A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the lessee (user) to pay the lessor (owner) for use of an asset. Some characteristics of Leases are:
- The right to use the lessor's asset is granted in exchange for a fee called the lease payment.
- The lease payments are usually paid in installments.
- Leases may be long- or short-term.
- At its inception a lease agreement constitutes a mutually unperformed contract Though the ownership of the asset is not transferred to the lessee, some responsibilities and risks do. The lessor and lessee may negotiate on who is responsible on maintenance, insurance, etc.
Reference:
LO 1, AC 1.3

United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (Vienna Convention or CISG) Vienna Convention was prepared by by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and adopted by a diplomatic conference on 11 April 1980. The Convention was welcomed by several countries from different geographic areas, with different legal and political systems. As of 20 August 2020, the Convention has93 Contracting States. The Convention has proved the effectiveness of an uniform text on international trade law.
What CISG covers, and what it does not
In the 6 first articles of the Convention, the authors set up the boundaries of its application.
First is about where it applies. According to UNCITRAL, the Convention applies to contracts of sale of goods between parties whose places of business are in different States and either both of those States are Contracting States or the rules of private international law lead to the law of a Contracting State. A few States have availed themselves of the authorisation in article 95 to declare that they would apply the Convention only in the former and not in the latter of these two situations. As the Convention becomes more widely adopted, the practical significance of such a declaration will diminish. Finally, the Convention may also apply as the law applicable to the contract if so chosen by the parties. In that case, the operation of the Convention will be subject to any limits on contractual stipulations set by the otherwise applicable law.
Second, the Convention has a list of goods that are not subject to its application in Article 2. Article 3 clarifies the differences between manufacturing contracts and sale contract.
Third, Article 4 and 5 clearly states what CISG does not covers, including grounds for contract invalidity and liabilities to death or injury of person caused by the the goods Finally, the Convention respects the contractual freedom of the trading parties. Trading parties may select this convention as governing law or select other instrument, such as UPICC or domestic laws.
Reference:
- Governing law in International Contracts - Would you choose CISG or UPICC (Part 1)
- CIPS study guide page 49-52
LO 1, AC 1.2

A simple definition of consideration is as follows - an exchange between the parties which results in a benefit to one party, and a detriment to the other. The case of Currie v Misa (1874) LR 10 Ex 153 provides an apt description of this:
"A valuable consideration, in the sense of the law, may consist either in some right, interest, profit, or benefit accruing to the one party, or some forbearance, detriment, loss, or responsibility, given, suffered, or undertaken by the other." A practical example of this can be found by examining a simple contract. Party A offers £500 to Party B, who in exchange will fit his car with a new engine. Party A receives the benefit of his car being fixed, whilst Party B incurs the detriment of having to take time, effort, and perhaps expenses to fix the car.
Reference:
- Consideration & Promissory Estoppel
- CIPS study guide page 36-40
LO 1, AC 1.2

According to USLegal Inc, fitness for purpose refers to the standard that must be met by a seller in the course of a business. Generally, when a buyer makes known to a seller the particular purpose for which the goods are bought, there is an implied condition that the goods are reasonably fit for that purpose (customer's requirements, needs, or desires). Specification is the ground for deciding whether goods received are fit for purpose.
We already know that there are two types of specifications: conformance and performance specifications. With conformance specification, the buyer lists out technical requirements to which the goods must conform. Lacking of any requirement may be enough for the goods to be unfit. On the other hand, if performance specification is in use, the goods must be fit for specific outputs that buyer has listed in the specification.
Providing the 'fit for purpose' goods is one of the fundamental obligations of seller in sale contract. Unfulfilling this obligation would lead to legal consequences. If the goods are unfit for purpose, seller may have to:
- replace the non-conforming goods
- pay the damages to the buyer
Reference:
- Why you should keep attention to the specification when contracting with suppliers
- CIPS study guide page 137
LO 3, AC 3.1

A framework agreement will set out the following:
- How call offs can be made - whether a mini-competition is required or a direct call off can be made
- How price is calculated
- The specification - this may have various options to cater for different needs
- The duration of the agreement
- Who can access the agreement
- Any limitations
- The main terms to be included in the contract or the form of contract to be used, where this is intended to be a standard form.
Reference:
LO 1, AC 1.3