QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Under English law, must a contract to sell land be in writing? - ANS Yes, contracts for the sale
or disposition of land must be made in writing to be valid.
Must a contract of guarantee be in writing under English law? - ANS Yes, a contract of
guarantee must be in writing and signed by the guarantor or their authorised agent.
Are consumer credit agreements required to be in writing under English law? - ANS Yes,
regulated consumer credit agreements must be in writing and comply with statutory
formalities.
Is a contract to purchase a business required to be in writing under English law? - ANS No,
there is no legal requirement for business purchase contracts to be in writing, though it is
advisable.
Must an offer be in writing to be valid under the law of contract? - ANS No, an offer does not
need to be in writing; it must be communicated, certain, and show an intention to contract.
Is a retailer's advertisement of goods on a website considered a legal offer? - ANS No, it is an
invitation to treat. The customer's order constitutes the offer, which the retailer may accept or
reject.
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, When a customer brings an item to the till in a shop, is this considered an offer? - ANS Yes,
the customer is making an offer to buy, which the retailer can accept or reject at the point of
sale.
Can an advertisement offering £50,000 to anyone who completes a challenge be a valid offer? -
ANS Yes, this is a unilateral offer. If someone completes the specified act, the advertiser is
legally bound to pay.
Is a product brochure or price list in a showroom an offer? - ANS No, it is an invitation to
treat. It invites customers to make offers to purchase
Is a general statement of willingness to buy at list price without details an offer? - ANS No, it
is an enquiry. It lacks certainty and key terms required to form a binding offer.
Is a prize draw offer for completing an action (e.g. test drive) a unilateral offer? - ANS Yes, it
is a unilateral offer. Acceptance occurs through performance of the requested act.
Is a detailed proposal to buy a specified car for a named price a valid offer? - ANS Yes, it is an
offer to form a bilateral contract that can be accepted by a promise.
What is the legal effect of a seller proposing a new price instead of accepting a buyer's offer? -
ANS It is a counteroffer and also a rejection of the original offer.
What is the status of a counteroffer that has not yet been accepted? - ANS It may be revoked
by the offeror before acceptance, and it also constitutes a rejection of the prior offer.
Is placing an order for goods with stated terms considered an offer? - ANS Yes, placing an
order with specific terms is an offer to contract on those terms.
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What is the legal effect of accepting an order but insisting on different terms? - ANS It is a
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counteroffer, which rejects the original offer and proposes new terms.
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