Report No. 20
11. Right of hirer to assign his right, title and interest under the agreement.-
(1) The right, title and interest of a hirer under a hire-purchase agreement may be assigned with the consent of the owner or, if his consent is unreasonably withheld, without his consent.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, no payment or other consideration shall be required by an owner for his consent for such an assignment as is mentioned in sub-section (1), and where an owner requires any such payment or any other consideration for his consent, that consent shall be deemed to be unreasonably withheld.
(3) Where on a request for his consent thereto being made by a hirer the owner fails or refuses to give his consent to such an assignment as is mentioned in sub-section (1), the hirer may apply by petition to the court for an order declaring that the consent of the owner to the assignment has been unreasonably withheld, and where such an order is made that consent shall be deemed to be unreasonably withheld.
Explanation.-In this section "court" means a court which would have jurisdiction to entertain a suit for the relief claimed in the petition.
(4) As a condition of granting such consent, the owner may stipulate that all defaults under the hire-purchase agreement shall be made good and may require the hirer and the assignee to execute and deliver to the owner an assignment agreement, in a form approved by the owner, whereby, without prejudicing or affecting the continuing personal liability of the hirer in such respects the assignee agrees with the owner to be personally liable to pay the instalments of hire remaining unpaid and to perform and observe all other stipulations and conditions of the hire-purchase agreement during the residue of the term thereof and whereby the assignee indemnifies the hirer in respect of such liabilities.
(5) The provisions of this section shall apply notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in the hire-purchase agreement.
[Cf. New South Wales Bill, Clause 9]
