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Contract Law Scenario

Phillips -v- Sheffield Museum of Fine ArtLimited

SheffieldMuseum of Fine Art Limited ("SMFAL") owns and runs a small,little-known art museum in central Sheffield, which is home to a number ofexpensive paintings. Ryan Phillips is a private detective operating in theSouth Yorkshire area.On 3 March 2015, whilst the museum was closedfor maintenance, one of the paintings went missing from the museum. Thepainting is valued at £500,000.On 5 March 2015, SMFAL wrote to Mr Phillips toask for his help. Rather than pay his daily rate of £250, in its letter, SMFALsaid:"If you agree to work exclusively on thisinvestigation for a six week period, starting immediately, we may give you the£5,000 that we have recently been awarded by the Arts Council".Mr Phillips received the letter on 6 March 2015and began his investigations immediately. On 9 March 2015, he wrote to SMFAL toconfirm that he was proceeding on the basis of the terms set out in theirletter and that he would require paymentwithin a reasonable time after the six week period had elapsed.Mr Phillips' sent his response by privatecourier, but it was never received by SMFAL. On 11 March 2015, the painting was recovered bythe Police. On the same day, SMFAL emailed Mr Phillips advising that they nolonger required his services and that he should therefore ignore their letterof 5 March 2015.Mr Phillips has asked SMFAL for his £5,000, butSMFAL has declined on the basis that no contract was ever concluded.Mr Phillips has decided to sue SMFAL.This is my problem scenario. I need four arguments to say that there was never a contract formed. I have that it is an invitation to treat and that he made a counter offer. I can't find any more? Could anyone just name two more arguments to get me started? So stuck

Reply 1

asha03

Hey, sounds like you're a bit stuck with contract law. I have some really good notes that I made and put up online:

http://www.notesale.co.uk/more-info/42409/Excellent-and-full-set-of-LLB-Contract-Law-Notes!-(Level-4)

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I used these notes and got a 1st! I hope it helps! It's worth paying a little, for a good grade in one of the most important topics in law. Good luck :smile: