Louisiana Civil Code

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CHAPTER 9 - REDHIBITION

Art. 2520. The seller warrants the buyer against redhibitory defects, or vices, in the thing sold.

A defect is redhibitory when it renders the thing useless, or its use so inconvenient that it must be presumed that a buyer would not have bought the thing had he known of the defect. The existence of such a defect gives a buyer the right to obtain rescission of the sale.

A defect is redhibitory also when, without rendering the thing totally useless, it diminishes its usefulness or its value so that it must be presumed that a buyer would still have bought it but for a lesser price. The existence of such a defect limits the right of a buyer to a reduction of the price. [Acts 1993, No. 841, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1995]

Art. 2521. The seller owes no warranty for defects in the thing that were known to the buyer at the time of the sale, or for defects that should have been discovered by a reasonably prudent buyer of such things. [Acts 1993, No. 841, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1995]

Art. 2522. The buyer must give the seller notice of the existence of a redhibitory defect in the thing sold. That notice must be sufficiently timely as to allow the seller the opportunity to make the required repairs. A buyer who fails to give that notice suffers diminution of the warranty to the extent the seller can show that the defect could have been repaired or that the repairs would have been less burdensome, had he received timely notice.

Such notice is not required when the seller has actual knowledge of the existence of a redhibitory defect in the thing sold. [Acts 1993, No. 841, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1995]

Art. 2523. [Reserved]

Art. 2524. The thing sold must be reasonably fit for its ordinary use.

When the seller has reason to know the particular use the buyer intends for the thing, or the buyer's particular purpose for buying the thing, and that the buyer is relying on the seller's skill or judgment in selecting it, the thing sold must be fit for the buyer's intended use or for his particular purpose.

If the thing is not so fit, the buyer's rights are governed by the general rules of conventional obligations. [Acts 1993, No. 841, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1995]

Arts. 2525-2528. [Reserved]

Art. 2529. When the thing the seller has delivered, though in itself free from redhibitory defects, is not of the kind or quality specified in the contract or represented by the seller, the rights of the buyer are governed by other rules of sale and conventional obligations. [Acts 1993, No. 841, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1995]

Art. 2530. The warranty against redhibitory defects covers only defects that exist at the time of delivery. The defect shall be presumed to have existed at the time of delivery if it appears within three days from that time. [Acts 1993, No. 841, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1995]

Art. 2531. A seller who did not know that the thing he sold had a defect is only bound to repair, remedy, or correct the defect. If he is unable or fails so to do, he is then bound to return the price to the buyer with interest from the time it was paid, and to reimburse him for the reasonable expenses occasioned by the sale, as well as those incurred for the preservation of the thing, less the credit to which the seller is entitled if the use made of the thing, or the fruits it has yielded, were of some value to the buyer.

A seller who is held liable for a redhibitory defect has an action against the manufacturer of the defective thing, if the defect existed at the time the thing was delivered by the manufacturer to the seller, for any loss the seller sustained because of the redhibition. Any contractual provision that attempts to limit, diminish or prevent such recovery by a seller against the manufacturer shall have no effect. [Amended by Acts 1974, No. 673, §1; Acts 1993, No. 841, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1995]

Art. 2532. A buyer who obtains rescission because of a redhibitory defect is bound to return the thing to the seller, for which purpose he must take care of the thing as a prudent administrator, but is not bound to deliver it back until all his claims, or judgments, arising from the defect are satisfied.

If the redhibitory defect has caused the destruction of the thing the loss is borne by the seller, and the buyer may bring his action even after the destruction has occurred.

If the thing is destroyed by a fortuitous event before the buyer gives the seller notice of the existence of a redhibitory defect that would have given rise to a rescission of the sale, the loss is borne by the buyer.

After such notice is given, the loss is borne by the seller, except to the extent the buyer has insured that loss. A seller who returns the price, or a part thereof, is subrogated to the buyer's right against third persons who may be liable for the destruction of the thing. [Acts 1993, No. 841, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1995]

Art. 2533. [Reserved]

Art. 2534. A.(1) The action for redhibition against a seller who did not know of the existence of a defect in the thing sold prescribes in four years from the day delivery of such thing was made to the buyer or one year from the day the defect was discovered by the buyer, whichever occurs first.

(2) However, when the defect is of residential or commercial immovable property, an action for redhibition against a seller who did not know of the existence of the defect prescribes in one year from the day delivery of the property was made to the buyer.

B. The action for redhibition against a seller who knew, or is presumed to have known, of the existence of a defect in the thing sold prescribes in one year from the day the defect was discovered by the buyer.

C. In any case prescription is interrupted when the seller accepts the thing for repairs and commences anew from the day he tenders it back to the buyer or notifies the buyer of his refusal or inability to make the required repairs. [Acts 1993, No. 841, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1995; Acts 1995, No. 172, §1; Acts 1997, No. 266, §1]

Arts. 2535-2536. [Reserved]

Art. 2537. Judicial sales resulting from a seizure are not subject to the rules on redhibition. [Acts 1993, No. 841, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1995]

Art. 2538. The warranty against redhibitory vices is owed by each of multiple sellers in proportion to his interest.

Multiple buyers must concur in an action for rescission because of a redhibitory defect. An action for reduction of the price may be brought by one of multiple buyers in proportion to his interest.

The same rules apply if a thing with a redhibitory defect is transferred, inter vivos or mortis causa, to multiple successors. [Acts 1993, No. 841, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1995]

Art. 2539. [Reserved]

Art. 2540. When more than one thing are sold together as a whole so that the buyer would not have bought one thing without the other or others, a redhibitory defect in one of such things gives rise to redhibition for the whole. [Acts 1993, No. 841, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1995]

Art. 2541. A buyer may choose to seek only reduction of the price even when the redhibitory defect is such as to give him the right to obtain rescission of the sale.

In an action for rescission because of a redhibitory defect the court may limit the remedy of the buyer to a reduction of the price. [Acts 1993, No. 841, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1995]

Arts. 2542-2544. [Reserved]

Art. 2545. A seller who knows that the thing he sells has a defect but omits to declare it, or a seller who declares that the thing has a quality that he knows it does not have, is liable to the buyer for the return of the price with interest from the time it was paid, for the reimbursement of the reasonable expenses occasioned by the sale and those incurred for the preservation of the thing, and also for damages and reasonable attorney fees. If the use made of the thing, or the fruits it might have yielded, were of some value to the buyer, such a seller may be allowed credit for such use or fruits.

A seller is deemed to know that the thing he sells has a redhibitory defect when he is a manufacturer of that thing. [Amended by Acts 1968, No. 84, §1; Acts 1993, No. 841, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1995]

Arts. 2546-2547. [Reserved]

Art. 2548. The parties may agree to an exclusion or limitation of the warranty against redhibitory defects. The terms of the exclusion or limitation must be clear and unambiguous and must be brought to the attention of the buyer.

A buyer is not bound by an otherwise effective exclusion or limitation of the warranty when the seller has declared that the thing has a quality that he knew it did not have.

The buyer is subrogated to the rights in warranty of the seller against other persons, even when the warranty is excluded. [Acts 1993, No. 841, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1995]




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