Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | SI 1999/2083 |
1999 No. 2083
CONSUMER PROTECTION
The Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999
Made 22th July 1999
Laid before Parliament 22th July 1999
Coming into force 1st October 1999
Whereas the Secretary of State is a Minister designated1for the purposes of section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 19722in relation to measures relating to consumer protection:
Now, the Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 2(2) of that Act, hereby makes the following Regulations:–
Citation and commencement
1. These Regulations may be cited as the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 and shall come into force on 1st October 1999.
Revocation
2. The Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 19943are hereby revoked.
Interpretation
3.—(1) In these Regulations–
“the Community” means the European Community;
“consumer” means any natural person who, in contracts covered by these Regulations, is acting for purposes which are outside his trade, business or profession;
“court” in relation to England and Wales and Northern Ireland means a county court or the High Court, and in relation to Scotland, the Sheriff or the Court of Session;
“Director” means the Director General of Fair Trading;
“EEA Agreement” means the Agreement on the European Economic Area signed at Oporto on 2nd May 1992 as adjusted by the protocol signed at Brussels on 17th March 19934;
“Member State” means a State which is a contracting party to the EEA Agreement;
“notified” means notified in writing;
“qualifying body” means a person specified in Schedule 1;
“seller or supplier” means any natural or legal person who, in contracts covered by these Regulations, is acting for purposes relating to his trade, business or profession, whether publicly owned or privately owned;
“unfair terms” means the contractual terms referred to in regulation 5.
(2) In the application of these Regulations to Scotland for references to an “injunction” or an “interim injunction” there shall be substituted references to an “interdict” or “interim interdict” respectively.
Terms to which these Regulations apply
4.—(1) These Regulations apply in relation to unfair terms in contracts concluded between a seller or a supplier and a consumer.
(2) These Regulations do not apply to contractual terms which reflect–
(a)
(a) mandatory statutory or regulatory provisions (including such provisions under the law of any Member State or in Community legislation having effect in the United Kingdom without further enactment);
(b)
(b) the provisions or principles of international conventions to which the Member States or the Community are party.
Unfair Terms
5.—(1) A contractual term which has not been individually negotiated shall be regarded as unfair if, contrary to the requirement of good faith, it causes a significant imbalance in the parties' rights and obligations arising under the contract, to the detriment of the consumer.
(2) A term shall always be regarded as not having been individually negotiated where it has been drafted in advance and the consumer has therefore not been able to influence the substance of the term.
(3) Notwithstanding that a specific term or certain aspects of it in a contract has been individually negotiated, these Regulations shall apply to the rest of a contract if an overall assessment of it indicates that it is a pre-formulated standard contract.
(4) It shall be for any seller or supplier who claims that a term was individually negotiated to show that it was.
(5) Schedule 2 to these Regulations contains an indicative and non-exhaustive list of the terms which may be regarded as unfair.
Assessment of unfair terms
6.—(1) Without prejudice to regulation 12, the unfairness of a contractual term shall be assessed, taking into account the nature of the goods or services for which the contract was concluded and by referring, at the time of conclusion of the contract, to all the circumstances attending the conclusion of the contract and to all the other terms of the contract or of another contract on which it is dependent.
(2) In so far as it is in plain intelligible language, the assessment of fairness of a term shall not relate–
(a)
(a) to the definition of the main subject matter of the contract, or
(b)
(b) to the adequacy of the price or remuneration, as against the goods or services supplied in exchange.
Written contracts
7.—(1) A seller or supplier shall ensure that any written term of a contract is expressed in plain, intelligible language.
(2) If there is doubt about the meaning of a written term, the interpretation which is most favourable to the consumer shall prevail but this rule shall not apply in proceedings brought under regulation 12.
Effect of unfair term
8.—(1) An unfair term in a contract concluded with a consumer by a seller or supplier shall not be binding on the consumer.
(2) The contract shall continue to bind the parties if it is capable of continuing in existence without the unfair term.
Choice of law clauses
9. These Regulations shall apply notwithstanding any contract term which applies or purports to apply the law of a non-Member State, if the contract has a close connection with the territory of the Member States.
Complaints – consideration by Director
10.—(1) It shall be the duty of the Director to consider any complaint made to him that any contract term drawn up for general use is unfair, unless–
(a)
(a) the complaint appears to the Director to be frivolous or vexatious; or
(b)
(b) a qualifying body has notified the Director that it agrees to consider the complaint.
(2) The Director shall give reasons for his decision to apply or not to apply, as the case may be, for an injunction under regulation 12 in relation to any complaint which these Regulations require him to consider.
(3) In deciding whether or not to apply for an injunction in respect of a term which the Director considers to be unfair, he may, if he considers it appropriate to do so, have regard to any undertakings given to him by or on behalf of any person as to the continued use of such a term in contracts concluded with consumers.
Complaints – consideration by qualifying bodies
11.—(1) If a qualifying body specified in Part One of Schedule 1 notifies the Director that it agrees to consider a complaint that any contract term drawn up for general use is unfair, it shall be under a duty to consider that complaint.
(2) Regulation 10(2) and (3) shall apply to a qualifying body which is under a duty to consider a complaint as they apply to the Director.
Injunctions to prevent continued use of unfair terms
12.—(1) The Director or, subject to paragraph (2), any qualifying body may apply for an injunction (including an interim injunction) against any person appearing to the Director or that body to be using, or recommending use of, an unfair term drawn up for general use in contracts concluded with consumers.
(2) A qualifying body may apply for an injunction only where–
(a)
(a) it has notified the Director of its intention to apply at least fourteen days before the date on which the application is made, beginning with the date on which the notification was given; or
(b)
(b) the Director consents to the application being made within a shorter period.
(3) The court on an application under this regulation may grant an injunction on such terms as it thinks fit.
(4) An injunction may relate not only to use of a particular contract term drawn up for general use but to any similar term, or a term having like effect, used or recommended for use by any person.
Powers of the Director and qualifying bodies to obtain documents and information
13.—(1) The Director may exercise the power conferred by this regulation for the purpose of–
(a)
(a) facilitating his consideration of a complaint that a contract term drawn up for general use is unfair; or
(b)
(b) ascertaining whether a person has complied with an undertaking or court order as to the continued use, or recommendation for use, of a term in contracts concluded with consumers.
(2) A qualifying body specified in Part One of Schedule 1 may exercise the power conferred by this regulation for the purpose of–
(a)
(a) facilitating its consideration of a complaint that a contract term drawn up for general use is unfair; or
(b)
(b) ascertaining whether a person has complied with–
(i) an undertaking...
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