The court must distinguish between an open contract such as Green v Sevin where no date for completion is fixed by the contract and the more normal case where a completion date is fixed but time is not of the essence of the date specified. In the former case the law implies a term that the contract will be completed within a reasonable time from the date of the contract, and notice fixing a new completion date and making time of the essence of the date cannot be given until there has been an unreasonable delay, because it is only then that a breach of the contract will have occurred. But in the latter case there is a breach directly the date fixed for completion has passed. Overruling earlier English authority and following Australian authorities, a party could serve a notice fixing a new date for completion and making time of the essence of the new date immediately the original date for completion had passed.
Citations:
[1992] Ch 1, [1991] 2 All ER 477, [1991] 2 WLR 1251, [1992] ANZ Conv R 112
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Cited by:
Cited – Shawton Engineering Ltd v Dgp International Ltd (T/A Design Group Partnership) and Another CA 18-Nov-2005
There had been a very substantial construction project, in which certain facets of design were sub-contracted and sub-contracted again to the parties. There were substantial delays and a sub-contractor purported to terminate the contract for failing . .
Cited – Dalkia Utilities Services Plc v Celtech International Ltd ComC 27-Jan-2006
The Court was asked to decide (i) which, if either, of the two parties to a 15 year agreement lawfully terminated it; (ii) whether, if one of them did so, it was by giving notice under a contractual termination clause or by way of acceptance of the . .
Cited – Warren and Another v Burns QBD 13-Nov-2014
The boxing manager and boxer each said that the other owed him money.
Held: The contract entitled the claimant to take some share of the boxers earnings but as part of the overall management fee, but as a part of the overall sum and at a share . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Contract
Updated: 08 April 2022; Ref: scu.237279