Third Party Contract in UK Law

In my judgment the present case falls within the rationale of the exceptions to the general rule that a plaintiff can only recover damages for his own loss. The contract was for a large development of property which, to the knowledge of both Corporation and McAlpine, was going to be occupied, and possibly purchased, by third parties and not by Corporation itself.

The reason is quite simply that partnership property within s.20 Partnership Act 1890 includes that to which a partner is entitled and which all the partners expressly or by implication agree should, as between themselves, be treated as partnership property. It is immaterial, as between the partners, whether it can be assigned by the partner in whose name it stands to the partners jointly.

I agree with the judge that Re Turcan (1888) 40 Ch.D.5 at p. 10 shows clearly that the court will protect the interests of those contractually entitled to have the benefit of an inalienable asset before the fruits of the asset have been realised. In that case, as the House of Lords considered in Linden Gardens Ltd v Lenesta Ltd [1994] 1 AC 85, 106, the court gave effect to the intention of the parties by means of a declaration of trust.

It is express when it is given by express words, such as when a board of directors pass a resolution which authorises two of their number to sign cheques. It is implied when it is inferred from the conduct of the parties and the circumstances of the cape, such as when the board of directors appoint one of their number to be managing director. They thereby impliedly authorise him to do all such things as fall within the usual scope of that office.

The third party never was expressed to be a party to the arbitration agreement but, in view of the fact that he has in effect become a statutory assignee of the promisee's right of action against the promisor and because, by reason of the underlying policy of the 1999 Act expressed in section 1(4) he is confined to the means of enforcement provided by the contract to the promisee, namely arbitration, he is to be treated as standing in the shoes of that promisee for the purpose only of the enforcement of the substantive term.

It seems to me that that principle applies, not only to a debt but also to an option. The grantorcannot be expected to act upon a letter (purporting to exercise the option) which comes out of the blue from some one or other of which heknows nothing. He must be told that it comes from an assignee who has taken an assignment. Nothing is therefore necessary to perfect the right of the assignee to exercise the option.

(1) Interpretation is the ascertainment of the meaning which the document would convey to a reasonable person having all the background knowledge which would reasonably have been available to the parties in the situation in which they were at the time of the contract.