As is

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"As is" is a phrase used to indicate the existing condition of something without any modifications or improvements. [1] The term is employed in legal, business, and consumer settings to establish that an item or property is being sold or provided in its current condition, [2] [3] with no warranties or guarantees regarding its quality. [4] [5]

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In legal contexts, the phrase "as is" is used in contracts, agreements and sales transactions. [6] [7] It is used to disclaim some implied warranties for an item being sold. Certain types of implied warranties must be specifically disclaimed, such as the implied warranty of title. "As is" denotes that the seller is selling, and the buyer is buying an item in whatever condition it presently exists, and that the buyer is accepting the item "with all faults", whether or not immediately apparent. A similar concept is a "buyer beware" claim, where the careful buyer should take the time to examine the item before accepting it, or obtain expert advice. [8] [9]

On the other hand, the phrase "as is" does not disclaim "express" warranties: these may, for example, be created by the seller's description of an item. In other words, though the item may be sold "as is", nevertheless, if it for example does not conform to the seller's description of it, the buyer may void the sale.

For example, a seller of a used automobile sells it to a buyer, and puts into the contract of sale the statement: "The buyer accepts the automobile as is, with all faults." Two minutes after the buyer drives off with it, the car stalls, and the engine seizes. Unless the buyer can show that there was some fraud involved, or the seller breached an express warranty, the buyer is not entitled to a refund. This would be a specific example where fraud in the inducement could outweigh anything in the contract, express or implied: it simply does not matter what disclaimer or limitations may be found in the contract, if the contract is void (or voidable) for any reason.

Disgruntled buyers of real estate, and their respective improvements, may be faced with other complicated property law issues if a deed is conveyed as a result of a contract with an "as is" clause. In real estate, these are the larger potential problems than issues with the structure itself, which can be drawn out with an inspector. Searching public records is often difficult, and often done lazily by the seller; this means that the buyer may be burdened with liens on the home, and face various fees related to things such as public utilities.

In many jurisdictions, disclaimer of various implied warranties is void. For instance, the United Kingdom's laws on consumer protection, and unfair contract terms may limit the ability of a manufacturer or seller to limit or exclude liability for various types of damage. See, for instance, the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 and Sale of Goods Act 1979.

However, in the United States' Uniform Commercial Code, "as is" is quoted as an example of the type of language capable of excluding all implied warranties through which the law might otherwise protect a buyer. [10]

American case law

See also

Related Research Articles

This aims to be a complete list of the articles on real estate.

Caveat emptor is Latin for "Let the buyer beware". It has become a proverb in English. Generally, caveat emptor is the contract law principle that controls the sale of real property after the date of closing, but may also apply to sales of other goods. The phrase caveat emptor and its use as a disclaimer of warranties arises from the fact that buyers typically have less information than the seller about the good or service they are purchasing. This quality of the situation is known as 'information asymmetry'. Defects in the good or service may be hidden from the buyer, and only known to the seller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disclaimer</span> Any statement intended to specify or delimit the scope of rights and obligations

A disclaimer is generally any statement intended to specify or delimit the scope of rights and obligations that may be exercised and enforced by parties in a legally recognized relationship. In contrast to other terms for legally operative language, the term disclaimer usually implies situations that involve some level of uncertainty, waiver, or risk.

In law, a warranty is an expressed or implied promise or assurance of some kind. The term's meaning varies across legal subjects. In property law, it refers to a covenant by the grantor of a deed. In insurance law, it refers to a promise by the purchaser of an insurance about the thing or person to be insured.

A real estate contract is a contract between parties for the purchase and sale, exchange, or other conveyance of real estate. The sale of land is governed by the laws and practices of the jurisdiction in which the land is located. Real estate called leasehold estate is actually a rental of real property such as an apartment, and leases cover such rentals since they typically do not result in recordable deeds. Freehold conveyances of real estate are covered by real estate contracts, including conveying fee simple title, life estates, remainder estates, and freehold easements. Real estate contracts are typically bilateral contracts and should have the legal requirements specified by contract law in general and should also be in writing to be enforceable.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Standard form contract</span> Type of contract between two parties

A standard form contract is a contract between two parties, where the terms and conditions of the contract are set by one of the parties, and the other party has little or no ability to negotiate more favorable terms and is thus placed in a "take it or leave it" position.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Implied warranty</span>

In common law jurisdictions, an implied warranty is a contract law term for certain assurances that are presumed to be made in the sale of products or real property, due to the circumstances of the sale. These assurances are characterized as warranties regardless of whether the seller has expressly promised them orally or in writing. They include an implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose, an implied warranty of merchantability for products, implied warranty of workmanlike quality for services, and an implied warranty of habitability for a home.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unconscionability</span> Doctrine in contract law

Unconscionability is a doctrine in contract law that describes terms that are so extremely unjust, or overwhelmingly one-sided in favor of the party who has the superior bargaining power, that they are contrary to good conscience. Typically, an unconscionable contract is held to be unenforceable because no reasonable or informed person would otherwise agree to it. The perpetrator of the conduct is not allowed to benefit, because the consideration offered is lacking, or is so obviously inadequate, that to enforce the contract would be unfair to the party seeking to escape the contract.

Lemon laws are laws that provide a remedy for purchasers of cars and other consumer goods in order to compensate for products that repeatedly fail to meet standards of quality and performance. Although many types of products can be defective, the term "lemon" is mostly used to describe defective motor vehicles, such as cars, trucks, and motorcycles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act</span> United States federal law governing warranties on consumer products

The Magnuson–Moss Warranty Act is a United States federal law. Enacted in 1975, the federal statute governs warranties on consumer products. The law does not require any product to have a warranty, but if it does have a warranty, the warranty must comply with this law. The law was created to fix problems as a result of manufacturers using disclaimers on warranties in an unfair or misleading manner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 is an act of Parliament of the United Kingdom which regulates contracts by restricting the operation and legality of some contract terms. It extends to nearly all forms of contract and one of its most important functions is limiting the applicability of disclaimers of liability. The terms extend to both actual contract terms and notices that are seen to constitute a contractual obligation.

<i>Henningsen v. Bloomfield Motors, Inc.</i>

In Henningsen v. Bloomfield Motors, Inc., 32 N.J. 358, 161 A.2d 69, the New Jersey Supreme Court held that an automobile manufacturer's attempt to use an express warranty that disclaimed an implied warranty of merchantability was invalid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sale of Goods Act 1979</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Sale of Goods Act 1979 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which regulated English contract law and UK commercial law in respect of goods that are sold and bought. The Act consolidated the original Sale of Goods Act 1893 and subsequent legislation, which in turn had codified and consolidated the law. Since 1979, there have been numerous minor statutory amendments and additions to the 1979 act. It was replaced for some aspects of consumer contracts from 1 October 2015 by the Consumer Rights Act 2015 but remains the primary legislation underpinning business-to-business transactions involving selling or buying goods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Contractual term</span> Any provision forming part of a contract

A contractual term is "any provision forming part of a contract". Each term gives rise to a contractual obligation, the breach of which may give rise to litigation. Not all terms are stated expressly and some terms carry less legal gravity as they are peripheral to the objectives of the contract.

A contract is an agreement that specifies certain legally enforceable rights and obligations pertaining to two or more parties. A contract typically involves the transfer of goods, services, money, or a promise to transfer any of those at a future date, and the activities and intentions of the parties entering into a contract may be referred to as contracting. In the event of a breach of contract, the injured party may seek judicial remedies such as damages or equitable remedies such as specific performance or rescission. A binding agreement between actors in international law is known as a treaty.

Contractual terms in English law is a topic which deals with four main issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Supply of Goods (Implied Terms) Act 1973</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Supply of Goods Act 1973 was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that provided implied terms in contracts for the supply of goods and for hire-purchase agreements, and limited the use of exclusion clauses. The result of a joint report by the England and Wales Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission, First Report on Exemption Clauses, the Act was granted royal assent on 18 April 1973 and came into force a month later. It met with a mixed reaction from academics, who praised the additional protection it offered while at the same time questioning whether it was enough; several aspects of the Act's draftsmanship and implementation were also called into question. Much of the Act was repealed by the Sale of Goods Act 1979, which included many of the 1973 Act's provisions.

Van der Westhuizen v Arnold is an important case in South African contract law, heard in the Supreme Court of Appeal on 22 February 2002, with judgment handed down on 29 August.

The South African law of sale is an area of the legal system in that country that describes rules applicable to a contract of sale, generally described as a contract whereby one person agrees to deliver to another the free possession of a thing in return for a price in money.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Disposition (Scots law)</span> Deed transferring ownership of heritable property

A disposition in Scots law is a formal deed transferring ownership of corporeal heritable property. It acts as the conveyancing stage as the second of three stages required in order to voluntarily transfer ownership of land in Scotland. The three stages are:

  1. The Contractual Stage
  2. The Conveyancing Stage
  3. The Registration Stage

References

  1. ↑ Bunting, Lauren (19 December 2019). "Understanding 'As-Is' option when purchasing home". Ocean City Today. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  2. ↑ "as is". LII / Legal Information Institute.
  3. ↑ Dore, Karl J. ""As Is" Sales Under the Consumer Product Warranty and Liability Act: A Case Comment on Gillespie v. MacDonald Pontiac Buick Ltd". www.unb.ca. New Brunswick Reports. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  4. ↑ Team, The oboloo (8 February 2023). "What is an As Is Purchase Agreement and what type of transactions does it cover?". oboloo.
  5. ↑ Government of Canada, Innovation (23 December 2022). "Warranties". ised-isde.canada.ca.
  6. ↑ "Do "As Is" Clauses in Sales Contracts Prevent All Lawsuits?". www.equinelawblog.com.
  7. ↑ "As-Is Transaction Sample Clauses". Law Insider.
  8. ↑ Lydiate, Henry (March 2017). "Secondary Sales Risks". Art Monthly (404): 45.
  9. ↑ Mayfield, William S. (1986). "Consumer Protection". Southern University Law Review. 13: 279.
  10. ↑ Uniform Commercial Code, § 2-316. Exclusion or Modification of Warranties, accessed 25 August 2019
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