Generally a contract comes into existence as a result of offer made by one party and its acceptance by the other party, with free will of both the parties. However under certain conditions even though no will is expressed by both the parties for creating contractual relations, the law creates and enforces legal rights and obligations. Such contracts are known as Quasi Contracts. The principle behind Quasi Contracts is that a person shall not be allowed to enrich himself at the expense of another.
Section 68 to 72 of the Contract Act deals with 5 different kinds of Quasi Contracts explained below:
1. Supply of Necessaries to Incapable Person (Section 68):
If a person incapable of entering into a contract, or anyone whom he is legally bound to support, is supplied by another person with necessaries, suited to his condition in life, the person who has furnished such supplies is entitled to be reimbursed from the property of such incapable person.
Example:
A supplies B, a lunatic, with necessaries suitable to his condition in life. A is entitled to be reimbursed from B’s property.
2. Payment by Interested Person(Section 69):
A person, who is interested in payment of money, which another is bound by law to pay, and who therefore, pays it, is entitled to be reimbursed by the other.
Example:
A holds land in Bengal on a lease. B is the owner of the land. The land revenue payable by B to the government is in arrears and therefore the government advertised the land for sale to recover the dues. To prevent the sale of land A pays the arrears of land revenue. In this case B is bound to reimburse the amount to A.
3. Payment for Non-gratuitous act(Section 70):
Where a person lawfully does anything for another person or delivers anything to him not intending to do so gratuitously and such other person enjoys the benefit thereof, the later is bound to make compensation to the former in respect of, or, to restore the thing so done or delivered.
Example:
A, a tradesman, leaves his good at B’s house by mistake. B treats the goods as his own and uses them. B is bound to pay for the goods.
4. Liability of Finder of Goods(Section 71):
A person who finds the goods belonging to another, and takes them into his custody is subject to same responsibility as a bailee. He must take reasonable care of the goods and keep them in sound condition and try to find out its true owner.
5. Payment of Delivery by Mistake or under Coercion(Section 72):
A person to whom money has been paid or anything delivered by mistake or under coercion must repay or return it.
Example:
A and B jointly owe Rs.5,000 to C. A alone pays this amount to C. B not knowing this again pays Rs.5,000 to C. In this case C is bound to repay Rs.5,000 to B as this amount is paid to him by mistake.
