Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 : a milestone in English law

This book summarises the major features of the Act.

The Appendices include Contracts, Explanatory Notes to the Contracts and a Summary of Cases.

Contracts made after the passing of the Act may now, subject to certain conditions, be enforceable by third parties.

Such a third party must be clearly identifiable at the time that the contract is made even though he need not exist at that time.

The parties making the contract have the right to exclude or limit the third partys right of enforcement.

They can do this either when making the contract or by a subsequent variation.

No such variation can be made once the third party has communicated his acceptance of the contract or has relied on its terms and the promiser knows or ought reasonably to know this.

Certain specialised contracts are excluded from the Act.