Meaning and Characteristic of Hire Purchase Finance

Historically the hire-purchase finance has been associated with financing of

commercial vehicles for road transporter operator.

• Hire-Purchase has emerged as a source of equipment financing in recent years as an alternative to lease financing.

• A Hire-Purchase transaction in which the goods are let out on hire with the option to the hirer to purchase them, with following stipulations:

• A. Payment to be made in instalment over a specified period.

• B. The possession is delivered to the hirer at the time of entering into the contract;

• C. The property in the goods passes to the hirer on payment of the last instalment;

• D. Each instalment is treated as hire charges so that if default is made in payment of any instalment, the seller becomes entitled to take away the goods; and

• E. The hirer is free to return the goods without being required to pay any further instalments falling due after the return.

Aspects of hire purchase agreement

• A hire-purchase agreement has two aspects:• Firstly, an aspect of bailment of goods subject

to hire-purchase agreement, and secondly, an element of sale which fructifies when the option to purchase is exercised by the intending purchaser. Though the option to purchase is allowed in the beginning, it can be exercised only at the end of the agreement.

Instalment Sale & its Payment

• In an Instalment sale, the contract of sale is entered into, the goods are delivered and the ownership is transferred to the buyer but the price of the goods is paid in specified instalments over a definite period.

• In instalment sale the ownership in the goods passed on to the purchaser simultaneously with the payment of the initial/first instalment.

Aspects of ownership & depreciation

• The ownership of the asset passes on the user (hirer) in case of hire-purchase finance on the payment of the last instalment. However, before the payment of the last instalment, the ownership of the asset vests in the finance company/intermediary (seller).

• Hirer is entitled to take the availing of benefit of depreciation.

Size of cost of acquisition, and margin money

• Usually the cost of acquisition under hire-purchase is not of very high value.

• In a hire-purchase transaction a margin money equal to 20 to 25 per cent of the cost of the asset is required to be paid by the hirer. Alternatively, the hirer has to invest an equivalent amount on fixed deposit with the finance company which is returned after the payment of the last instalment.

Maintenance of hired asset and tax benefits to hirer and seller

• The maintenance of the hired asset is borne by the hirer.

• The hirer is allowed to the depreciation claim and finance charge and the seller may claim interest on borrowed funds to acquire the for tax purposes.

Parties to Hire-Purchase contract

• There are two parties in hire-purchase contract:

• The intending seller (Hire Vendor) and the intending purchaser( the hirer).

• In some of the hire-purchase contract, there are three parties: the seller, the financier and the hirer. Now a days a dealer arrange a hire-purchase agreement through a finance company with the customer.

Law Governing the hire-purchase contract, agreement, & transactions

• In the absence of specific law, the hire-purchase transactions are governed by the provisions of the Indian Contract Act & the Sales of Goods Act.

• The hire-purchase agreement has two aspects:• An aspect of bailment of the goods which is

covered by the Contract Act, and other one is sale when the option to purchase is exercised by the hirer which is covered by Sales of Goods Act.

Essential elements of a Sale

• A. Two parties: buyer & seller, both competent to contract to effectuate the sale.

• B. Goods, that is the subject-matter to be transferred from the seller to the buyer.

• C. Money consideration: Price for the goods.• D. Transfer of ownership of the property in the

goods from the seller to the buyer.• E. Essentials of a valid contract under the Indian

Contract Act.

Important clauses of Hire Purchase Agreement

• Nature of the Agreement: Stating the nature, terms & commencement of the agreement.

• Delivery of Equipment: The place & time of delivery and the hirer’s liability to bear delivery charges.

• Location: The place where the equipment shall be kept during the period of hire.

• Hire-Charges: To be paid by hirer, the time schedule, the rate of interest/penalty for delayed payment/default.

• Insurance: The hirer to obtain at his cost insurance on the equipment and to hand over the insurance policy to the hire-vendor.

• Repair: The hirer has to undertake the repair of the hired asset.

• Alternation: The hirer not to make any alternations, additions and so on to the

• equipment, without prior consent of the hire-vendor.

• Termination: The events or acts of hirer that would constitutes a default eligible to terminate the agreement.

• Risk: Of loss and damage to be borne by the hirer.• Registration and Fees: The hirer to comply with

the relevant laws, registration and bear all requisite fees.

• Schedule of equipment forming subject-matter of the agreement.

• Schedule of hire charges.• Indemnity clause and Stamp Duty