Article 1 - Definitions
1) In these General Terms and Conditions,
ECO TORQUE LTD is defined as: the private company with limited liability Eco Torque Ltd., with registered office at Unit 1A Portland Industrial Estate, Hitchin Road, Arlesey SG15 6SG United Kingdom.
Company registration No. 8370821 England.
2) In these General Terms and Conditions, the Buyer is defined as: the party at the
order of which, on the account of which, or with which a purchase agreement for the
delivery of goods is entered into.
Article 2 - Applicability
1) All quotations of ECO TORQUE LTD are made under declaration of the applicability of these General
Terms and Conditions, both to the quotations and their acceptance and to the contract
entered into thereby.
2) Any other terms and conditions are only part of the agreement insofar as accepted by
ECO TORQUE LTD explicitly and in writing. Any other terms and conditions accepted by ECO TORQUE LTD only apply
to the offer or agreement to which they specifically pertain.
3) Any terms and conditions of the Buyer that may be applicable to agreements between
ECO TORQUE LTD and the Buyer can only have effect insofar as not contrary to the present terms and
conditions. If there is any doubt as to whether the terms and conditions conflict, the
General Terms and Conditions of ECO TORQUE LTD prevail.
Article 3 - Offers
1) All offers remain valid for a period of four weeks, unless explicitly stated otherwise in
the quotation. The offer of ECO TORQUE LTD is non-obligational and can only be considered as an
invitation to make an offer to enter into a contract.
2) The quotations of ECO TORQUE LTD are based on the information provided by the Buyer together
with the request for a quotation, if any, and ECO TORQUE LTD may assume the accuracy of this
information. Unless otherwise agreed, the quotations apply strictly to the country from
which they are requested.
2) The Buyer may only accept or reject a quotation issued by ECO TORQUE LTD in its entirety. In the
case of composite price statements, ECO TORQUE LTD is under no obligation to deliver a portion at
a corresponding portion of the price presented for the whole.
Article 4 - Agreements
1) The agreement is entered into as soon as the acceptance of the offer reaches ECO TORQUE LTD.
Acceptance must be in writing, which may include data communications such as fax
or e-mail.
2) If the acceptance contains reservations or changes to the quotation, contrary to the
provisions of the preceding paragraph the agreement is only entered into once ECO TORQUE LTD
has informed the Buyer in writing that it consents to the departures from the
quotation.
3) Supplemental verbal agreements are considered to have no validity.
4) ECO TORQUE LTD is entitled to have the agreement performed by third parties in whole or in part,
and/or to engage third parties in the performance of the order.
Article 5 – Quality and description
1) ECO TORQUE LTD undertakes the obligation towards the Buyer to supply goods answering to the
description, quality and amounts as specified in the quotation.
2) ECO TORQUE LTD undertakes the obligation towards the Buyer to supply goods that are as close as
possible to the design models described by ECO TORQUE LTD. Goods supplied may differ from
what is determined and described in quotations and to a degree considered
permissible in the industry.
Article 6 – Shipment, delivery, and delivery periods
1) ECO TORQUE LTD undertakes the obligation towards the Buyer to package the goods appropriately
and to secure them such that they will reach their destination in good condition under
normal conditions of transportation.
2) Delivery periods are approximate. The delivery period commences when consensus
is reached on the total order and after all necessary information is provided to ECO TORQUE LTD,
and ECO TORQUE LTD has received either the agreed payment/partial payment or payment security
deemed adequate by ECO TORQUE LTD.
3) The delivery period is set in the expectation that ECO TORQUE LTD may continue to work as
foreseen at the time of the offer and that the required materials will be supplied in a
timely manner. If the Buyer requires that exceeding the delivery period constitutes
grounds for compensation of damages, this must be explicitly agreed in writing.
Otherwise, ECO TORQUE LTD is not liable for payment of damages due to late fulfilment, excepting
where mandatory provisions of law determine differently.
4) If the goods cannot be sent as the result of circumstances for which ECO TORQUE LTD is not liable
and which can be attributed to the Buyer, ECO TORQUE LTD is considered to have met its
obligations by keeping the goods available to the Buyer, so long as it gives notice
thereof to the Buyer within three business days after an attempt is made to deliver the
goods to the Buyer. In that event, the payment period commences on the date on
which delivery would have taken place.
5) Delivery by ECO TORQUE LTD is ex factory. As from that time, the buyer bears the risk for the object
of the delivery. The shipping costs will be charged on to the Buyer.
6) ECO TORQUE LTD will either deliver the goods or send the goods for delivery to the agreed
location(s) in the manner as previously determined or subsequently agreed. ECO TORQUE LTD is
entitled to have the goods sent to the Buyer C.O.D. (Cash on Delivery). The Buyer is
entitled to collect goods at ECO TORQUE LTD for payment in cash, so long as this is arranged in
advance in consultation with ECO TORQUE LTD.
Article 7 - Storage
1) If for any reason whatsoever, the Buyer is not capable of receiving the goods at the
agreed time, and these goods are ready for shipment, then ECO TORQUE LTD will store the goods
at the Buyer’s request, ECO TORQUE LTD’s storage capacity permitting, and make every
reasonable effort to ensure that the goods retain their quality until they are delivered
to the Buyer.
2) The Buyer is obliged to pay to ECO TORQUE LTD the costs of storage at ECO TORQUE LTD’s standard rate, or
failing that, at the standard rate applicable in the industry, as from the time that the
goods are shipment-ready, or as from the delivery date agreed in the purchase
agreement, whichever is later.
Article 8 - Purchase
1) The Buyer is obliged to purchase the object of the sale within the agreed time frame.
If the Buyer does not do so, then ECO TORQUE LTD is entitled, without notice of default and without
judicial intervention, to demand payment of the sale price/the not yet purchased and
not paid portion, or, likewise without notice of default and without judicial intervention,
to declare the agreement/the portion of the agreement not yet performed dissolved,
irrespective of ECO TORQUE LTD’s right to full compensation of the damages.
2) ECO TORQUE LTD is permitted to deliver the order earlier than the agreed delivery period.
Article 9 – Retention of title and right of pledge
1) The title to all goods delivered by ECO TORQUE LTD to the Buyer remains with ECO TORQUE LTD so long as the
buyer has not paid the claims of ECO TORQUE LTD pertaining to this or a similar agreement, and so
long as the Buyer has not paid the claims of ECO TORQUE LTD for non-fulfilment/incomplete
fulfilment of such obligations, including claims relating to interest, costs and penalties.
In such a case, ECO TORQUE LTD is authorised to take possession of the goods delivered. In that
case, the title only transfers to the Buyer once the Buyer has met all its obligations
towards ECO TORQUE LTD.
2) Under no circumstances is the Buyer entitled to alienate the goods delivered by ECO TORQUE LTD
as long as the outstanding claims are not paid.
Likewise, the Buyer is not permitted to rent, lend out, or otherwise relinquish control
of the goods in question or to establish a pledge or silent pledge on the goods.
3) Immediately upon being requested to do so by ECO TORQUE LTD, the Buyer will undertake the
obligation to state to third parties wishing to establish a pledge or silent pledge on the
goods of ECO TORQUE LTD that the Buyer is in no way authorised to establish such a right.
The Buyer undertakes the obligation to refrain from signing any deed establishing a
right of pledge so long as the claim in regard to the goods delivered by ECO TORQUE LTD is not
paid. If the Buyer does so and the claim has not been paid, the Buyer is committing
an act of misappropriation.
4) ECO TORQUE LTD reserves the right to establish a right of pledge on goods transferred in title to the
Buyer as security for all present and future claims that ECO TORQUE LTD may have or acquire
against the Buyer outside of this or a similar agreement.
The Buyer undertakes the obligation to, immediately upon the request of ECO TORQUE LTD,
cooperate with the drafting of an authenticated deed and/or the registration of a
private instrument pertaining to the goods in question.
5) If there is any reasonable doubt on the part of ECO TORQUE LTD concerning the payment capacity
of the Buyer, ECO TORQUE LTD is authorised to postpone delivery of the goods until the Buyer has
furnished security for payment. The Buyer is liable for the damages suffered by ECO TORQUE LTD
as a result of this deferred delivery.
6) The Buyer is obliged to inform ECO TORQUE LTD immediately, in writing, of any instance of third
parties exerting rights to goods on which a retention of title rests pursuant to this
article.
Should it become apparent at any time that the Buyer has not met this obligation,
then the Buyer is forfeit an immediately exigible penalty, without judicial
intervention being required, of 10% of the unpaid portion of the purchase price or
the contracting fee.
In such cases, ECO TORQUE LTD is also authorised to take possession of the goods delivered, and
this includes entering the Buyer’s locations so as to remove the goods in question
from the warehouses/storage sites itself.
Article 10 – Prices and payment
1) All prices are based on the purchase prices, taxes, charges, etc. applicable at the
time the agreement is entered into. ECO TORQUE LTD reserves the right to apply price changes if
changes in purchasing prices, taxes, charges, etc. occur before the agreed moment
of delivery. ECO TORQUE LTD must inform the Buyer of any price changes in a timely manner and
no later than the delivery.
2) Unless otherwise agreed, the prices are gross and exclusive of VAT, without any
deduction, and do not include shipping costs.
3) Payment of the invoices must be made within thirty days net after the date of invoice,
and without any deduction, unless agreed otherwise in writing.
4) The Buyer’s right to settle any claims it may have against ECO TORQUE LTD is explicitly
excluded.
5) If as a result of changes in the order by the Buyer, ECO TORQUE LTD's costs increase, ECO TORQUE LTD is
authorised to charge these increased costs to the Buyer.
6) Payment of an invoice on or after the payment deadline has the effect of making
all amounts owed by the Buyer, including those under other invoices,
immediately exigible. ECO TORQUE LTD is then authorised to consider the total amount of
exigible claims at that time as one invoiced amount.
7) If payment of the invoice sent has not been made within one month following the
date that invoice is sent, ECO TORQUE LTD is authorised to, after the expiry of this period,
charge to the Buyer a fee for loss of interest in the amount of 10% of the total
invoice amount per year or in the amount of statutory interest, whichever is
higher.
8) ECO TORQUE LTD is also authorised, along with the principal claim and the interest, to claim
from the Buyer all costs, judicial and extra-judicial, incurred due to nonpayment/
late payment. In any event, the Buyer will owe extra-judicial costs if
ECO TORQUE LTD has obtained the assistance of a third party for the collection.
9) The simple fact that ECO TORQUE LTD has obtained the assistance of a third party serves as
evidence of the amount and the obligation to pay extra-judicial costs.
Article 11 - Solvency
1) ECO TORQUE LTD is at all times authorised to, prior to delivering or proceeding to perform the
order, require security as deemed adequate by ECO TORQUE LTD for the fulfilment of the Buyer’s
payment obligations. This provision likewise applies if credit is stipulated.
2) ECO TORQUE LTD is also authorised to suspend delivery if the Buyer is in default of the fulfilment of
its payment obligations or other obligations, even in the event that a fixed delivery
period is agreed.
3) The Buyer's refusal to furnish the required security entitles ECO TORQUE LTD to consider the
agreement dissolved, without prejudice to ECO TORQUE LTD's right to compensation of
expenses and loss of profit.
Article 12 - Complaints
1) Complaints are defined as: all grievances on the part of the buyer concerning the
quality of the deliveries.
2) Objections and complaints directed against any bill or invoice of ECO TORQUE LTD or
regarding the state of goods delivered must be lodged with ECO TORQUE LTD by registered
letter within eight days after completion/delivery. The Buyer can derive no rights
or claims from complaints or objections lodged later or in another manner. If no
complaint or objection is received within the specified term in the specified
manner, the goods are deemed to have been received in good order.
3) Complaints made are only valid if the goods to which the complaint pertains are
still in the state in which they were delivered. Irregularities deemed permissible or
unavoidable in the industry and/or the trade do not constitute grounds for
complaint. Under no circumstances do complaints give entitlement to suspend
payment for the goods delivered.
4) ECO TORQUE LTD warrants that any defects arising within six months after delivery, and which
the Buyer can demonstrate must be attributed to poor quality of the goods
delivered, will be remedied at no cost with all due despatch.
If the order confirmation stipulates a different warranty period, this period prevails
over the six-month warranty period indicated above.
Goods delivered that are shown to have defects in construction, manufacturing or
materials will be repaired or replaced at ECO TORQUE LTD’s option.
5) The warranty provided in paragraph 4 must be invoked by the Buyer by reporting
the defects in question to ECO TORQUE LTD in writing within an appropriate period after their
discovery, and in any event no later than three months after delivery, failing
which the Buyer's warranty claims expire.
6) The warranty applies only to goods still in their original state and not repaired,
modified or processed and incorporated by third parties. The warranty can only
be invoked by the Buyer, and therefore not by a third party.
7) Goods returned under warranty must be accompanied by sufficient information to
allow ECO TORQUE LTD to process the claim, i.e. company name, invoice number and reasons
for return.
Article 13 - Liability
1) Under no circumstances is ECO TORQUE LTD obliged to compensate direct or indirect
damages (of any kind) arising due to defects in the goods delivered.
ECO TORQUE LTD’s meeting its warranty obligations qualifies as the sole and total
compensation of damages. All other damage claims are excluded.
2) ECO TORQUE LTD is only liable for damages suffered by the Buyer that are the direct and
exclusive consequence of the fault of ECO TORQUE LTD, with the proviso that only damages
against which ECO TORQUE LTD is insured or which should reasonably have been insured in
view of standard industry practice are subject to compensation.
This means that consequential loss (loss of income, etc.) resulting from any cause
whatsoever is not subject to compensation. If desired, the Buyer must insure itself
against this type of damages.
3) ECO TORQUE LTD is not liable for improper installation of the goods delivered.
4) ECO TORQUE LTD is not liable for external influences on the goods it delivers.
5) In all cases, ECO TORQUE LTD's liability is limited to the net amount invoiced to the Buyer for
the goods to which the liability pertains.
Article 14 - Force majeure
1) Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 9, the agreement is dissolved without judicial
intervention upon a written declaration of the time at which the Buyer is declared
bankrupt, applies for provisional suspension of payments, is declared subject to the
Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) or loses the disposal of all or part of its assets
due to attachment, conservatorship or otherwise, unless the trustee or administrator
acknowledges the obligations under this agreement as debts of the estate.
2) By virtue of dissolution of the agreement, all outstanding claims between the
parties become immediately exigible. The Buyer is liable for the damages
suffered by ECO TORQUE LTD, including but not limited to loss of profit and transport costs.
3) If purchase/delivery is delayed for a period of more than six months due to force
majeure, either party (to the exclusion of further rights) is entitled to dissolve the
Purchase Agreement under the law. The period will be extended or reduced to the
extent to which one of the parties can demonstrate that according to the standards of
reasonableness and fairness dissolution at an earlier or later time is justified.
The following are by definition classified as force majeure:
- the circumstance that a performance ECO TORQUE LTD requires in relation to its own
performance is not delivered to ECO TORQUE LTD, or not delivered properly or in a timely
manner;
- strikes;
- disruptions in work traffic;
- governmental measures that impede ECO TORQUE LTD from fulfilling its obligations in a timely
or sound manner;
- circumstances making it impossible to timely deliver goods due to disturbances,
weather conditions and transportation problems.
4) In the event of unforeseen circumstances of such nature that the Buyer or ECO TORQUE LTD
cannot expect fulfilment by the counter-party in consideration of reasonableness and
fairness, the competent court may dissolve the agreement in whole or in part at the
request of ECO TORQUE LTD or the Buyer, respectively.
5) In cases in which ECO TORQUE LTD cannot deliver as a result of force majeure, it is entitled to
cancel the signed agreement of purchase and sale or service agreement, without
obliging ECO TORQUE LTD to pay damages in any form or any amount.
Article 15 – Applicable law and disputes
1) Agreements between ECO TORQUE LTD and the Buyer are governed exclusively by the law of the
United Kingdom.
2) All disputes between ECO TORQUE LTD and the Buyer will be submitted to a competent court in the
United Kingdom or, at the discretion of ECO TORQUE LTD, to a competent court in the domicile of
the Buyer, unless the local court has competence over any such dispute.
3) The parties may agree on another form of dispute resolution, such as mediation
or arbitration.
These terms and conditions, may be amended and/or supplemented by ECO TORQUE LTD at any time and
can be consulted on the Internet at www.automaticchoice.com
The terms and conditions are available from ECO TORQUE LTD upon request