{"title":"9. Damages for breach of contract","authors":"R. Merkin, Séverine Saintier","doi":"10.1093/HE/9780198816980.003.0009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/HE/9780198816980.003.0009","url":null,"abstract":"Course-focused and comprehensive, the Textbook on series provides an accessible overview of the key areas on the law curriculum. Where there is breach of contract, the aggrieved party is entitled to the remedy of damages as of right. Contractual damages aim to compensate the claimant for losses suffered rather than punish the defendant. To achieve compensation the claimant is put in the position he would have been in if the contract had been properly performed and the breach had not occurred. In other words, the aim is to protect the expectation of performance (known as the ‘expectation interest’ or the ‘performance interest’). This may involve any difference in value between the promised and the actual performance, loss of profits or reimbursing the claimant for any expenditure that had been wasted due to the breach. A claimant may not be fully compensated for his losses as a result of the remoteness rule, which limits recovery of losses and/or the duty to mitigate (minimize) loss. Damages may also be apportioned, in some circumstances, for the claimant’s own contributory negligence in contributing to his own loss. In general, non-pecuniary losses are not recoverable in a claim for breach of contract, but there are cases where a modest sum may be awarded for the disappointment resulting from not receiving the promised performance. The parties may include an agreed damages clause in their contract but in the event of breach only a liquidated damages clause will be enforceable; a penalty clause will not be enforceable beyond the claimant’s actual loss.","PeriodicalId":179935,"journal":{"name":"Poole's Textbook on Contract Law","volume":"31 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"132555196","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"8. Breach of contract","authors":"R. Merkin, Séverine Saintier","doi":"10.1093/HE/9780198816980.003.0008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/HE/9780198816980.003.0008","url":null,"abstract":"Course-focused and comprehensive, the Textbook on series provides an accessible overview of the key areas on the law curriculum. There are four ways to discharge a contract: by performance, agreement, frustration, or breach. The standard of performance required in relation to each contractual obligation needs to be identified because a failure to perform to the required standard constitutes a breach. In the absence of lawful excuse, a breach of contract arises if a party either fails or refuses to perform a contractual obligation imposed on that party by the terms of the contract or performs a contractual obligation in a defective manner. While every breach of contract will give rise to a right to claim damages, the contract will remain in force unless the breach constitutes a repudiatory breach. The chapter examines the types of repudiatory breaches and the election to terminate or affirm, together with an assessment of the law governing the identification of a repudiatory breach and the consequences of terminating when the breach is not in fact repudiatory. It also examines the options available to the non-breaching party when an anticipatory breach occurs.","PeriodicalId":179935,"journal":{"name":"Poole's Textbook on Contract Law","volume":"46 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"128807438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"14. Misrepresentation","authors":"R. Merkin, Séverine Saintier","doi":"10.1093/he/9780198816980.003.0014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/he/9780198816980.003.0014","url":null,"abstract":"Course-focused and comprehensive, the Textbook on series provides an accessible overview of the key areas on the law curriculum. False statements of fact that induce a contract are known as actionable misrepresentations. In case of a misrepresentation, there are different legal remedies for breaches of contract. A misrepresentation renders the contract voidable (liable to be set aside using the remedy of rescission) so that the contract will be treated as if it had never been made, whereas a breach of contract will have no effect on the existence of the contract (in the absence of a repudiatory breach that will terminate the contract when future contractual obligations will be discharged). The chapter identifies actionable misrepresentations and, in particular, loss in instances where there is a duty of disclosure in English law. There are three types of actionable misrepresentations, dependent upon the state of mind of the one who makes the false statement: fraudulent, negligent, and innocent. This chapter looks at the legal remedies for actionable misrepresentations such as rescission, the availability of damages for different types of misrepresentations and the provisions of the Misrepresentation Act 1967. It also examines the effect of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs) as amended on this area of law, the criminal offences and civil remedies for consumers, as well as the relationship of misrepresentation to other areas of law. Finally, it looks at clauses that seek to exclude or limit liability for misrepresentation or to deny any actionable misrepresentation, e.g. ‘non-reliance clauses’.","PeriodicalId":179935,"journal":{"name":"Poole's Textbook on Contract Law","volume":"19 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123909085","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"13. Non-agreement mistake","authors":"R. Merkin, Séverine Saintier","doi":"10.1093/HE/9780198816980.003.0013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/HE/9780198816980.003.0013","url":null,"abstract":"Course-focused and comprehensive, the Textbook on series provides an accessible overview of the key areas on the law curriculum. This chapter focuses on the legal treatment of mistakes that are presumed to nullify consent if both parties entered into the contract under the same fundamental mistake, assuming the absence of a provision of the contract allocating the risk of this initial impossibility. The doctrine of common mistake in English law is designed to protect the interests of third parties and to ensure certainty in transactions. A fundamental common mistake arises in cases where there is true impossibility or failure of consideration. Under these circumstances, the contract is automatically void and any money or property involved has to be returned. Fine distinctions can arise in terms of the legal treatment of impossibility depending upon whether the impossibility is initial (common mistake) or subsequent (frustration doctrine). Categories of common mistake at common law include mistake as to subject matter (res extincta) and mistake as to ownership (res sua). A mistake as to quality will very rarely be sufficiently fundamental to render the contract void since impossibility of the contractual adventure is required. This chapter also discusses Lord Denning’s attempts to introduce an equitable jurisdiction to set aside on terms in cases of mistakes as to quality which were rejected in Great Peace Shipping Ltd v Tsavliris (International) Ltd and the fact that this means there is no remedial flexibility in such instances.","PeriodicalId":179935,"journal":{"name":"Poole's Textbook on Contract Law","volume":"480 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121399653","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"16. Illegality","authors":"R. Merkin, Séverine Saintier","doi":"10.1093/he/9780198816980.003.0016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/he/9780198816980.003.0016","url":null,"abstract":"Course-focused and comprehensive, the Textbook on series provides an accessible overview of the key areas on the law curriculum. This chapter examines contracts that are tainted by illegality or otherwise contrary to public policy, and how illegality affects the parties’ positions following the hugely influential Supreme Court decision of Patel v Mirza. A contract may be illegal from the beginning or illegality may arise as a result of statute (for example, express statutory prohibitions). Examples of illegal contracts are those intended to commit crimes or contracts prejudicial to sexual morality. As a general principle, illegal contracts cannot be enforced and benefits conferred in the performance of an illegal contract cannot be recovered. There are some exceptions, however, such as where the parties are not in pari delicto (not equally guilty), or where the claimant can establish his right to the money or property transferred without having to rely upon the illegal contract. This chapter also examine the law’s treatment of contracts in restraint of trade, including exclusive dealing and exclusive service agreements.","PeriodicalId":179935,"journal":{"name":"Poole's Textbook on Contract Law","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2019-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"130569579","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"10. Duress, undue influence, and unconscionable bargains","authors":"J. Poole","doi":"10.1093/HE/9780198732808.003.0015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/HE/9780198732808.003.0015","url":null,"abstract":"Course-focused and comprehensive, Poole’s Textbook on Contract Law provides an accessible overview of the key areas on the law curriculum. This chapter examines the doctrines of duress and undue influence, both of which provide a means for a person to avoid a concluded contract into which he entered due to threats or unfair pressures or influence exerted on him. It also looks at the circumstances in which the courts or Parliament have intervened to prevent one party from taking advantage of another. Duress refers to some form of coercion or threat to the person, property, or to a person’s financial interests (economic duress). Undue influence can arise if there is illegitimate pressure and abuse exerted by one party over the other (actual undue influence) or if something in the transaction is suspicious or calls for an explanation (evidential undue influence). The chapter also considers unconscionable bargaining, procedural and substantive unfairness, consumer legislation, and the link between unconscionability and undue influence.","PeriodicalId":179935,"journal":{"name":"Poole's Textbook on Contract Law","volume":"78 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"123235105","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"1. Introduction to the law of contract","authors":"J. Poole","doi":"10.1093/he/9780198732808.003.0001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/he/9780198732808.003.0001","url":null,"abstract":"Course-focused and comprehensive, Poole’s Textbook on Contract Law provides an accessible overview of the key areas on the law curriculum. Contracts are legally enforceable agreements intended for planned exchanges that are regulated by the principles of contract law. This chapter looks at some of the main theories underpinning the development of English contract law and examines the nature of contractual liability. Contractual obligations arise largely from party agreement and this distinguishes contractual liability from liability in tort. Given the continued relevance of English law in a globalized world (in spite of the UK exiting the European Union), this chapter also briefly introduces the various attempts to produce a set of harmonized principles such as the Common European Sales Law, along with the impact of other international developments including the growth in e-commerce and electronic communications. Moreover, the chapter analyses the most significant European directives and their effect on the development of English contract law, especially in the context of consumer contracts. The implementation of these European directives has resulted in the introduction of the concept of ‘good faith’ into English contract law. Given the increasing importance of good faith as a concept, especially when in the context of ‘a relational contract’, the chapter gives detailed discussion on the scope of and application of good faith in performance of the contract. Finally, the chapter considers the implementation of the Consumer Rights Directive in a number of statutory instruments and the Consumer Rights Act 2015.","PeriodicalId":179935,"journal":{"name":"Poole's Textbook on Contract Law","volume":"1 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2014-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"121523367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}