Contract - Payment Default

C

Contract Issue

Guest
Jurisdiction
New York
I have a signed contract with a client. Although the service has been performed and delivered, the client has only paid approx. 1/2 of the contractually owed fees. All fees were due at or prior to closing.

The contract states "If the entire fee stated herein due COMPANY is not paid to COMPANY in full by Applicant, Closing Agent, or Escrow Agent at or prior to closing, the APPLICANT hereby authorizes the Company to execute an ACH pull directly from Applicants bank account for the full balance of fees due by completing the 'DEBIT WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION FORM' hereby attached as page three of this agreement. This Agreement is to act as a binding instruction to said Lender, Closing Agent, or Escrow Agent to pay the fee directly to the COMPANY without further instruction from APPLICANT at or prior to closing. If the entire fee is not paid immediately as stated, a lien will be placed on the aircraft and triple the above-stated fee will be due the COMPANY. "

The client DID NOT complete the 'DEBIT WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION FORM' but they did sign the agreement containing the above paragraph.

The client confirmed the deal closed on 12/2/16. On 12/15 they wired me 1/2 the owed fees as they stated, as a "good faith payment." I have 2 questions.

1 - 100% of the monies owed are or were late. Nothing was paid at or prior to closing as required by the contract. Am I due triple the total amount due or triple the original balance less the amount paid as even the partial payment was late? The 50% paid was wired into my corporate bank account.

2 - The client signed and thus agreed to allow me to execute an ACH pull directly from their bank account. They didn't complete and sign the 'DEBIT WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION FORM.' Do I still have the right to execute an ACH pull because they signed the agreement or does their not completing the 'DEBIT WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION FORM' eliminate my right to do so?
 
Your question has been answered on another site by a highly qualified attorney.

Please go back there and read it. You won't get better comments anywhere else.
 
I read the legal question and think the answer I'll give is probably the same.

1- The liquidated damages clause for three times the stated fee will need to bear some rational relationship to the damages that you would suffer. If not, the liquidated damages clause may be struck down as an unenforceable penalty - even if you write into the contract that the liquidated damages are not constitute an unlawful penalty. Whether clients are sophisticated as to understanding the calculation and reasonableness of the clause may also come into play.

2 - I think you may be mistaken. The agreement reads "...the APPLICANT hereby authorizes the Company to execute an ACH pull directly from Applicants bank account for the full balance of fees due by completing the 'DEBIT WRITTEN AUTHORIZATION FORM' hereby attached as page three of this agreement." If that form wasn't completed then, by the very definition of your agreement, you don't have authorization to execute a withdrawal from the bank.
 
Back
Top