Infants Relief Act 1874

1874 CHAPTER 62 37 and 38 Vict

An Act to amend the Law as to the Contracts of Infants.

[7th August 1874]

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C2This Act is not necessarily in the form in which it has effect in Northern Ireland

C3By Minors' Contracts Act 1987 (c. 13, SIF 30), s. 1(a) it is provided that the Act shall not apply to any contract made by an infant after the commencement (on 9.6.1987) of the 1987 Act and by s. 4(2) of that 1987 Act it is provided that the Act is repealed (E.W.) (in accordance with section 1 of the 1987 Act); by S.I. 1988/930 (N.I. 9), art. 3, it is provided that the Act shall not apply to any contract made by a minor after 26.7.1988 and by art. 6(2) of that S.I. it is provided that the Act is repealed (in accordance with Article 3 of that S.I.)

1 Contracts by infants, except for necessaries, to be void.U.K.

All contracts, whether by specialty or by simple contract, henceforth entered into by infants for the repayment of money lent or to be lent, or for goods supplied or to be supplied (other than contracts for necessaries), and all accounts stated with infants, shall be absolutely void: Provided always, that this enactment shall not invalidate any contract into which an infant may, by any existing or future statute, or by the rules of common law or equity, enter, except such as now by law are voidable.

2 No action to be brought on ratification of infant’s contract.U.K.

No action shall be brought whereby to charge any person upon any promise made after full age to pay any debt contracted during infancy, or upon any ratification made after full age of any promise or contract made during infancy, whether there shall or shall not be any new consideration for such promise or ratification after full age.

3 Short title.U.K.

This Act may be cited as “The Infants Relief Act 1874.”