Commentary on Ruling Ordinance No. 9577 of 2024: Financial Leasing and Shared Responsibility

The ruling of the Court of Cassation No. 9577 of April 9, 2024, provides an important resolution regarding the relationships of responsibility in financial leasing. In this context, the Court established that both the lessor and the lessee have a common interest towards the supplier of the asset. This principle of cooperation is fundamental to understanding how responsibilities can be divided among the parties involved.

The Legal Context of Financial Leasing

Financial leasing is a contract in which the lessor provides an asset to the lessee, who agrees to pay a fee for a certain period. However, in case of problems with the asset, such as the unavailability of a car, who is responsible? The Court clarifies that there is a duty of mutual cooperation between the lessor and the lessee. Both must act diligently to protect each other's interests, particularly during the moment of delivery of the asset.

The Maxim of the Ruling

Financial leasing - Relationships between lessor and lessee with respect to the supplier - Specific case. In the context of financial leasing, where there is a split between the party intended to receive the delivery from the supplier and the party responsible for fulfilling the payment obligation to the supplier, the lessee and lessor have a common interest towards the supplier (thus both bear a burden of cooperation), so that the lessor must ensure that the interests of the lessee in exact performance are safeguarded, while the lessee is, for its part, burdened, with respect to the lessor, with the obligation to behave diligently regarding the moment of delivery, so that the interest that the lessor has in the exact performance by the supplier is not compromised, according to a common behavioral model based on mutual cooperation; with the consequence that the risk of how the delivery of the asset is carried out by the supplier to the customer can be shared between the lessor and the lessee if both have contributed to causing the damage that resulted, in application of the rule laid down in Article 1227 of the Civil Code.

Analysis of the Decision

In this specific case, the Court overturned with a referral a ruling that had attributed exclusive responsibility to the lessee, who had received a car with incomplete documentation. Here, the Court emphasized that one cannot ignore the seller's obligation to provide the necessary documentation for registration. This is a clear example of how the risk must be shared, considering the contribution of both parties to the causation of the damage.

  • Responsibility is not unilateral: both parties must cooperate.
  • The lessee must act diligently, but cannot be deemed solely responsible for the supplier's shortcomings.
  • The lessor has an obligation to oversee the fulfillment by the supplier.

This approach reflects a balanced view of financial leasing contracts, in line with the provisions of the Civil Code, particularly Article 1227, which establishes that responsibility must be assessed based on each party's contribution.

Conclusions

The ruling No. 9577 of 2024 represents a significant step in defining responsibilities in financial leasing. It underscores the importance of cooperation between lessor and lessee, highlighting that both play an active role in ensuring the proper execution of the contract. It is crucial for the parties involved to understand that, in case of litigation, responsibility cannot be attributed exclusively, but must be evaluated in a context of interaction and mutual collaboration.

Bianucci Law Firm