Uitspraak
RECHTBANK Oost-Brabant
1.De procedure
- de conclusie van antwoord met 11 producties;
- de brief waarin een mondelinge behandeling is bepaald;
2.Waar de zaak over gaat en wat de rechtbank beslist
3.De feiten
Article 10. Default and dissolution
- fixed fee of 10% of the total price of the agreement, plus any costs already incurred, in case of cancellation 45 days or more prior to the start date of the event or project;
- fixed fee of 30% of the total price of the agreement, plus any costs already incurred, in case of cancellation between 10 and 45 days prior to the start date of the event or project;
- fixed fee of 60% of the total price of the agreement, plus any costs already incurred, in case of cancellation less than 10 days prior to the start date of the event or project;
- fixed fee of 100% of the total price of the agreement, plus any costs already incurred, in case of cancellation by the time Movico is already heading to or arrived at the location.
I assume the XL needs to be rebranded for the 2023 season. Is this indeed needed? For feasibility reasons I want to mention the following. Stickering is planned on 30th of March and final apporoval is needed on 22nd of March. These cannot be moved unfortunately. (…)”
(…) We have been successful with obtaining one new large sponsor in Starline for two cars but they have also dropped a bombshell on us they have reduced their budget to us considerably and in turn, have gone for a far cheaper and independent option in an awning, that’s how big clients are acting these days, drilling us for every penny.
(…) Further to my email placing you on notice on the 8th March last of the likely cancellation of our contract, and with all the changes and issues here in the UK with the BTCC Championship both operationally and financially, we deeply regret to write and at this moment in time, to confirm the position from the 8th March has not improved and the cancellation our Contract for the XL2 in BTCC for 2023 is confirmed. (…)”
It is sad that we receive this news, and we regret to be notified that One-Motorsport / BTC Racing terminates the contract with Movico. We look back on a pleasant cooperation with you. We have taken knowledge about your termination letter and hereby we send you our official conditions for termination of the contract. According to our T&C's, hereby we refer to paragraph 10 interruption and cancellation of agreement - 20 / 45 days before start date of event, we hold the right to get paid 50% for the contract value for 2023. The total contract value is € 253.000 which means this amount will be € 126.500 ex VAT. Our financial department will send an invoice for this amount today to be paid within 7 days. After this period, we hold the right to require 100% as termination / cancellation fee and legal steps.”
[C]
termination fee – contract 2023” inhoudt van € 126.500,00, uiterlijk te betalen op 3 april 2023. Deze factuur is niet voldaan door One Motorsport.
My client’s patience has come to an end and my client considers starting a law suit, claiming an amount of EUR 242.085 to be increased with extra-judicial costs and interest. The amount of EUR 242.085 is based on profit loss (EUR 219.951) and operational costs already made for the estimated and reserved hours for the operators to be dedicated to all events (EUR 22.134). The amount is due to the illegitimate one-sided termination of the agreement, which covered many events such as Doningham Park, Brands Hatch, Thruxton, Oulton Park, Croft, Knockhill, Snetterton and Silverstone. The extra-judicial costs amount to EUR 2.985,43. If the total amount of EUR 245.070,43 is not paid within 5 working days from now on my client’s bank account, my client will initiate the proceedings at the Dutch court and instruct the bailiff accordingly.”
4.Het geschil
5.De beoordeling
without prejudice to the right of Movico to recover the actual costs and financial consequences, to the extent that they exceed this fixed amount”. Movico berekent haar schade op
non-performance of the agreement”, oftewel een tekortkoming in de nakoming zoals bedoeld in artikel 6:74 BW. Verder is juist dat de tekst van het artikel bepaalt dat de schadevergoeding wordt berekend aan de hand van de staffel. Movico kan echter volgens de tekst van het artikel ook de werkelijke schade van One Motorsport vorderen, voor zover de schade het bedrag dat uit de staffel volgt overstijgt. Partijen hebben geen andere feiten en omstandigheden gesteld waaruit een andere partijbedoeling blijkt. De rechtbank gaat dan ook uit van de door Movico verdedigde (taalkundige) uitleg.
€ 219.951,00. Concreet verwijst de rechtbank naar de toelichting op de tabellen met de berekening van de gederfde winst (productie 28), de gerealiseerde winst met het contract van 2022 (productie 70) en de correspondentie met [D] van FAB Financial Services (productie 71 en 72), waaruit de gederfde winst en gemaakte kosten over 2023 kunnen worden afgeleid. De vergelijking met de gerealiseerde winst in 2022 gaat op, omdat de huurovereenkomst in 2023 ziet op hetzelfde Voertuig, over dezelfde huurperiode en onder vrijwel dezelfde voorwaarden.