Rechtsprechung

  • Rechtssachenbeschreibung
    • Nationale Kennung: 2 Ob 11/02k
    • Mitgliedstaat: Österreich
    • Gebräuchliche Bezeichnung:N/A
    • Art des Beschlusses: Sonstiges
    • Beschlussdatum: 13/02/2002
    • Gericht: Oberster Gerichtshof
    • Betreff:
    • Kläger:
    • Beklagter:
    • Schlagworte: Rechtsprechung Österreich Deutsch
  • Artikel der Richtlinie
    Doorstep Selling Directive, Article 1, 1. Doorstep Selling Directive, Article 5
  • Leitsatz
    1. Durch das Rücktrittsrecht nach § 3 Abs 1 KSchG soll der Verbraucher vor Überrumpelung durch fragwürdig agierende Unternehmer und ihre Vertreter geschützt werden.
    2. Hat der Verbraucher selbst die geschäftliche Verbindung mit dem Unternehmer oder dessen Beauftragten zwecks Schließung des Vertrages angebahnt, so steht ihm das Rücktrittsrecht nicht zu (§ 3 Abs 1 Z 1 KSchG), was dann der Fall ist, wenn er zur Anbahnung des konkreten Geschäftes auf eigenen Antrieb selbst aktiv tätig wurde.
    3. Unter „anbahnen“ (§ 3 Abs 3 Z 1 KSchG) wird ein Verhalten verstanden, durch das dem Unternehmer gegenüber zum Ausdruck gebracht wird, man wolle in Vorverhandlungen zwecks Abschlusses eines bestimmten Geschäftes treten, weshalb das Verhalten des Verbrauchers einen eindeutigen Schluss auf eine Initiative und die Bereitschaft zum Abschluss eines bestimmten Verbrauchergeschäftes zulassen muss.
    4. Wenn der Verbraucher einen allgemein gehaltenen Telefonanruf des Unternehmers zum Anlass nimmt, das Interesse am Abschluss eines ganz bestimmten Geschäftes zu bekunden, spricht dies für die Anbahnung durch ihn, was allerdings vom Unternehmer zu beweisen ist.
    5. Der Rücktritt nach § 3 KSchG muss zwar schriftlich erfolgen, doch genügt auch eine mündliche Rücktrittserklärung, wenn der Unternehmer damit einverstanden ist.
  • Sachverhalt
    The plaintiff filed a suit to claim payment of the fee that had been agreed. He argued that the defendant had ordered the parquet flooring and then refused to accept it, meaning that she was defaulting on the agreement. The defendant requested that the case be dismissed, arguing essentially that she had withdrawn from the contract in accordance with § 3 KSchG.
    Both the Court of First Instance and the Court of Appeal upheld the claim.
  • Rechtsfrage
  • Entscheidung

    The OGH stated at the outset that, under § 3 para 1 KSchG, a consumer is entitled in principle to a right of withdrawal if he makes his statement of intent, which then leads to the agreement of a contract, in a discussion with the supplier or the supplier’s representative in his own residence. This is because, in such cases, he should be protected against the danger of being caught unawares. However, the KSchG does not provide for a right of withdrawal in cases where there is not typically any danger of the consumer’s being caught unawares. Thus, the consumer has no right of withdrawal when he initiates business contact with the supplier or his representative with the aim of concluding a contract (§ 3 para 3 line 1 KSchG). This is the case when he is acting on his own steam to instigate the relevant consumer transaction. Thus, if he himself instigates the concluding of a specific contract, then he bears responsibility for any potential influence this may subsequently have on his purchasing decision. “Initiating” implies conduct that conveys to the supplier the consumer’s desire to enter into preliminary negotiations with the aim of concluding a specific transaction. The consumer’s conduct must therefore lead one to the unambiguous conclusion that he is instigating contact and demonstrating a willingness to conclude a specific consumer transaction.
    It is true that advance warning by telephone from the supplier or his representative of his intention to visit mitigates the danger of the consumer’s being caught unawares because he can decline the visit. And if he agrees to the supplier’s suggestion that he visit, he is showing a certain level of interest. However, the consumer’s agreement to the visit is not tantamount to “initiating” contact as per § 3 para 3 line 1 KSchG. If the telephone call regards a specific offer made by the supplier, then it is the supplier who has initiated contact, in spite of the consumer’s consent. Only where the consumer follows up a telephone call from the supplier, couched in general terms, to register interest in concluding a very specific transaction, is the consumer regarded as having initiated the transaction. However, the supplier must prove that this is the case.
    In the case in question, the plaintiff was informed by a third party that the defendant required parquet flooring, prompting him to contact her by phone and schedule a visit to her home. Since the defendant did not “initiate” contact, she was entitled in principle to a right of withdrawal under § 3 para 1 KSchG.
    With regard to the consumer’s statement of intent to withdraw from the contract as per § 3 KSchG, the OGH ruled that this should be put in writing. However, a verbal statement of intent is sufficient provided that the supplier agrees to it. The defendant had stated quite clearly that she would “not be taking” the flooring, ie was withdrawing from the contract. The plaintiff had simply replied “yes, yes”. Thus, while the plaintiff may not have been in agreement with the consumer’s withdrawal, he did not make this clear to the defendant. The defendant could therefore justifiably infer from the plaintiff’s response to her clear statement of intent to withdraw from the contract that he was agreeing to the decision. Because it was the plaintiff’s responsibility to ensure that his views were clearly conveyed, the defendant’s verbal statement could be regarded as a valid withdrawal from the contract.

    Volltext: Volltext

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