Misrepresentation Act Case Study

1949 Words4 Pages

Introduction
The common rules of offer and acceptance need to be considered in determining if Gordon formed a contract with Ritebuild Ltd before they purported to withdraw their offer.

Misrepresentation
If it is established that a misrepresentation has been made by Anderson’s sales representative, Gordon will be advised of a potential remedy under the Misrepresentation Act 1967
Contract Formation
Where a person invites for a particular project, the general rule is that the invitation to tender is an invitation to treat (Spencer v Harding 1870 ). An invitation to treat is simply an expression of willingness to enter into negotiations which, it is hoped, will lead to the conclusion of a contract at a later date. The offer is made by the person who submits the tender and the acceptance is made when the person inviting the tenders accepts one of them. An offer is an expression of willingness to be bound on acceptance of that offer on certain terms. Gordon invites various local builders to tender for the work to be done. Ritebuild Ltd response to an invitation to tender is not the acceptance of an offer but is an offer following an invitation to treat which can then be accepted or rejected by Gordon. In order to create a binding contract, the parties must express their agreement in a form which is sufficiently certain for the courts to enforce. Ritebuild Ltd terms are certain and there is an expression of willingness to be bound.

In order to have an enforceable contract there must be an offer which is accepted prior to any revocation of that offer. Acceptance is a final and unqualified assent to the terms of an offer. Acceptance must be effectively communicated to the offeror unless the need for communication has been waived, as in...

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...i-Nosh” software. At common law the courts have insisted upon precise restitution, but the harshness of this rule is mitigated by the intervention of equity. In equity a party who can make substantial, but not precise, restitution can rescind the contract if he returns the subject matter of the contract in its altered form and gives an account of any profits made through his use of the product together with an allowance for any deterioration in the product (Erlanger v New Sombrero Phosphate Co. 1878 ). Gordon cannot return the use that he has made of “Easi-Nosh” but he can make a money payment to Anderson Computers Ltd which will represent the use he has made of “Easi-Nosh” and the contract can be set aside.

With regard to fraudulent misrepresentation, the innocent party can recover damages whether or not they rescind the contract under the tort of deceit. Simila

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