Repudiatory Breach

A repudiatory breach is a breach so significant that it justifies termination of the contract by the innocent party. This is illustrated in the explanatory notes to the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016, which state that 'a repudiatory breach is one so significant as to justify termination' and give the example of a landlord who is required to pay utility bills under the contract: a failure to pay such bills that results in the utility being cut off could represent a repudiatory breach.

Where a landlord commits a repudiatory breach in that context, the contract-holder may end the occupation contract by giving up possession of the property. Because this is the only official illustration of the concept sourced for this entry, it should be read as one specific application of the general idea rather than a complete statement of how repudiatory breach operates across other types of contract, where the applicable rules should be checked separately.