Module 2 · Chapter 4

Sale of Goods Act 1979: Satisfactory Quality Explained

A statute writes two terms into every sale between businesses: satisfactory quality, and fitness for the purpose the buyer made known. Where to read them, and what a buyer that keeps faulty goods can claim.

≈ 7 min read 8-question test

In this chapter

  • The two terms the statute writes into every sale between businesses, and what they ask of the goods
  • Why Marrowby, having kept the four machines, can claim money but not send them back
  • How to read an Act on legislation.gov.uk so that you cite the words in force

4.1The statute’s terms in one paragraph

Duarte’s second question is whether the machines were defective in law. The Sale of Goods Act 1979 writes two terms into every sale between businesses. The goods must be of satisfactory quality, and fit for any purpose the buyer made known. Lawyers call each an implied term, because it sits in the contract whether the papers mention it or not. The four machines whose compressors failed after eight weeks likely break both terms.

Key point

The papers are not the whole contract. Read the statute’s terms as well, in the words in force today. Only then tell the client whether the goods were defective.

Also in this chapter

  1. Satisfactory quality, and fit for the purpose made known
  2. The section that had been amended
  3. Your job

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