There must be a valid contract to do or not to do something. The performance of the contract must be conditional. The said event must be collateral to such contracts and the event should not be at the discretion of the promisor. These are some rules that have to be followed for a contingent contract to be enforceable.
Ing to Boundy (2012), typically, a written contract will include: Date of agreement. Names of parties to the agreement. Preliminary clauses. Defined terms. Main contract clauses. Schedules/appendices and signature provisions (para. 5).
Example of a Contingency Contract One straightforward example might be a child who agrees with their parent that if they get an A in a particular class, they will get a new bicycle. Of course, the contract may be verbal, and it may be between family members.
A contingent contract is a legal agreement in which the terms and conditions only apply or take effect if a specific event occurs. Essentially, the parties involved agree to perform actions or obligations based on the occurrence or non-occurrence of a particular event in the future.
The most common contingency is the home inspection contingency. This condition on an offer states the home sale will only be finalized if the property passes a professional home inspection. In other words, buyers can walk away from a home sale if the home inspection turns up serious problems.
Some cases may constitute exception. However, the event must not be of impossible character. In a contingent contract, there should be some event collateral to the contract. If the event consist in the performance of the contract itself by one party it is not a contingent contract.
A contingent contract is dependent on the occurrence or non-occurrence of that event. The condition mentioned in the contract should be collateral to the contract. It must not be part of the consideration specified in it.
A contingency clause is a contract provision that requires a specific event or action to take place in order for the contract to be considered valid. If the party that's required to satisfy the contingency clause is unable to do so, the other party is released from its obligations.
Both strategies manage uncertainty, but contingent contracts remain more rigid, whereas contingency agreements offer greater flexibility.
Contingent contracts to do or not to do anything if an uncertain future event happens cannot be enforced by law unless and until that event has happened. If the event becomes impossible, such contracts become void.