Search Legislation

Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977

 Help about what version

What Version

 Help about advanced features

Advanced Features

Changes to legislation:

There are currently no known outstanding effects for the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. At the current time any known changes or effects made by subsequent legislation have been applied to the text of the legislation you are viewing by the editorial team. Please see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ for details regarding the timescales for which new effects are identified and recorded on this site.

SCHEDULES

Section 1(2).

F1SCHEDULE 1E+W+N.I. Scope of Sections 2 [F1, 3] and 7

Textual Amendments

F1Words in Sch. 1 substituted (1.10.2015 for specified purposes, 1.10.2016 in so far as not already in force) by Consumer Rights Act 2015 (c. 15), s. 100(5), Sch. 4 para. 26(2); S.I. 2015/1630, arts. 3(g), 4(c) (with art. 6(1)(2))

F2F11E+W+N.I.Sections 2 [F2and 3] of this Act do not extend to—

(a)any contract of insurance (including a contract to pay an annuity on human life);

(b)any contract so far as it relates to the creation or transfer of an interest in land, or to the termination of such an interest, whether by extinction, merger, surrender, forfeiture or otherwise;

(c)any contract so far as it relates to the creation or transfer of a right or interest in any patent, trade mark, copyright [F3or design right], registered design, technical or commercial information or other intellectual property, or relates to the termination of any such right or interest;

(d)any contract so far as it relates—

(i)to the formation or dissolution of a company (which means any body corporate or unincorporated association and includes a partnership), or

(ii)to its constitution or the rights or obligations of its corporators or members;

(e)any contract so far as it relates to the creation or transfer of securities or of any right or interest in securities.

[F4(f) anything that is governed by Article 6 of Regulation ( EU ) No 181/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 February 2011 concerning the rights of passengers in bus and coach transport and amending Regulation (EC) No 2006/2004 . ]

Textual Amendments

F2Words in Sch. 1 para. 1 substituted (1.10.2015 for specified purposes, 1.10.2016 in so far as not already in force) by Consumer Rights Act 2015 (c. 15), s. 100(5), Sch. 4 para. 26(3); S.I. 2015/1630, arts. 3(g), 4(c) (with art. 6(1)(2))

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C2Sch. 1 para. 1(c) extended by S.I. 1987/1497, reg. 9(2), sch. 2Sch. 1 para. 1(c) amended (31.10.1994) by 1994 c. 26, s. 106(1), Sch. 4 para. 1(1)(2); S.I. 1994/2550, art.2

F5F1F62E+W+N.I.Section 2(1) extends to—

(a)any contract of marine salvage or towage;

(b)any charterparty of a ship or hovercraft; and

(c)any contract for the carriage of goods by ship or hovercraft;

but subject to this sections 2 [F5 , 3] and 7 do not extend to any such contract F6....

Textual Amendments

F5Word in Sch. 1 para. 2 substituted (1.10.2015 for specified purposes, 1.10.2016 in so far as not already in force) by Consumer Rights Act 2015 (c. 15), s. 100(5), Sch. 4 para. 26(4)(a); S.I. 2015/1630, arts. 3(g), 4(c) (with art. 6(1)(2))

F6Words in Sch. 1 para. 2 omitted (1.10.2015 for specified purposes, 1.10.2016 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Consumer Rights Act 2015 (c. 15), s. 100(5), Sch. 4 para. 26(4)(b); S.I. 2015/1630, arts. 3(g), 4(c) (with art. 6(1)(2))

F7F8F13E+W+N.I.Where goods are carried by ship or hovercraft in pursuance of a contract which either—

(a)specifies that as the means of carriage over part of the journey to be covered, or

(b)makes no provision as to the means of carriage and does not exclude that means,

then sections 2(2)[F7and 3] do notF8... extend to the contract as it operates for and in relation to the carriage of the goods by that means.

Textual Amendments

F7Words in Sch. 1 para. 3 substituted (1.10.2015 for specified purposes, 1.10.2016 in so far as not already in force) by Consumer Rights Act 2015 (c. 15), s. 100(5), Sch. 4 para. 26(5)(a); S.I. 2015/1630, arts. 3(g), 4(c) (with art. 6(1)(2))

F8Words in Sch. 1 para. 3 omitted (1.10.2015 for specified purposes, 1.10.2016 in so far as not already in force) by virtue of Consumer Rights Act 2015 (c. 15), s. 100(5), Sch. 4 para. 26(5)(b); S.I. 2015/1630, arts. 3(g), 4(c) (with art. 6(1)(2))

4E+W+N.I.Section 2(1) and (2) do not extend to a contract of employment, except in favour of the employee.

5E+W+N.I.Section 2(1) does not affect the validity of any discharge and indemnity given by a person, on or in connection with an award to him of compensation for pneumoconiosis attributable to employment in the coal industry, in respect of any further claim arising from his contracting that disease.

Sections 11(2) and 24(2).

F9SCHEDULE 2U.K.“Guidelines” for Application of Reasonableness Test

Textual Amendments

F9Words in Sch. 2 substituted (1.10.2015 for specified purposes, 1.10.2016 in so far as not already in force) by Consumer Rights Act 2015 (c. 15), s. 100(5), Sch. 4 para. 27; S.I. 2015/1630, arts. 3(g), 4(c) (with art. 6(1)(2))

F9U.K.

The matters to which regard is to be had in particular for the purposes of sections [F96(1A), 7(1A) and (4),] 20 and 21 are any of the following which appear to be relevant—

(a)the strength of the bargaining positions of the parties relative to each other, taking into account (among other things) alternative means by which the customer’s requirements could have been met;

(b)whether the customer received an inducement to agree to the term, or in accepting it had an opportunity of entering into a similar contract with other persons, but without having a similar term;

(c)whether the customer knew or ought reasonably to have known of the existence and the extent of the term (having regard, among other things, to any custom of the trade and any previous course of dealing between the parties);

(d)where the term excludes or restricts any relevant liability if some condition was not complied with, whether it was reasonable at the time of the contract to expect that compliance with that condition would be practicable;

(e)whether the goods were manufactured, processed or adapted to the special order of the customer.

Section 31(3).

X1SCHEDULE 3U.K. Amendments of Enactments

Editorial Information

X1The text of Sch. 3 is in the form in which it was originally enacted: it was not reproduced in Statutes in Force and does not reflect any amendments or repeals which may have been made prior to 1.2.1991.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F10

Textual Amendments

F10Entries repealed by Sale of goods Act 1979 (c. 54, SIF 109:1), s. 62, Sch. 3

In the M1 Supply of Goods (Implied Terms ) Act 1973 as originally enacted and as substituted by the M2 Consumer Credit Act 1974)—

(a)in section 14(1) for the words from “conditional sale” to the end substitute “ a conditional sale agreement where the buyer deals as a consumer within Part I of the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F11;

(b)in section 15(1), in the definition of “ business”, for “local authority or statutory undertaker” substitute “ or local or public authority ”.

Textual Amendments

Marginal Citations

Section 31(4).

X2SCHEDULE 4U.K. Repeals

Editorial Information

X2The text of Sch. 4 is in the form in which it was originally enacted: it was not reproduced in Statutes in Force and does not reflect any amendments or repeals which may have been made prior to 1.2.1991.

ChapterShort titleExtent of repeal
56&57 Vict. c. 71.Sale of Goods Act 1893.In section 55, subsections (3) to (11).
Section 55A.
Section 61(6).
In section 62(1) the definition of “contract for the international sale of goods”.
1962 c. 46.Transport Act 1962.Section 43(7).
1967 c. 45Uniform Laws on International Sales Act 1967.In section 1(4), the words “55and 55A”.
1972 c. 33.Carriage by Railway Act 1972.In section 1(1), the words from “contract for the international sale of goods” onwards.
1973 c. 13.Supply of Goods (Implied Terms) Act 1973.Section 5(1).
Section 6.
In section 7(1), the words from “contract for the international sale of goods” onwards.
In section 12, subsections (2) to (9).
Section 13.
In section 15(1), the definition of “consumer sale”.

The repeals in sections 12 and 15 of the Supply of Goods (Implied Terms) Act 1973 shall have effect in relation to those sections as originally enacted and as substituted by the M3 Consumer Credit Act 1974.

Marginal Citations

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

See additional information alongside the content

Geographical Extent: Indicates the geographical area that this provision applies to. For further information see ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

Show Timeline of Changes: See how this legislation has or could change over time. Turning this feature on will show extra navigation options to go to these specific points in time. Return to the latest available version by using the controls above in the What Version box.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources