MBE Rules · Contracts
Termination of offer — lapse of time
The rule
An offer terminates if not accepted within the time specified, or within a reasonable time if no time is specified. Reasonableness is fact-dependent (industry, nature of subject matter).
In plain English
An offer ends if it's not accepted by the deadline given, or if no deadline is set, by a reasonable time based on the situation.
Worked example
A buyer offers to buy a car, but the seller doesn't respond for two months. The offer is no longer valid because a reasonable time to respond has passed.
Memory hook
Time's up, offer's gone! Accept before deadline or within reason.
The trap
Students think: any time is reasonable if no deadline. Wrong, because context matters. The actual test is industry norms and subject matter specifics.
How examiners test it
The MBE loves: no specified deadline + perishable goods. Question: reasonable time? Trap: students overlook perishability, ignoring quick expiration necessity.
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