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Exemption Clauses 2: Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts

A2 Law Mr Howells

The Unfair Terms in Consumer Contract Regulations 1


To compl! with EU "irecti#e Up$ate$ 1 % regulations Applies to terms generall!& not 'ust exemption clauses

T!pes of terms inclu$e$ in UTCCR (1 )


Terms exclu$ing lia*ilit! for $eath or personal in'ur! Terms which *in$ consumer when the! ha$ no opportunit! to $isco#er terms *efore the contract Terms which allow seller to alter the contract without a #ali$ reason Terms which unreasona*l! exclu$e consumer+s legal rights

How $o the Regulations wor, .o fairness test applie$ to core terms of contract/ as long as terms in 0plain intelligi*le language1 2ecause consi$eration nee$ onl! *e sufficient/ not a$e3uate 4 so if parties ,now what the! agree to/ courts will not interfere 5t can *e $ifficult to esta*lish 0core1 elements of a contract All other terms ha#e to pass fairness test 06ualifie$ *o$ies1 e7g7 Consumers+ Association can appl! to Court to stop an unfair term *eing use$ 8prea$s loa$ from 9ffice of :air Tra$ing 4 as long as controlle$ an$ super#ise$ properl!

The Consumer in UTCCR (1 )


0an! natural person who is acting for purposes which are outsi$e his tra$e/ *usiness or profession1 ;hat if acting partl! in the context of *usiness R and B Customs Brokers Co Ltd v United Dominions Trust Ltd (1 <<)

The seller in UCCTR (1

0an! person who sells or supplies goo$s or ser#ices/ an$ who in ma,ing a contact is acting for purposes relate$ to his *usiness1

Unfairness in UTCCR (1

Unfair terms are .9T *in$ing R=(1) 0an! term which contrar! to the re3uirement of goo$ faith causes a significant im*alance in the parties+ rights an$ o*ligations un$er the contract to the $etriment of the consumer1 Eurolaw> .ote ,in$ of factors ta,en into account re 0goo$ faith1 in 8che$ule 2 of the Regulations Re3uirement for 0plain intelligi*le language1 4 where am*iguit!/ will fa#our consumer 5mpact on 0honoura*le ple$ge1 clauses-

8uper#ision of the Regulations


"irector?@eneral of :air Tra$ing has super#isor! role o#er unfair contract terms Recei#es complaints an$ can as, for in'unctions to stop use of specific unfair terms Au*lishes info a*out regulations 5s this o,- He+s a politician>

;here are we now Common law use$ to go to great lengths to protect a part! with wea, *argaining power 4 whether a 0consumer1 or not Less nee$ for this now 4 main 'o* of courts is to interpret UCTA an$ UCCTR e7g7 where the wor$ 0reasona*le1 is use$ As consumers are now well protecte$/ *usinesses are assume$ to *e a*le to loo, after themsel#es> Photo Production v Securicor (1 <B) Ailsa Craig Fishing Co v Securicor (1 <C) 8o courts more li,el! to allow limitation clauses *etween *usinesses

;here are we now- (2)


The legislation 0cuts a $eep furrow across the $octrine of free$om to contract1 ? Richar$ 8tone 08o the i$ol of 0free$om of contract1 was shattere$777 A re#olution in our approach to exemption clauses1 ?"enning LD in George Mitchell v Finne Lock Seeds (1 <C)

Reform UCTA an$ UCCTR ha#e a fair amount of o#erlap Law Commission report Unfair Terms in Contracts (2BB=) recommen$e$: 9ne single Act to replace current legislation retaining UCTA s2(1) on terms purporting to exclu$e in'ur! or $eath 9ther non?core terms su*'ect to reasona*leness test 4 *ur$en of proof in consumer cases on part! rel!ing on the clause Create new categor! of 8mall 2usiness Contract to gi#e them some protection re non?negotiate$ terms A reasona*le term shoul$ *e 0transparent1 i7e7 clear an$ un$erstan$a*le

Transparenc!-

Conclu$ing thoughts777
5s there less free$om to contract now 5s 0free$om1 a goo$ thing if people can *e ta,en a$#antage of 8houl$ we protect consumers in this wa! "o !ou thin, the law is too paternalistic or a*out right-

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