Repudiation
A serious breach of contract showing an intention not to be bound by it, or an anticipatory breach where a party indicates before the due date that they will not perform. The innocent party can accept the repudiation and terminate the contract.
Independent editorial summary — not the official statute text. Read the official version on legislation.gov.uk.
Official legislative material gives a concise working definition of the core idea: 'A repudiatory breach is one so significant as to justify termination.' The Explanatory Notes to the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 use this definition to explain when a contract-holder may end an occupation contract by giving up possession, illustrating it with a landlord who is required to pay utility bills under the contract but whose failure to do so leads to the utility being cut off — a breach serious enough to justify the other party walking away.
That is a housing-specific illustration of a general contract law idea: repudiation is not just any breach, but one serious enough to go to the root of the contract, giving the innocent party a choice about how to respond to it rather than an automatic end to the agreement.
Related terms
Official sources
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