfuturedifferencestoarbitrationisnottobetreatedunderthisPartofthisActasexcludingorrestrictinganyliability.InterpretationofPartIInthisPartofthisAct—“business”includesaprofessionandtheactivitiesofanygovernmentdepartmentorlocalorpublicauthority;“goods”hasthesamemeaningasintheSaleofGoodsAct1979:“hire-purchaseagreement"hasthesamemeaningasintheConsumerCreditAct1974;“negligence"hasthemeaninggivenbysection1(1);“notice”includesanannouncement,whetherornotinwriting,andanyothercommunicationorpretendedcommunication;and“personalinjury"includesanydiseaseandanyimpairmentofphysicalormentalcondition.PartII(appliestoScotlandonly)PartIIIProvisionsapplyingtowholeofUnitedKingdomInternationalsupplycontractsThelimitsimposedbythisActontheextenttowhichapersonmayexcludeorrestrictliabilitybyreferencetoacontracttermdonotapplytoliabilityarisingundersuchacontractasisdescribedinsubsection(3)below.Thetermsofsuchacontractarenotsubjecttoanyrequirementofreasonablenessundersection3or4:andnothinginPartIIofthisActshallrequiretheincorporationofthetermsofsuchacontracttobefairandreasonableforthemtohaveeffect.Subjecttosubsection(4),thatdescriptionofcontractisonewhosecharacteristicsarethefollowing—eitheritisacontractofsaleofgoodsoritisoneunderorinpursuanceofwhichthepossessionorownershipofgoodspasses;anditismadebypartieswhoseplacesofbusiness(or,iftheyhavenone,habitualresidences)areintheterritoriesofdifferentStates(theChannelIslandsandtheIsleofManbeingtreatedforthispurposeasdifferentStatesfromtheUnitedKingdom).Acontractfallswithinsubsection(3)aboveonlyifeither—thegoodsinquestionare,atthetimeoftheconclusionofthecontract,inthecourseofcarriage,orwillbecarried,fromtheterritoryofoneStatetotheterritoryofanother;ortheactsconstitutingtheofferandacceptancehavebeendoneintheterritoriesofdifferentStates;orthecontractprovidesforthegoodstobedeliveredtotheterritoryofaStateotherthanthatwithinwhoseterritorythoseactsweredone.Choiceoflawclauses(1)WherethelawapplicabletoacontractisthelawofanypartoftheUnitedKingdomonlybychoiceoftheparties(andapartfromthatchoicewouldbethelawofsomecountryoutsidetheUnitedKingdom)sections2to7and16to21ofthisActdonotoperateaspartofthelawapplicabletothecontract.(2)ThisActhaseffectnotwithstandinganycontracttermwhichappliesorpurportstoapplythelawofsomecountryoutsidetheUnitedKingdom,where(eitherorboth)—thetermappearstothecourt,orarbitratororarbitertohavebeenimposedwhollyormainlyforthepurposeofenablingthepartyimposingittoevadetheoperationofthisAct;orinthemakingofthecontractoneofthepartiesdealtasconsumer,andhewasthenhabituallyresidentintheUnitedKingdom,andtheessentialstepsnecessaryforthemakingofthecontractweretakenthere,whetherbyhimorbyothersonhisbehalf.Intheapplicationofsubsection(2)abovetoScotland,forparagraph(b)thereshallbesubstituted—“(b)thecontractisaconsumercontractasdefinedinPartIIofthisAct,andtheconsumeratthedatewhenthecontractwasmadewashabituallyresidentintheUnitedKingdom,andtheessentialstepsnecessaryforthemakingofthecontractweretakenthere,whetherbyhimorbyothersonhisbehalf.”.TemporaryprovisionforseacarriageofpassengersThissectionappliestoacontractforcarriagebyseaofapassengerorofapassengerandhisluggagewheretheprovisionsoftheAthensConvention(withorwithoutmodification)donothave,inrelationtothecontract,theforceoflawintheUnitedKingdom.Inacasewhere—thecontractisnotmadeintheUnitedKingdom,andneithertheplaceofdeparturenortheplaceofdestinationunderitisintheUnitedKingdom,apersonisnotprecludedbythisActfromexcludingorrestrictingliabilityforlossordamage,beinglossordamageforwhichtheprovisionsoftheConventionwould,iftheyhadtheforceoflawinrelationtothecontract,imposeliabilityonhim.Inanyothercase,apersonisnotprecludedbythisActfromexcludingorrestrictingliabilityforthatlossordamage—insofarastheexclusionorrestrictionwouldhavebeeneffectiveinthatcasehadtheprovisionsoftheConventionhadtheforceoflawinrelationtothecontract;orinsuchcircumstancesandtosuchextentasmaybeprescribed,byreferencetoaprescribedtermofthecontract.Forthepurposesofsubsection(3)a),thevalueswhichshallbetakentobetheofficialvaluesintheUnitedKingdomoftheamounts(expressedingoldfrancs)byreferencetowhichliabilityundertheprovisionsoftheConventionislimitedshallbesuchamountsinsterlingastheSecretaryofStatemayfromtimetotimebyordermadebystatutoryinstrumentspecify.Inthissection,—thereferencestoexcludingorrestrictingliabilityincludedoinganyofthosethingsinrelationtotheliabilitywhicharementionedinsection13orsection25(3)and(5);and“theAthensConvention"meanstheAthensConventionrelatingtotheCarriageofPassengersandtheirLuggagebySea,1974;and“prescribed"meansprescribedbytheSecretaryofStatebyregulationsmadebystatutoryinstrument;andastatutoryinstrumentcontainingtheregulationsshallbesubjecttoannulmentinpursuanceofaresolutionofeitherHouseofParliament.Savingforotherrelevantlegislation(1)NothinginthisActremovesorrestrictstheeffectof,orpreventsrelianceupon,anycontractualprovisionwhich—(a)isauthorisedorrequiredbytheexpresstermsornecessaryimplicationofanenactment;or(b)beingmadewithaviewtocompliancewithaninternationalagreementtowhichtheUnitedKingdomisaparty,doesnotoperatemorerestrictivelythaniscontemplatedbytheagreement.(2)Acontracttermistobetaken—forthepurposesofPartIofthisAct,assatisfyingtherequirementofreasonableness;andforthoseofPartII,tohavebeenfairandreasonabletoincorporate,ifitisincorporatedorapprovedby,orincorporatedpursuanttoadecisionorrulingof,acompetentauthorityactingintheexerciseofanystatutoryjurisdictionorfunctionandisnotaterminacontracttowhichthecompetentauthorityisitselfaparty.Inthissection—“competentauthority"meansanycourt,arbitratororarbiter,governmentdepartmentorpublicauthority;“enactment"meansanylegislation(includingsubordinatelegislation)oftheUnitedKingdomorNorthernIrelandandanyinstrumenthavingeffectbyvirtueofsuchlegislation;and“statutory"meansconferredbyanenactment.......Commencement;amendments;repealsThisActcomesintoforceon1stFebruary1978.NothinginthisActappliestocontractsmadebeforethedateonwhichitcomesintoforce;butsubjecttothis,itappliestoliabilityforanylossordamagewhichissufferedonorafterthatdate.TheenactmentsspecifiedinSchedule3tothisActareamendedasthereshown.TheenactmentsspecifiedinSchedule4tothisActarerepealedtotheextentspecifiedincolumn3ofthatSchedule.Citationandextent⑴ThisActmaybecitedastheUnfairContractTermsAct1977.(2)PartIofthisActextendstoEnglandandWalesandtoNorthernIreland;butitdoesnotextendtoScotland.⑶PartIIofthisActextendstoScotlandonly.ThisPartofthisActextendstothewholeoftheUnitedKingdom.SCHEDULE1Scopeofsections2to4and7Section1(2)Sections2to4ofthisActdonotextendto—(a)anycontractofinsurance(includingacontracttopayanannuityonhumanlife);(b)anycontractsofarasitrelatestothecreationortransferofaninterestinland,ortotheterminationofsuchaninterest,whetherbyextinction,merger,surrender,forfeitureorotherwise;anycontractsofarasitrelatestothecreationortransferofarightorinterestinanypatent,trademark,copyright[ordesignright],registereddesign,technicalorcommercialinformationorotherintellectualproperty,orrelatestotheterminationofanysuchrightorinterest;anycontractsofarasitrelates—totheformationordissolutionofacompany(whichmeansanybodycorporateorunincorporatedassociationandincludesapartnership),ortoitsconstitutionortherightsorobligationsofitscorporatorsormembers;anycontractsofarasitrelatestothecreationortransferofsecuritiesorofanyrightorinterestinsecurities.Section2(1)extendsto—anycontractofmarinesalvageortowage;anycharterpartyofashiporhovercraft;andanycontractforthecarriageofgoodsbyshiporhovercraft;butsubjecttothissections2to4and7donotextendtoany