Съдебна практика

  • Данни за случая
    • Национален идентификатор: Supreme Court of Cassation, Judgment 308/19, II com. d.
    • Държава-членка: България
    • Общоприето наименование:N/A
    • Вид решение: Решение на върховния съд
    • Дата на решението: 29/01/2019
    • Съд: Supreme Court of Cassation
    • Заглавие:
    • Ищец:
    • Ответник:
    • Ключови думи: unfair contract terms
  • Членове от директивата
    Unfair Contract Terms Directive, Article 3 Unfair Contract Terms Directive, ANNEX I, 2.
  • Уводна бележка

    When a co-debtor (a natural person ensures a credit to a legal person, which is a commercial company), the purpose of the loan is an investment and the natural person is related to the legal person/manager or partner. At the conclusion of the loan, the natural person does not act outside the commercial activity of the legal person, i.e. for purposes which are non-commercial. He cannot benefit from the protection of the unfair terms in the consumer contracts - articles 143, 144, and 146 of the Consumer Protection Act.

  • Факти

    The plaintiffs are five natural persons and one commercial company. Natural persons are guarantors under a bank credit agreement received by the legal entity. The natural persons are partners and/or managers of the commercial company. Part of the loan is used to repay older loans of the company and the other part is for investment.

  • Правен въпрос

    The plaintiffs file a claim before the Sliven District Court asking for an unfair disclosure of part of the clauses in the bank loan agreement and a refund of part of the interest paid. The Sliven District Court dismissed the claim and its decision was confirmed by the Sliven City Court. The plaintiffs appealed the judgement before the Supreme Court of Cassation.

  • Решение

    The Supreme Court of Cassation held that:

    A natural person – a co-borrower under a bank loan agreement or otherwise ensuring a bank credit agreement, in which the borrower is a trader, may be a consumer under the Consumer Protection Act and invoke unfairness of clauses in the contract if it acts for purposes beyond its commercial or professional activities. In order to determine the quality of a “user” of the individual concerned, the Court is required to make a specific judgement in accordance with the circumstances and evidence in the case. Ensuring a loan of a commercial company by a natural person, including where the latter is a co-borrower, cannot be considered for a purpose outside and independent of any commercial activity or profession if that natural person has close professional/ functional/ links with that company, such as participating in its management or having a majority stake in it.

    In the present case so far, as all the natural persons (claimants are directly related to the commercial company, who is a borrower) and the credit is used solely for the purposes of the business of the commercial company, the applicants cannot benefit from the protection of the Consumer Protection Act.

    Пълен текст: Пълен текст

  • Свързани случаи

    Няма налични резултати

  • Правна литература

    Няма налични резултати

  • Резултат

    The Court upheld the First Instance Court’s decision that rejected the plaintiff’s appeal.