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HBA 7 OF 2002S \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid16274629 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid16274629 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 Between: \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid16274629 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid16274629 {\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 JONE LESUMA \par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 and \par }{\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 SALASEINI LESUMA \par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 Appellants \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid16274629 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid16274629 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 and \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid16274629 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid16274629 {\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 TOYOTA TSUSHO (SOUTH SEAS) LIMITED \par }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 Respondent \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid16274629 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 \par First Appellant in Person \par D. Prasad for the Respondent \par \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid16274629 {\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 JUDGMENT \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid16274629 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 \par On 22 February 1999 the Appellants agreed to purchase a Honda Accord motor car CO737 from Asco Motors.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 The purchase was by the means of a bill of sale.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 A copy of the bill of sale is at page 21 of the record.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 The mortgagee was BPT (South Seas) Company Limited the name under which the Respondent previously operated. \par \par According to the Statement of Claim filed in the Suva Magistrates\rquote Court the Appellant fell into arrears with the repayments.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 Relying on paragraph 11 of the Bill of Sale the Respondent sought repossession of the car, alternatively the sum $8,946.76 which the parties had previously agreed was the sum owed by the Appellant to the Respondent. \par \par The Defence is at pages 37 and 38 of the record.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 In essence the Appellant (who represented himself both in this court and in the Suva Magistrates\rquote Court) contended that he had wanted to refinance the vehicle on more advantageous terms available to him within the civil service bu t the Respondent had so delayed providing him with accurate statement of the amount outstanding that he lost the refinancing opportunity previously available to him.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 In these circumstances he felt entitled to be offered the same advantageous terms by the Respondent but while negotiating with them on this basis the Respondent began the repossession process.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 While the Appellant did not deny owing the amount claimed his case was that the Respondent had acted unfairly and to his detriment and that accordingly their claim for repossession of the car should be dismissed.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 He was however prepared to pay the amount claimed providing the Respondent extended facilities to him. \par \par The Resident Magistrate in a fairly short Judgment took into account the fact that the Appellant admitted owing the amount claimed and did not deny the Respondent\rquote s right to repossess.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 When the Judgment was delivered in February this year the car was by then in the custody of the Respondent.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 They valued it at $7,000.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 In these circums tances the Resident Magistrate deducted $7,000 from the amount claimed and gave Judgment for the Respondent in the amount of $1946.76. \par \par The grounds of appeal which are set out at pages 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the record amount to a rather more detailed version of the Defence.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 The Appellant having entered into the agreement with the Respondent discovered that as a civil servant he could pay off the amount outstanding rather more cheaply under the civil service car purchase scheme.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 Unfortunately the parties disagr eed as to the amount owed and by the time this disagreement was resolved the scheme had been suspended following the events of May 2000.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 In these circumstances the Appellant felt that he was entitled to be offered the same terms by the Respondent as would have been available to him under the scheme. \par \par What the precise source of the disagreement as to the amount owed was is not clear but when hearing the Appeal I gained the distinct impression that the Appellant only felt himself bound to pay interest on the principal for the period that it was actually borrowed rather than for the whole of the loan period envisaged in the agreement.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 When it was pointed out that according to paragraph 1 (b) of the Bill of Sale a fixed amount of interest was specified irrespective of whether the loan was paid off early or not the Appellant was surprised and disappointed.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 When he was referred to the declaration at the end of the Bill of Sale that its terms had been explained to him by a solicitor the Appellant told me that nothing had been explained to him and neither had he ever met the solicitor.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 Although I make no finding on these allegations they are not unusual and in the past had not always been found to be untrue.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 From the Appellant\rquote s point of view it was unfortunate t hat the agreement was concluded just a few weeks before the commencement of the Consumer Credit Act 1999. \par \par As I see it the principal difficulty facing the Appellant is that he entered into a contract with the Respondent but, while negotiating his release from the contract or its variation he fell into breach.}{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 In my opinion at least part of the Appellant\rquote s sense of grievance stems from a misunderstanding of the nature of a contract and the limits imposed on its unilateral variation.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 While the Respondent in deed agreed to consider releasing the Appellant no agreement to this effect was actually concluded and therefore the contractual rights of the Respondent were preserved.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{ \fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 These rights included the right to demand the full amount owing under the contract and the right to seize the mortgaged car. \par \par Although I have some sympathy with the Appellant I can find no fault in the Resident Magistrate\rquote s approach.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 Unfortunately the car has now been sold by the Respondent and the Appellant cannot hope to regain possession of it.}{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid16274629 }{\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 The sale was however, if that is any consolation, for a sum rather less than the $7,000 deducted by the Resident Magistrate from the Respondent\rquote s claim. \par \par The appeal fails and is dismissed. \par \par }\pard \qc \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid7678830 {\b\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid7678830 M.D. Scott \par Judge \par }\pard \ql \li0\ri0\widctlpar\aspalpha\aspnum\faauto\adjustright\rin0\lin0\itap0\pararsid16274629 {\fs24\lang2057\langfe5129\langnp2057\insrsid2707445\charrsid16274629 \par 9 August 2002 \par }}