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The Panevėžys Regional Court has issued a ruling in a civil appeal case, upholding the rights of a buyer who purchased technically unsound used agricultural machinery. The court terminated the unfair purchase-sale agreement and ordered the seller to refund the full purchase price and cover litigation costs.

The dispute between the buyer and the seller arose after a farmer purchased a CLAAS LINER 1550 TWIN rake for nearly ten thousand euros. Within days, the farmer discovered that the equipment was practically unusable without significant additional investment.

Since the machinery was delivered to the buyer’s farm partially dismantled for ease of transport, the buyer could only assess its true condition after reassembly. Once assembled, critical defects became apparent: bent and previously straightened raking arms, worn-out arm sockets and bushings, damaged gearbox bearings, and mechanical leakage causing oil to drain.

A specialist assessment revealed that repair costs amounted to 13,036 euros – a sum exceeding the purchase price of the machinery itself. Although the court of first instance had originally dismissed the farmer's claim, arguing that the buyer should have expected wear and tear, the Regional Court fundamentally overturned this assessment.

The seller based their defense on the argument that the buyer purchased nearly twenty-year-old machinery and should have expected natural wear. The seller also relied on a note they had written on the invoice, stating that the equipment was sold in "as-is" condition at the time of inspection and that the seller assumed no warranty obligations.

However, the Regional Court rejected these arguments. The judicial panel found that the buyer acted promptly and diligently by reporting the defects just three days after purchase. Due to the fact that the rake was dismantled, the buyer objectively could not have noticed the internal assembly defects during the initial inspection.

Furthermore, the judicial panel emphasized that even when purchasing a used item, the buyer has the right to expect it to be fit for its intended purpose. The court noted that "fitness for use" should not be interpreted as the mere possibility of operation while incurring significant inconvenience or disproportionate costs.

The court also highlighted that the seller's condition regarding the total waiver of liability was unfair and invalid, as it failed to individualize specific defects. Even when buying used goods, a buyer is entitled to a statutory warranty, and the seller is obligated to disclose all defects known or that should have been known to them.

In its final decision, the court applied restitution: the buyer was awarded the 9,680 euro purchase price, and the machinery was returned to the seller. Additionally, the seller was ordered to pay 1,888 euros in litigation costs for the preparation of legal documents in both court instances.

The ruling of the Panevėžys Regional Court takes effect from the date of its adoption.

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