Hire- Purchase (CAP. 201 1
CHAPTER 201
THE HIRE-PURCHASE ACT
Arrangement of Sections
Section
Short title.
Interpretation.
Application of Act.
Requirements relating to hire-purchase agreements.
Requirements relating to credit-sale agreements.
Right of hirer to determine hire-purchase agreement.
Avoidance of certain provisions.
Duty of owners and sellers to supply documents and
information.
Duty of hirer to give information as to whereabouts of
goods.
Conditions and warranties to be implied in hire-purchase
agreements.
Appropriation of payments made in respect of hire-
purchase agreements.
Evidence of adverse detention in actions by owners to
recover possession of the goods.
Owner may only recover goods by action where seventy
per cent of hire-purchase price paid.
Power of court in certain actions by owners to recover
possession of the goods.
Effect of postponement of operation of an order for
specific delivery of goods to the owner.
Successive hire-purchase agreements between same
parties.
Provisions as to bankruptcy of hirer.
Where less than seventy per cent of hire-purchase price
is paid owner to give notice before enforcing his
right to recover possession of goods if failure to pay
instalment is only breach.
Hirer's refusal to surrender goods not to be conversion
in certain cases.
LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
2 CAP. 201) Hire-Purchase
20. Obstruction.
2 1. Installation charges.
22. Application of Act to existing agreements.
SCHEDULE
LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
Hire-Purchase (CAP. 201
HIRE-PURCHASE
An Act to provide for the regulation of hire-purchase
and sale upon credit of Goods and for matters incidental
thereto.
(26th February, 1987.)
1. (1) This Act may be cited as the Hire-Purchase Short title.
Act.
2. In this Act- Interpretation.
"action" includes counterclaim and set-off;
"buyer" means a person who buys or agrees to buy
goods;
"contract of guarantee" means, in relation to a hire-
purchase or credit-sale agreement, a contract made
at the request, express or implied, of the hirer or
buyer to guarantee the performance of the hirer's
or buyer's obligations under the hire-purchase
agreement or credit-sale agreement, and the
expression "guarantor" shall be construed
accordingly;
"credit-sale agreement" means an agreement for the
sale of goods under which the purchase price is
payable by five or more instalments;
"delivery" means voluntary transfer of possession from
one person to another;
"goods" includes all chattels personal other than things
in action and money; the term includes
emblements, industrial growing crops, and things
attached to or forming part of the land, which are
agreed to be severed before sale or under the con-
tract of sale;
LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
4 CAP. 201) Hire-Purchase
" hire-purchase agreement" means an agreement for the
bailment of goods under which the bailee may buy
the goods or under which the property in goods
will or may pass to the bailee, and where by virtue
of two or more agreements, none of which by itself
constitutes a hire-purchase agreement, there is a
bailment of goods and either the bailee may buy
the goods, or the property therein will or may pass
to the bailee, the agreements shall be treated for
the purposes of this Act as a single agreement made
at the time when the last of the agreements was
made:
"hire-purchase price" means the total sum payable by
the hirer under a hire-purchase agreement in order
to complete the purchase of goods to which the
agreement relates, exclusive of any sum payable
as a penalty or as compensation or damages for
a breach of the agreement and includes any sum
payable by the hirer under a hire-purchase agree-
ment by way of a deposit or other initial payment
or credited or to be credited to him under such an
agreement on account of any such deposit or pay-
ment, whether that sum is to be or has been paid
to the owner or to any other person or is to be or
has been discharged by a payment of money or by
the transfer or delivery of goods or by any other
means;
"hirer" means the person who takes or has taken goods
from an owner under a hire-purchase agreement
and includes a person to whom the hirer's rights
or liabilities under the agreement have passed by
assignment or by operation of law;
< < owner" means the person who proposes to let, or has
let goods to a hirer under a hire-purchase agree-
ment and includes a person to whom the owner's
property in the goods or any of the owner's rights
or liabilities under the agreement has passed by
assignment or by operation of law;
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Hire-Purchase (CAP. 201 5
" property" means the general property in goods, and
not merely a special property;
"sale" includes a bargain and sale, as well as a sale
delivery;
" seller'' means a person who sells or agrees to sell goods;
" total purchase price" means the total sum payable by
the buyer under a credit-sale agreement, exclusive
of any sum payable as a penalty or as compensa-
tion or damages for a breach of the agreement;
" warranty" means an agreement with reference to goods
which are the subject of a contract of sale, but col-
lateral to the main purpose of such contract, the
breach of which gives rise to a claim for damages
but not a right to reject the goods and treat the
contract as repudiated.
(2) Where an owner has agreed that any part of the
hire-purchase price may be discharged otherwise than by
the payment of money, such a discharge is deemed for the
purpose of sections 6 and 8 to be a payment of that part
of the purchase price.
3. This Act applies to all hire-purchase agreements Application of
Act.
and credit-sale agreements under which the hire purchase
price or total purchase price, does not exceed the sum of
twenty thousand dollars.
4. (1) Before a hire-purchase agreement is entered Requirements
relating to hire-
into in respect of any goods, the owner shall state in writing purchase
to the prospective hirer, otherwise than in the note or agreements.
memorandum of the agreement, a price at which the goods
may be purchased for cash (in this section referred to as the
"cash price").
(2) An owner is deemed to have complied with
subsection (1)-
(a) if the hirer has inspected the goods or like goods
and at the time of his inspection tickets or labels were
attached to or displayed with the goods clearly stating
LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
CAP. 201) Hire-Purchase
Schedule.
the cash price, either of the goods as a whole or of all
the different articles or sets of articles comprised therein;
or
(b) if the hirer has selected the goods by reference
to a catalogue, price list, or advertisement, which clearly
stated the cash price either of the goods as a whole or
of all the different articles or sets of articles comprised
therein.
(3) An owner is not entitled to enforce a hire-purchase
agreement or any contract of guarantee relating thereto or
any right to recover the goods from the hirer, and no security
given by the hirer in respect of money payable under the
hire-purchase agreement or given by a guarantor in respect
of money payable under such a contract of guarantee is
enforceable against the hirer or guarantor by any holder
therof, unless subsection (1) has been complied with, and-
(a) a note or memorandum of the agreement is
made and signed by the hirer and by or on behalf of
all other parties to the agreement;
(6) the note or memorandum contains a statement
of the hire-purchase price and of the cash price of the
goods to which the agreement relates and of the amount
of each of the instalments by which the hire-purchase
price is to be paid and of the date, or the mode of deter-
mining the date, upon which each instalment is payable,
and contains a list of the goods to which the agreement
relates sufficient to identify them;
(c) the note or memorandum contains a notice,
which is at least as prominent as the rest of the contents
of the note or memorandum, in the terms prescribed
in the Schedule; and
(d) a copy of the note or memorandum is delivered
or sent to the hirer at his address as contained in the
agreement within seven days of the making of the
agreement.
(4) Where in an action the court is satisfied that a failure
to comply with subsection (1) or with paragraph (b), (c) or
(6) of subsection (3) has not prejudiced the hirer; and that
it would be just and equitable to dispense with compliance,
U W S OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
Hire- Purchase (CAP. 201
the court may, subject to any conditions that it thinks fit
to impose, dispense with such compliance for the purpose
of the action.
5 . (1) Before making a credit-sale agreement under ~ ~ ~ i ; ~ ~ d i t -
which the total purchase price exceeds two hundred dollars, ,,le
the seller shall state in writing to the prospective buyer, other-
wise than in the note or memorandum of the agreement,
a price at which the goods may be purchased for cash (in
this section referred to as the "cash price").
(2) A seller is deemed to have complied with
subsection (1)-
(a) if the buyer has inspected the goods or like
goods and at the time of his inspection tickets or labels
were attached to or displayed with the goods clearly
stating the cash price, either of the goods as a whole
or of all the different articles or sets of articles comprised
therein; or
(b) if the buyer has selected the goods by reference
to a catalogue, price list or advertisement which clearly
stated the cash price either of the goods as a whole or
of all the different articles or sets of articles comprised
therein.
(3) A person who has sold goods by a credit-sale agree-
ment under which the total purchase price exceeds two hun-
dred dollars is not entitled to enforce the agreement or any
contract of guarantee relating thereto, and no security given
by the buyer in respect of money payable under the credit-
sale agreement or given by a guarantor in respect of money
payable under such a contract of guarantee is enforceable
against the buyer or guarantor by any holder thereof, unless
subsection (1) has been complied with, and-
(a) a note or memorandum of the agreement is
made and signed by the buyer and by or on behalf of
all other parties to the agreement;
(b) the note or memorandum contains a statement
of the total purchase price and of the cash price of the
goods to which the agreement relates and of the amount
of each of the instalments by which the total purchase
LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
8 CAP. 201) Hire-Purchase
price is to be paid and of the date, or the mode of deter-
mining the date, upon which each instalment is payable,
and contains a list of the goods to which the agreement
relates sufficient to identify them; and
(c) a copy of the note or memorandum is delivered
or sent to the buyer at his address as contained in the
agreement within seven days of the making of the
agreement.
( 4 ) Where in an action the court is satisfied that a failure
to comply with subsection (1) or with paragraph ( 6 ) or (c)
of subsection ( 3 ) has not prejudiced the buyer and that it
would be just and equitable to dispense with compliance,
the court may, subject to any conditions that it thinks fit
to impose, dispense with such compliance for the purpose
of the action.
Right of hirer to
determine hire-
6. (1) A hirer, at any time before the final payment
purchase under a hire-purchase agreement falls due, is entitled to deter-
agreements. mine the agreement by giving notice of termination in writing
to any person entitled or authorised to receive the sums
payable under the agreement, and at the same time or prior
thereto shall deliver the goods to the owner, and, on deter-
mining the agreement under this section, is liable, without
prejudice to any liability which has accrued before the ter-
mination, to pay the amount, if any, due in respect of the
hire-purchase price immediately before the termination, or
such lesser amount as may be specified in the agreement.
(2) Where a hirer gives notice of termination of a hire-
purchase agreement without delivering the goods as required
by this section such notice is of no effect and the hire-purchase
agreement remains in force.
( 3 ) Where a hire-purchase agreement has been deter-
mined under this section, the hirer, if he has failed to take
reasonable care of the goods is liable to pay damages for
the failure.
(4 ) Nothing in this section prejudices any right of a hirer
to determine a hire-purchase agreement otherwise than by
virtue of this section.
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Hire- Purchase (CAP. 201 9
7. Any provision in an agreement- Avoidance of
certain
( a ) whereby an owner or any person acting on his provisions.
behalf is authorised to enter forcibly upon any premises
for the purpose of taking possession of goods which have
been let under a hire-purchase agreement, or is relieved
from liability for any such forcible entry;
( b ) whereby the right conferred on a hirer by this
Act to determine the hire-purchase agreement is exclud-
ed or restricted;
(c ) whereby the right conferred on a hirer by this
Act to remedy the breach of a hire-purchase agreement
in accordance with this Act is excluded or restricted or
whereby any liability in addition to any liability imposed
by this Act is imposed on a hirer by reason of the con-
tinuation of the hire-purchase agreement under this Act;
(d) whereby a hirer, after the determination of the
hire-purchase agreement or the bailment in any man-
ner whatsoever, is subject to a liability which exceeds
the liabilitv to which he would have been subiect if the .,
agreement had been determined by him under this Act;
(a) whereby any person acting on behalf of an
owner or seller in connection with the formation or con-
clusion of a hire-purchase or credit-sale agreement is
treated as or deemed to be the agent of the hirer or the
buyer; or
Cf) whereby an owner or seller is relieved from
liability for the acts or defaults of any person acting on
his behalf in connection with the formation or conclu-
sion of a hire-purchase agreement or credit-sale
agreement,
is void.
8. (1) At any time before the final payment has been Duty of owners
and sellers to
made under a hire-purchase or credit-sale agreement, the documents
owner or seller, within seven days after receiving a request and information.
in writing together with the sum of two dollars for expenses
from the hirer or buyer shall supply to the hirer or buyer
at an address given in the request a copy of any memor-
andum or note of the agreement, together with a statement
signed by the owner or seller or his agent showing-
LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
CAP. 201) Hire-Purchase
( a ) the amount paid by or on behalf of the hirer
or buyer;
( 6 ) the amount which has become due under the
agreement but remains unpaid, and the date upon which
each unpaid instalment became due, and the amount
of each such instalment; and
(c) the amount which is to become payable under
the agreement, and the date or the mode of determin-
ing the date upon which each future instalment is to
become payable, and the amount of each such
instalment.
(2) The owner or seller is deemed to have complied with
subsection (1) if he delivers the copy of the memorandum
or note of agreement and the statement, or sends the same
by registered post to the hirer or buyer at the address given
in the request, and where no address is given, the owner
or seller is deemed to have complied with subsection ( 1 ) if
he delivers the copy of the memorandum or note or agree-
ment and the statement, or sends the same by registered
post to the hirer or buyer at his address given in the hire-
purchase agreement.
(3) Where the owner or seller fails without reasonable
cause to comply with subsection ( I ) , then, while the default
continues-
( a ) no person is entitled to enforce the agreement
against the hirer or buyer or to enforce any contract
of guarantee relating to the agreement, and, in the case
of a hire-purchase agreement, the owner is not entitled
to enforce any right to recover the goods from the hirer;
and
( 6 ) no security given by the hirer or buyer in
respect of money payable under the agreement or given
by a guarantor in respect of money payable under such
a contract of guarantee is enforceable against the hirer
or buyer or the guarantor by any holder thereof.
(4) A person who fails without reasonable cause to com-
ply with subsection ( 1 ) for a period of one month, is liable
on summary conviction to a fine of five hundred dollars.
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Hire-Purchase (CAP. 201 11
9. (1) Where under a hire-purchase agreement a hirer Duty of hirer to
give information
has a duty to keep the goods comprised in the agreement as to
in his possession or control, the hirer shall, on receipt of ;2;;.ab0uts of
a request in writing from the owner, inform the owner where
the goods are at the time when the information is given,
or, if it is sent by post, at the time of posting.
(2) A hirer who fails without reasonable cause to give
the information required to be given by subsection (1) within
fourteen days of the receipt of the notice, or who gives any
information for the purposes of subsection (1) which he knows
or has reasonable cause to believe is false, is liable on sum-
mary conviction to a fine of five hundred dollars.
10. (1) In every hire-purchase agreement there is- Conditions and
warranties to be
( a ) an implied warranty that the hirer shall have i:,'" hire-
and enjoy quiet possession of the goods; agreements.
( b ) an implied condition on the part of the owner
that he has a right to sell the goods at the time when
the property is to pass;
(c) an implied warranty that the goods are free from
any charge or encumbrance in favour of any third party
at the time when the property is to pass;
(d) except where the goods are let as second hand
goods and the note or memorandum of the agreement
made in pursuance of section 4 contains a statement to
that effect, an implied condition that the goods are of
merchantable quality; but no such condition is implied
by virtue of this paragraph as regards defects of which
the owner could not reasonably have been aware at the
time when the agreement was made, or, if the hirer has
examined the goods or a sample thereof, as regards
defects which the examination ought to have revealed.
(2) Where the hirer expressly or by implication makes
known the particular purpose for which the goods are re-
quired, there is an implied condition that the goods are
reasonably fit for such purpose.
(3) The warranties and conditions set out in subsec-
tion (1) are implied notwithstanding any agreement to the
LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
12 CAP. 201) Hire-Purchase
contrary and the owner is not entitled to rely on any provi-
sion in the agreement excluding or modifying the condition
set out in subsection (2) unless he proves that before the
agreement was made the provision was brought to the notice
of the hirer and its effect made clear to him.
(4) Nothing in this section prejudices the operation of
any other enactment or rule of law whereby a condition or
warranty is to be implied in a hire-purchase agreement.
Appropriation of
payments made
1 . A hirer who is liable to make payments in respect
in resoect of of two or more hire-vurchase agreements to the same owner. u
hire-~urchase notwithstanding any agreement to the contrary, is entitled,
agreements.
on making any payment in respect of the agreements which
is not sufficient to discharge the total amount then due under
u
all the agreements to appropriate the sum so paid by him
in or towards the satisfaction of the sum due under any one
of the agreements, or in or towards the satisfaction of the
sums due under any two or more of the agreements in such
proportions as he thinks fit, and if he fails to make any such
appropriation, the payment shall by virtue of this section
be appropriated towards the satisfaction of the sums due
under the respective hire-purchase agreements in the pro-
portions which those sums bear to one another.
Evidence of
adverse detention
12. (1) Where, in an action by an owner to enforce
in actions by a right to recover possession of goods which have been let
Owners re'cover undir a hire-purchase agreement ;he owner proves that before
possession of the
goods. the commencement of the action and after the right to recover
possession of the goods accrued the owner made a request
in writing to the hirer to surrender the goods, the hirer's
possession of the goods is deemed to be adverse to the owner
for the purpose of the owner's claim to recover possession.
(2) Nothing in this section affects a claim for damages
for conversion.
Owner may only
recover goods by
13. (1) Where goods have been let under a hire-
action where purchase agreement and seventy per cent of the hire-purchase
seventy per cent price has been paid, whether in pursuance of a judgment
of hire-puchase
price paid. or otherwise, or tendered by or on behalf of the hirer or
any guarantor, the owner shall not enforce any right to
recover possession of the goods otherwise than by action.
LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
Hire-Purchase (CAP. 201 13
(2) If an owner recovers possession of goods in con-
travention of subsection (I), the hire-purchase agreement,
if not previously determined, shall determine, and-
( a ) the hirer is released from all liability under the
agreement and is entitled to recover from the owner,
in an action for money had and received, all sums paid
by the hirer under the agreement or under any security
given by him in respect thereof; and
(6) any guarantor is entitled to recover from the
owner, in an action for money had and received, all
sums paid by him under the contract of guarantee or
under any security given by him in respect thereof.
( 3 ) This section does not apply where the hirer has deter-
mined the agreement or the bailment by virtue of any right
vested in him.
14. ( 1 ) Where, in a case to which section 13 applies, Powers of court
in certain actions an owner commences an action to enforce a right to recover by owner, to
possession of goods from a hirer after seventy per cent of recover
possession of the
the hire-purchase price has been paid or tendered, the action goods.
shall be commenced in the Magistrate's Court, and after
the action has been commenced the owner shall not take any
step to enforce payment of any sum due under the hire-
purchase agreement or under any contract of guarantee
relating thereto, except by claiming the sum in the said action.
(2) Subject to such exceptions as may be provided for
by rules made under the Magistrate's Code of Procedure Cap. 255.
Act, all the parties to the agreement and any guarantor shall
be made parties to the action.
(3) Pending the hearing of the action the court shall
have power upon the application of the owner, to make such
orders as the court thinks just for the purpose of protecting
the goods from damage or depreciation, including orders
restricting or prohibiting the user of the goods or giving
directions as to their custody.
(4) A person who fails to comply with any requirements
of an order under subsection ( 3 ) is liable on summary con-
viction of a fine of five hundred dollars.
LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
14 CAP. 201) Hire-Purchase
(5) O n the hearing of the action the court may, without
prejudice to any other power-
(a ) make an order for the specific delivery of all
the goods to the owner;
(b ) make an order for the specific delivery of all
the goods to the owner and postpone the operation of
the order on condition that the hirer or any guarantor
pays the unpaid balance of the hire-purchase price at
such times and in such amounts as the court, having
regard to the means of the hirer and of any guarantor,
thinks just, and, subject to the fulfilment of such other
conditions by the hirer or a guarantor as the court thinks
just; or
(c) make an order for the specific delivery of a part
of the goods to the owner and for the transfer to the
hirer of the owner's title to the remainder of the goods.
(6) No order shall be made under subsection (5) (6 )
unless the hirer satisfies the court that the goods are in his
possession or control at the time when the order is made.
(7) The court shall not make an order transferring to
the hirer the owner's title to a part of the goods unless it
is satisfied that the amount which the hirer has paid in respect
of the hire-purchase price exceeds the price of that part of
the goods by at least one-third of the unpaid balance of the
hire-purchase price.
( 8 ) Where in an action under section 13 in accordance
with rules of court the hirer makes an offer to repay the un-
paid balance of the purchase price on terms and conditions
that are accepted by the owner, the court may make an order
under subsection (5)(b) in accordance with the hirer's offer
without hearing evidence as to the matter set out in subsec-
tion (5) (b) or in subsection (6).
(9) No order under subsection ( 8 ) shall be made before
the date fixed for the hearing of the action where a guaran-
tor is a party to the action.
(10) Where damages have been awarded against the
owner in the proceedings the court may treat the hirer as
LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
Hire-Purchase (CAP. 201 15
having paid in respect of the hire-purchase price, in addi-
tion to the actual amount paid, the amount of the damages,
or such part thereof as the court thinks fit, and thereupon
the damages shall accordingly be remitted either in whole
or in part.
(1 1) In this section, the expression-
"order for the specific delivery of the goods to the
owner" means an order for delivery of the goods
to the owner, without giving the hirer an option
to pay their value;
"price7' in relation to any goods means such part of
the hire-purchase price as is assigned to those goods
by the note or memorandum of the hire-purchase
agreement, or, if no such assignment is made, such
part of the hire-purchase price as the court may
determine.
(12) Where before the hearing of an action to which
this section applies the owner recovers possession of a part
of the goods, the references in subsection (5) to all the goods
shall be construed as references to all the goods which the
owner has not recovered, and, if the parties have not agreed
upon an adjustment of the hire-purchase price in respect of
the goods so recovered, the court may for the purposes of
subsection (5) (6) and ( c ) make such reduction of the hire-
purchase price and of the unpaid balance thereof as the court
thinks just.
(13) Where an owner recovers a part of the goods let
under a hire-purchase agreement, and the recovery was
effected in contravention of section 13, this section does not
apply in relation to any action by the owner to recover the
remainder of the goods.
(14) A Magistrate's Court shall have jurisdiction to hear
and determine an action referred to in subsection (1) not-
withstanding that the hire-purchase price of the goods claimed
in such action exceeds fifteen hundred dollars, and, subject
as hereinafter provided, the provisions of the Magistrate's
Code of Procedure Act, including the provisions relating to
LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
CAP. 201) Hire- Purchase
appeals, and of any rules made thereunder shall apply in
respect of every such action as they apply in respect of actions
which a Magistrate's Court is authorised to hear and deter-
mine under that Act.
(15) T h e application of the provisions of the
Magistrate's Code of Procedure Act and of any rules made
thereunder in respect of any action referred to in subsec-
tion (1) shall be subject to the provisions of this Act.
Effect of
postponement of
15. (1) While the operation of an order for the specific
operation of an delivery of goods to the owner is postponed under section 14,
~ ; ~ ~ e ~ , " f ~ ; ~ ~ ~ the hirer is deemed to be a bailee of the goods under and
to the owner. on the terms of the hire-purchase agreement, and
(a) no further sum is payable by the hirer or a
guarantor on account of the unpaid balance of the hire-
purchase price, except in accordance with the terms of
the order; and
(b) the court may make such further modification
of the terms of the hire-purchase agreement and of any
contract of guarantee relating thereto as the court con-
sider necessary having regard to the variation of the
terms of payment.
(2) Where an order for the specific delivery of the goods
to the owner is postponed and the hirer or a guarantor fails
to comply with any condition of the postponement, or with
any term of the agreement as varied by the court, or
wrongfully disposes of the goods, the owner shall take no
civil proceedings against the hirer or guarantor other than
making an application to the court by which the order was
made, except that in the case of a breach of any condition
relating to the payment of the unpaid balance of the hire-
purchase price, it is not necessary for the owner to apply
to the court for leave to execute the order unless the court
has so directed.
(3) When the unpaid balance of the hire-purchase price
has been paid in accordance with the terms of the order,
the owner's title to the goods shall vest in the hirer.
(4) The court may at any time during the postpone-
ment of the operation of an order-
LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
Hire- Purchase (CAP. 201 17
(a) vary the conditions of the postponement and
make such further modification of the hire-purchase
agreement and of any contract of guarantee relating
thereto as the court considers necessary having regard
to the variation of the conditions of the postponement;
(6) revoke the postponement; or
(6) make an order, in accordance with section 14,
for the specific delivery of a part of the goods to the
owner and for the transfer to the hirer of the owner's
title to the remainder of the goods.
( 5 ) Where an order is made under section 14(5) (b), the
powers of the court under subsection ( 4 ) (a) and ( c ) of this
section may be exercised, notwithstanding that any condi-
tion of the postponement has not been complied with, at
any time before the goods are delivered to the owner in
accordance with a warrant issued in pursuance of the order;
and where such a warrant has been issued the court shall-
(a) if the court varies the conditions of the postpone-
ment under subsection ( 4 ) (a), suspend the warrant on
the like conditions;
(b) if the court makes an order under subsec-
tion (4) (c) for the specific delivery of a part of the goods
to the owner and for the transfer to the hirer of the
owner's title to the remaining part of the goods, cancel
the warrant so far as it provides for the delivery of the
last mentioned part of the goods.
(6) Where a warrant referred to in subsection ( 5 ) has
been issued, in so far as it provides for the delivery of the
goods the warrant may be discharged at any time before
delivery of the goods to the owner, by the payment to the
owner by the hirer or guarantor of the whole of the unpaid
balance of the hire-purchase price, and the owner's title to
the goods shall thereupon vest in the hirer.
16. Where goods have been let under a hire-purchase hire-
agreement and after seventy per cent of the hire-purchase agreements
price has been paid or tendered the owner makes a further :'E~ the same
hire-purchase agreement with the hirer comprising those
goods, sections 13 and 14 shall have effect in relation to that
further agreement as from the commencement thereof.
LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
18 CAP. 201) Hire- Purchase
Provisions as to
bankruptcy of
17. Where, under the powers conferred by this Act,
hirer. the court has postponed the operation of an order for the
specific delivery of goods to any person, the goods shall not,
during the postponement, be treated as goods which are by
the consent or permission of that person in the possession,
order or disposition of the hirer for the purposes of section 40
~ a p . 4 1 . of the Bankruptcy Act.
Where less than
seventy per cent
of hire-purchase
price is paid
owner to give
notice before
enforcing his
right to recover
possession of
goods if failure
to Pay
instalments is
only breach.
18. (1) Where, whether in pursuance of a judgment
or otherwise, less than seventy per cent of the hire-purchase
price has been paid or tendered by or on behalf of the hirer
or a guarantor on goods let under a hire-purchase agree-
ment, and the hirer's only breach is failure to pay any
instalment of the hire-purchase price which is then due, the
owner may not enforce a right to recover possession of the
goods without giving to the hirer twenty-one clear days notice
of his intention to do so.
(2) The notice referred to in subsection (1) shall be in
writing and shall state the amount of the hire-purchase price
which is then due and unpaid, and shall further state that
it is the intention of the owner, on the expiration of twenty-
one clear days after the notice has been given to the hirer,
to enforce his right to recover possession of the goods unless
the hirer has previously made good his default.
(3) Where within twenty-one clear days after a notice
under subsection (1) has been given the hirer pays to the
owner all instalments of the hire-purchase price due at the
date of the notice the hire-purchase agreement continues in
force as if the breach stated in the notice had never occurred.
(4) For the purposes of this section, a notice is deemed
to have been given if it is directed to the hirer, and delivered
at, or despatched by registered letter to, his address as men-
tioned in the hire-purchase agreement.
(5) Where an owner recovers possession of goods in con-
travention of subsection (I), section 13 (2) applies as it applies
where an owner recovers possession of goods in contraven-
tion of section 13 (1).
LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
Hire-Purchase (CAP. 201 19
(6) This section does not apply where the hirer has deter-
mined the agreement or the bailment by virtue of any right
vested in him.
19. Where a hirer refuses to give up possession of Hirer's refusal to
surrender goods
goods to an owner whose right to recover the goods is sub- to be
ject by virtue of this Act, to any restriction, the hirer is not conver~ion in
certain cases.
liable to the owner for conversion of the goods by reason
only of such refusal.
20. A hirer who obstructs or attempts to obstruct an obstruction.
owner in the lawful exercise of his right to recover posses-
sion of goods when the owner's right to recover possession
of the goods is not subject to any restriction imposed by or
under this Act, is liable on summary conviction to a ' fine
of five hundred dollars.
2 1. ( 1 ) Where under a hire-purchase agreement Installation
made after the commencement of this Act the owner is charges.
required to carry out an installation, and payment is required
for such installation the note or memorandum of the agree-
ment shall specify the amount to be paid in respect of the
installation but such amount shall not be treated for the pur-
poses of this Act as part of the hire-purchase price.
(2) For the purposes of this section, the expression
"installation" means-
(a) the installing of any electric line as defined in
the Public Utilities Act;
(6) the fixing of goods to which the agreement
relates to the premises where they are to be used, and
the alteration of premises to enable any such goods to
be used thereon;
(c) where it is reasonably necessary that any such
goods should be constructed or erected on the premises
where they are to be used, any work carried out for
the purpose of such construction or erection.
22. (1) The following sections of this Act apply to ~ [ ~ ; ~ $ ; i ~ ~
the extent specified below, in relation to all hire-purchase agreements.
agreements whether made before or after the commencement
of this Act, that is to say-
LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
20 CAP. 201) Hire-Purchase
(a) section 11 of this Act, so far as it relates to
payments made after the commencement of this Act;
( b ) section 12 of this Act, so far as it relates to
recovery of possession of goods after the commencement
of this Act.
(2) Save as mentioned above, this Act does not apply
to any hire-purchase agreement or credit-sale agreement
made before the commencement of this Act.
SCHEDULE Section 4 (3) (c)
Notice to be Included in Note or
Memorandum of Hire-Purchase Agreement
Right of Hirer to Terminate Agreement
1. The hirer may put an end to this agreement by giving notice of ter-
mination in writing to any person who is entitled to collect or receive the hire-rent
and at the same time or prior thereto by delivering the goods to the owner.
2. He must then pay instalments which are in arrear at the time when
he gives notice.
3. If the hirer does not deliver the goods to the owner at the time mention-
ed in paragraph 1 above, the notice of termination will be ineffective and the
agreement will remain in force.
4. If the goods have been damaged owing to the hirer having failed to take
reasonable care of them, the owner may sue him for the amount of the damage
unless that amount can be agreed between the hirer and the owner.
5 . The hirer should see whether this agreement contains provisions allow-
ing him to put an end to the agreement on terms more favourable to him than
those just mentioned. If it does he may put an end to the agreement on those terms.
Restriction of Owner's Right to recover Goods
where seventy per cent of the Hire-Purchase price has been paid
1. * [After (here insert an amount equal to seventy per cent of the hire-
purchase price) has been paid, then] unless the hirer has himself put an end to
LAWS OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
Hire-Purchase (CAP. 201 2 1
the agreement, the owner of the goods cannot take them back from the hirer without
the hirer's consent unless the owner obtains an order of the court.
2. If the owner applies to the court for such an order, the court may, if
the court thinks it just to do so, allow the hirer to keep either-
(a) the whole of the goods, on condition that the hirer pays the balance
of the price in the manner ordered by the Court; or
(6) a fair proportion of the goods having regard to what the hirer has
already paid.
Restriction of Owner's Right to recover Goods where less
than seventy per cent of the Hire-Purchase price has been paid
1. Where less than (here insert an amount equal to seventy per cent of
the hire-purchase price) has been paid, unless the hirer has himself put an end
to the agreement or has committed some breach of the agreement other than failure
to pay any instalment of the hire-purchase price, the owner of the goods cannot
take them back from the hirer without the hirer's consent unless the owner has
given the hirer twenty-one clear days written notice of his intention to do so.
2. If within the said period of twenty-one clear days the hirer pays to the
owner all instalments of the hire-purchase price due at the date of the issue of
such notice, the agreement will continue in force.
*If the agreement is a "further" agreement within the meaning of sec-
tion 16 of this Act, the words in square brackets should be omitted.
