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Signing Releases On Defective Goods
Does Reuven have any right at all to summon the contractor to a Din Torah
and demand rectification of these defects?
What is the Halacha?
This is true, even if, at the time of the sale, the seller explicitly
stipulated to the buyer that the sale is on condition that the merchant
has no responsibility if the merchandise is found to be defective.
The Magid Mishna, the S'ma (17), and the Shach (4) there explain that
even though there is no explicit source for this Din in the Gemara, the
Rambam derives it from the Laws of Hona'as Mamon (over-pricing or price
gouging - see below). The Gemara in Bava Metziah (51b) states that if a
shopkeeper tells a customer that he is selling him an item on condition
that the customer releases him from all responsibility, should he find
out that the item is overpriced, and the customer agrees to this, we
still say that the purchase is void if it is found that the price charged
was 1/6 (see below) more than what is charged by other merchants for the
same item in that area. This is quoted by the Rambam (Hilchos Mechira
13:3) and stated as the Halacha in the Shulchan Oruch (Choshen Mishpat
227:21).
The reason for this is because a person cannot forgive something that he
does not know about. If he does not know that he is being overcharged, he
cannot release the seller from his responsibilities. Similarly, if the
buyer is unaware of any flaws in the merchandise, even after he has taken
possession of the item, he can claim that under the circumstances he
never would have purchased it and void the sale. However, if the item is
something that is customarily repaired rather than returned, such as a
home, the purchaser may only request that the repairs be made and not
void the entire sale. This is dependent on the custom in the region of
the sale, as is stated in the Shulchan Oruch (Choshen Mishpat 232:6).
In an opposite situation, all of the above would also apply. If the buyer
would convince the seller that the price of an item is really 1/6 less
than the going price in that area, and the seller sold it with this
understanding, he has a right to void the sale when he discovers that the
item was underpriced. This is clearly stated in the Shulchan Oruch there
(8). It would follow, therefore, that in our case of purchasing the home,
if the contractor were to release the buyer from an obligation, but he
had no idea how much money he is releasing him from, the release would be
invalid.
By the way, I would like to mention that if there is a clause in a
contract releasing the seller from any future defects that may become
known, there is another reason why this clause is invalid. This is
because we have a Halachic rule of "Ain Odom Makneh Dovor Shelo Ba
L'Olam" - a person cannot buy or sell something that is not yet in
existence. However, this does not render the entire contract invalid,
just that one clause. This is clearly stated in the Shulchan Oruch
(Choshen Mishpat 210:3) and in the Rema (ibid. 209:4). See also the
S'ma (ibid. 203:18) and the Pischei Teshuva there.
Hona'as Mamon or Ona'as Mamon - over pricing, or price gouging. The
source for this halacha is Vayikrah 25:14, where the Torah tells us,
"When You Sell To Your Friend Or Buy From Your Friend, You Should Not
Oppress One Another." Our Rabbis explain this Possuk to mean monetary
exploitation.
There are actually three different legal ramifications from the Din of
Ona'ah.
This class is translated and moderated by Rabbi Aaron Tendler of Yeshivas
Ner Yisroel in Baltimore. Rabbi Tendler accepts full responsibility for
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Please Note: The purpose of this column is to make people aware of Choshen Mishpat
situations that can arise at any time, and the Halachic concepts that may be used to resolve them. Each
individual situation must be resolved by an objective, competent Bais Din (or Rabbinic Arbitrator) in the
presence of all parties involved!
Hilchos Choshen Mishpat
Volume I : Number 9
Question:
Reuven has purchased a new home from a building contractor. At the time
of the purchase he signed a document releasing the contractor from any
flaws or defects that were in the home at the time of the signing, or
that may reveal themselves at a later date. After moving in, Reuven
quickly became aware of some defects that existed in the constuction of
his home.
Answer:
Sources:
The Rambam (Hilchos Mekach U'Memkar 15:4) writes: "Anyone who purchases
an item, does so under the assumption that it has no defects. And (even)
if the seller explicitly states that he is selling the item to you on
condition that if it is defective, you will not return it, if the item
is defective - he (the buyer) may (still) return it! Until he states the
exact defect in the merchandise and the buyer forgives him, or until the
buyer says 'any flaw found in this item that lowers it's value until such
and such an amount - I accept upon myself.' This is because the forgiver
must know what it is that he is forgiving, and he must specify it, just
like by Hona'ah." This statement of the Rambam is stated as the Halacha
in the Shulchan Oruch (Choshen Mishpat 232:7).