Understanding Novation

Novation is the replacement of one of the parties in an agreement between two parties, with the consent of all three parties involved. To novate is to replace an old obligation with a new one.

For example, a supplier who wants to relinquish a business customer might find another source for the customer. If all three agree, the contract can be torn up and replaced with a new contract that differs only in the name of the supplier. The old supplier relinquishes all rights and obligations of the contract to the new supplier.

To novate is to replace an old obligation with a new one. In contract law, a novation replaces one of the parties in a two-party agreement with a third party, with the agreement of all three parties. The original contract is void. The party that drops out has given up its benefits and obligations. In the financial markets, using a clearinghouse to vet a transaction between two parties is known as a novation.

Novation is different than an assignment, where the original party to the agreement retains ultimate responsibility. Therefore, the original contract remains in place.

In legal language, novation is a transfer of both the “benefits and the burdens” of a contract to another party. Contract benefits may be anything. For example, the benefit could be payments for services. The burdens are the obligations taken on to earn the payment—in this example, the services. One party to the contract is willing to forgo the benefits and relinquish the duties.

Cancelling a contract can be messy, expensive, and bad for an entity’s reputation. Arranging for another party to fulfill the contract on the same terms, with the agreement of all parties, is better business.

Novations are often seen in the construction industry, where subcontractors may be juggling several jobs at once. Contractors may transfer certain jobs to other contractors with the client’s consent. Novations are most frequently used when a business is sold, or a corporation is taken over. The new owner may want to retain the business’s contractual obligations, while the other parties want to continue their agreements without interruption. Novations smooth the transition.

There are three types of novations:-Standard: This novation occurs when two parties agree that new terms must be added to their contract, resulting in a new one. Expromissio: Three parties must be involved in this novation; a transferor, a counterparty, and a transferee. All three must agree to the new terms and make a new contract. Delegation: One of the parties in a contract passes their responsibilities to a new party, legally binding that party to the terms of the contract. A novation is an alternative to the procedure known as an assignment.

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