Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Consumer Legal Efforts Due To Abuse of Circumstances (Misbruik Van Omstandigheden) in Standardized Agreements
Consumer Legal Efforts Due To Abuse of Circumstances (Misbruik Van Omstandigheden) in Standardized Agreements
How To Cite:
Siwi, C, T. (2020), Consumer Legal Efforts Due To Abuse Of Circumstances (Misbruik Van Omstandigheden) In
Standardized Agreements, Jurnal Notariil, 5 (1) 2020, 1-7, Doi: https://doi.org/10.22225/jn.4.2.1208.65-72
Abstract
Private law develops with the dynamics of community needs. Law Number 8 of 1999 concerning
Consumer Protection Law is a form of regulation aimed at balancing the rights and obligations of
both consumers and business actors. But in reality, consumers are always the weaker party; the
injured party is due to a more inferior position. The form of consumer losses that often occur is the
existence of standardized agreements containing elements of misuse (misbruik van
omstanddigheden). As a result, the consumers agree not to an agreement in "good faith", but what
has been agreed is that the will of the business actor intends to harm consumers by abusing the
situation. This study aims to 1) know the categories of circumstances abuse in standardized
agreements that harm consumers, 2) know the legal efforts that consumers can do due to abuse of
circumstances (misbruik van omstanddigheden) in standardized agreements. The method used is
juridical normative that is using primary legal materials and secondary legal materials to analyze the
problem, but it is contextualized by the dynamics of standardized agreements in the global era. The
results obtained that in the current global era the standardized agreements with the abuse of the
circumstances are increasingly diverse. If it is proven that there is an abuse of circumstances, then
the effort is cancelling the agreement. Minimizing the misuse of circumstances in the standardized
agreement requires the participation of all parties, consumers, businesses and the government.
Keywords: abuse of circumstances; consumers; legal efforts; standardized agreements
carried out in good faith. Normally, if all
1. INTRODUCTION agreements with binding powers are
Nowadays, the rapid economic always carried out, then this is what is said
development requires the community to to realize an orderly and fair life, which is
keep competing and of course, the this, is expected by humans as social
engagement that occurs in the community institutions in various aspects of life.
will also increase and increasingly complex Article 1320 BW stated that the
substance. The engagement can be born agreement is a legal condition of
because of the agreement or law. The agreement (the principle of
engagement that is born out of a contract consensualism) which is one of the
or agreement is an agreement between subjective conditions. In connection with
two parties that creates a binding the subjective conditions in Article 1320
agreement both to carry out what has BW, the follow-up rules are in Article 1321
been promised. The agreement can be BW, which is about willing defects, which
made by anyone, as long as it fulfils the states that there is no legitimate
conditions set in Article 1320 BW, namely agreement if given because of negligence,
(1) agreed, (2) competent, (3) certain coercion and fraud. The willing defect in
objects, and (4) cause is allowed. The the provisions of Article 1321 BW can
agreement reached in the contract has a occur and result in the contract can be
position and therefore has the same cancelled if there are bedreiging (threats),
binding power as the law. Furthermore, bedrog (fraud), and dwaling (error). Its
each contract implementation must be
development, the willing defect can also Furthermore, Article 1337 of the Civil Code
occur in the case of misbruik van states that a cause (an agreement) is
opstandigheden (abuse of circumstances). prohibited, if prohibited by law, or if it is
The abuse of the circumstances is an contrary to good decency or public order,
act which is motivated by an unbalanced (Manumpil, 2016). In connection with this,
situation between the parties in an the obligations arising from agreements
agreement, and in such conditions, the are not determined by an agreement but
strong party utilize the position of the are determined by the presence or
weak party. The weak party does not have absence of an abuse of circumstances and
the opportunity to discuss everything that what is considered appropriate in the
is his right and obligation in an agreement community or the abuse of the situation by
(Winarni, 2015). The abuse of these one of the parties. Therefore, the more
circumstances develops through doctrine important in an agreement is that it does
and jurisprudence, this abuse has two not contain abuse of circumstances or,
elements that must be fulfilled, namely the good ethics and is not an agreement,
loss suffered by one party, and the abuse (Martono, 2016).
of opportunity by the other party. While Previously, the similar latest related
the coercion stated in Article 1321 BW studies have been done by some
requires a threat that causes fear by one researchers, such as (Hernoko & Anand,
of the parties and losses incurred due to 2017) who conducted a research entitled
the threat. The conditions of “The Application of Circumstance Abuse
circumstances abuse are increasingly Doctrine (Misbruik Van Omstandigheden)
developing in the current global era, by set on Judicial Practice in Indonesia”. This
in a standardized agreement. This certainly study analyzed the abuse of circumstances
harms the consumers as the weak party, as a factor that delimits the freedom of
weak because of an inferior position, low making a contract associated with the
level of education, lack of onset of the contract, not because of the
socialization. Law Number 8 of 1999 casue which is not allowed. The results of
concerning Consumer Protection Law is a this study showed that. The doctrine of
form of regulation aimed at balancing the circumstance abuse is actually a kind of
rights and obligations of both consumers appreciation as well as protection for the
and business actors. contracting parties, especially for the
One of the important principles in an weaks. Netherlands sets this doctrine in
agreement is the principle of freedom of article 3:44 NBW and it holds a more
contract; this principle is based on the comprehensive effects on its application.
position of both equally strong parties, has The judges, in making judgment on abuse
the same bargaining position so that each cases, must have a strong base. In
party is a contract partner. The reality is Indonesia, however, this doctrine is not
not so, in making contracts for each party, yet reinforced by any product f law.
especially those who are in a strong Particularly, it is still a scope of
economic position trying to wrest jurisprudence, which consequences
domination over the other party and face depend on judges’ interpretation when
each other as opposed to the handling cases of circumstance abuse.
contract. The party whose position is Another similar study is also conducted by
stronger can impose its will on the other (Fahmi, 2017). He conducted a research
party for its benefit, thereby creating entitled “Standard Bank Credit Agreement
biased or unfair content or terms, Based on the Value of Justice”. The
(Paparang, 2016). purpose of this study is to find the factors
influencing standaard bank credit
Modern business contracts that are agreement on the distribution of credit to
more formalistic and tend to a written the community based on the value of
agreement pattern to guarantee legal justice. As a result, the bank credit
certainty if in the future there is a dispute agreement in the form of standaard is still
between the parties, then the standardized not based on the value of justice because
contract will be used as written evidence the content is determined unilaterally by
to postulate the truth of the relationship the bank, where the debtor's customer
that has been established and the rights does not have bargaining position on some
and its obligations, (Saija, 2016). The form of agreement used by the bank;
relationship between an agreement and an application credit agreement and
engagement gives rights and obligations to bookkeeping requirements; cash
each party to make demands or fulfil these bookkeeping requirements; Deposit book-
demands, (Ardianti & Handayani, 2018). entry application; application agreement of
remittance. In addition, it still has delicacy agreements made by business actors and
on the bank credit agreements which are given to consumers are in the form
limited by the Banking Act and the Decree, of standardized contracts.
Regulation and Circular of Bank of The standardized contract is an
Indonesia. The legal provision generates agreement with the contents and
the prudent principle of extending the composition that is standard. Standardized
credit to the community, which is famous agreements are often used by companies
for the 5 C's (Character, Capacity, Capital, with the aim that agreements can be done
Collateral, Condition). Meanwhile, the Bank quickly and practically, (Supramono,
Indonesia Regulation stipulates regulation 2013). According to Law Number 8 of
relating to the regulations, prohibitions, 1999 concerning Consumer Protection
institutions, guarantees, and execution of Law, the standardized clause is "any rules
the guarantee objects. Based on the and conditions that have been prepared
background and latest related studies and determined unilaterally by a business
above, this study aims to 1) know the actor as outlined in a document and/or
categories of circumstances abuse in binding agreement and must be fulfilled by
standardized agreements that harm consumers".
consumers, 2) to know the legal efforts
that consumers can do due to abuse of In its arrangement, the standardized
circumstances (misbruik van agreement includes the rights and
omstanddigheden) in standardized obligations of consumers as well as the
agreements. rights and obligations of business actors as
stipulated in the standard form. Law No. 8
2. METHOD of 1999 concerning Consumer Protection
Law allows agreements with standard
This research is a normative juridical clauses to be done. The basic rationale for
study or known as doctrinal research, that applying this standard clause is that the
is analyzing the law teaching which is standard clause is needed by
based on the premise that law is the norm entrepreneurs for their economic activities,
that governs people's lives, (Sulaiman, because in business, especially
2018). The problem approach used in this entrepreneurs who manage service
study is the statute approach and the activities, such as banking, insurance,
conceptual approach. This research is a liens, transportation, etc., require fast,
deductive study which analyzing the abuse effective transactions, and
of circumstances towards the standardized efficient. Likewise, with online agreements,
contract agreement. The legal materials consumers are often given instructions to
obtained in this study were analyzed choose without being accompanied by
qualitatively with descriptive-analytical clear information.
models. So the results can be described
comprehensively and systematically. In a standardized agreement, the
principle of take it or leave it
3. DISCUSSION is known, meaning that if the consumer
Based on the objectives and the agrees with the agreement prepared by
research conducted, therefore the results the business actor, the consumer can
obtained it can be described in the agree on it, otherwise, if the consumer
following discussion. does not agree, the consumer only needs
to leave the agreement or not do an
The category of circumstances abuse agreement. According to Sutan Remi
(misbruik van omstanddigheden) in Syahdeini, almost all clauses in the
standardized agreements that harm standardized agreement have been
consumers standardized by the maker and other
parties, so there is no opportunity to
The consumer problems in this current negotiate or request changes to the
global era are increasingly diverse and contents of the standardized agreement,
complex, one of the factors due to (Syahdeini, 1993).
the influence of increasingly rapid
technological progress. Technology The organization of clausule in
influences the current implementation of standardized agreement because it is
agreements which are no made by a dominant party, there is a
longer carried out conventionally but charge of circumstances abuse. Because
also online. This will certainly have these standard clauses are only unilaterally
implications for consumers determined, the main issue that arises is
as weak parties who are often harmed by that in standardized agreements often
the agreement of the business actors. The found clauses that are not fair and which
incriminate one party, especially knows or should know that the other party
consumers. This clausule in English because of special circumstances moved
literature is called an exeneratie (his heart) to close an agreement;
clausule, meaning that an exemplary abuse, either party has implemented
clause or an exoneration clause. In the the agreement or he knows or should
Consumer Protection Act, the term understand that he should not do it.
exoneration clause is referred to as a
standard clausule, (Wahyuningdyah, causal relationships are important that
2016). without abuse of the circumstance the
agreement is not closed, (Panggabean,
As stated in Article 1321 and Article 2010).
1449, that agreement defect or willing
defect occur if it occurs due to negligence/ The conditions for the circumstances
error, fraud, and coercion. The Civil abuse by Van Dunne are differentiated fro
Procedure Code does not regulate "Willing abuse due to economic and psychological
Abuse" or often referred to as Misbruik superiority so that it can be used as
Van Omstadigheden. The reasons for cancelling the agreement, as
circumstances abuse as one of the follows:
conditions of willing defect develops, due Requirements for abuse of economic
to the development of several legal events superiority
in the legal agreement. one party must have an economic
The circumstances abuse occurs when superiority towards the other;
a person knows or should know that the another party is forced to do an
other party for any special circumstances agreement.
such as emergencies, dependence,
mindlessly, abnormal mental state Requirements for the abuse of
inexperienced moved to do a legal act psychological superiority:
although he knew or should understand One of the parties abuses relative
the fact he must prevent it, (Miru, 2010). dependence, such as a special trust
The term of "circumstance abuse" is relationship, such as between parents and
translated from the Dutch "misbruik van children; husband and wife; doctor-
omstandigheden", and in English "undue patient.
influence". Black's law dictionary gives the
formula 'undue influence' is the abuse of One party abuses the special mental
position/circumstances to take advantage state of the opposing party, such as a
of the weak party, (Asra, 1999). mental disorder; inexperienced, hasty,
knowledge’s lack, poor body condition and
The provisions of Article 16 of the so on, (Khairandy, 2013).
Indian Contract, mention the abuse, as
follows: (1) A contract is caused by abuse The circumstance abuse is a form of
of circumstances when it is connected willing defect in an agreement. The willing
between parties, one party dominates the defects in the agreement occur at the pre-
will of the other party and uses the contractual stage, that is, the willing
position to gain an unfair advantage from defects at the time of realizing the agreed
the other party. (2) Under certain in the agreement, that is, when
circumstances and without prejudice, a conforming the statement of the will of the
person is considered to be in a position first party. Clearly, the agreement from the
that dominates the will of the other party: parties that do the agreement is not a free
a) where he has power over another party, agreement, where there is no balance at
or where he is in the time of bidding the contents of the
a fiduciary relationship with another agreement.
party; or b) where he contracts with In general, agreements that contain
someone who has a temporary or circumstance abuse are consumer
permanent mental capacity that is affected agreements in the form of standardized
by age, illness, physical or mental stress, agreements. The creditors as Business
(Khairandy, 2013) and based on Book 3, Actors in a strong position, while the
Article 44 paragraph (1) NBW, Debtor as Consumers in a weak position,
Nieuwenhuis expresses 4 four conditions because psychologically some are in
of circumstances abuse, as follows: need. With this position, the Business
special circumstances, such as Actor (the creditor) can take the
emergencies, dependencies, carelessness, opportunity to get the benefit from the
insane, and inexperience; agreement they made, either through
economic superiority or psychological
a real thing, it is required that one party
CC-BY-SA 4.0 License, Jurnal Notariil, ISSN 2540-797X, E-ISSSN 2615-1545
Consumer Legal Efforts Due To Abuse Of Circumstances (Misbruik Van Omstandigheden) In Standardized Agreements
Jurnal Notariil, 5 (1) 2020, 5
judge does not find the law, then it can be Omstandigheden Dalam Perkembangan
sourced from jurisprudence, namely the Hukum Kontrak. Jurnal Hukum UNSRAT,
decision of the Supreme Court Number 22(6). Retrieved from https://
4792 K/Pdt/1998, the decision of the ejournal.unsrat.ac.id/index.php/
Supreme Court that applies the provisions jurnalhukumunsrat/article/view/13192
Saija, R. (2016). Penyalahgunaan Keadaan
of good ethics and teachings of oleh Negara Dalam Praktik Perjanjian
circumstances abuse, and based on Pada Kajian Hukum Privat. Kertha Patrika,
existing jurisprudence, the existing judge 38(3). doi:10.24843/KP.2016.v38.i03.p01
can decide that the agreement was Sugianto, F. (2013). Economic Analysis of Law.
cancelled for the reason of the Jakarta: Kencana Prenada Media Group.
circumstances abuse. Sulaiman, S. (2018). Paradigma dalam
Penelitian Hukum. Kanun Jurnal Ilmu
REFERENCES Hukum, 20(2), 255–272. doi:10.24815/
Ardianti, M., & Handayani, I. G. A. K. R. kanun.v20i2.10076
Supramono, G. (2013). Perjanjian Utang
(2018). Penyalahgunaan Wewenang Piutang. Jakarta: Kencana Prenada Media
Penerima Kuasa dalam Perjanjian
Perikatan Jual Beli Tanah dan Kuasa Group.
Wahyuningdyah, K. (2016). Perlindungan
Menjual (Putusan Nomor: 173/K/ Hukum Terhadap Konsumen Melalui
Pdt/2012). Jurnal Repertorium, 5(1), 174–
186. Retrieved from https:// Larangan Pencantuman Klausula Baku.
jurnal.uns.ac.id/repertorium/article/
FIAT JUSTISIA, 1(2). doi:10.25041/
fiatjustisia.v1no2.543
view/17682
Asra. (1999). Pembatalan Perjanjian Melalui Winarni, L. N. (2015). Asas Itikad Baik Sebagai
Upaya Perlindungan Konsumen Dalam
Prinsip Unconscionable Conduct. Jakarta: Perjanjian Pembiayaan. DiH: Jurnal Ilmu
Ikahi.
Badrulzaman, M. D. (1989). Perjanjian Kredit Hukum, 11(21). doi:10.30996/
dih.v11i21.442
Bank. Bandung: Alumni.
Fahmi, S. (2017). Standard Bank Credit
Agreement Based on the Value of Justice.
International Journal of Law
Reconstruction, 1(1), 55–73. Retrieved
from http://jurnal.unissula.ac.id/
index.php/lawreconstruction/article/
view/1635
Hernoko, A. Y., & Anand, G. (2017). The
Application of Circumstance Abuse
Doctrine (Misbruik Van Omstandigheden)
on Judicial Practice in Indonesia. Journal
of Advanced Research in Law and
Economics, 8(7). doi:10.14505/jarle.v8.7
(29).10
Khairandy, R. (2004). Itikad Baik Dalam
Kebebasan Berkontrak. Jakarta: Program
Pascasarjana Fakultas Hukum Universitas
Indonesia.
Khairandy, R. (2013). Hukum Kontrak
Indonesia Dalam Perspekktif
Perbandingan. Yogyakarta: FH UII Press.
Manumpil, J. S. (2016). Klausula Eksonerasi
Dalam Hukum Perlindungan Konsumen Di
Indonesia. Lex Privatum, 4(3). Retrieved
from https://ejournal.unsrat.ac.id/
index.php/lexprivatum/article/view/11547
Martono, E. (2016). Penyalahgunaan Keadaan
sebagai Dasar Pembatalan Perjanjian.
Jurnal Yustisia Merdeka, 2(2). Retrieved
from http://www.unmermadiun.ac.id/
ejurnal/index.php/yustisia/article/view/193
Mertokusumo, S. (1990). Perkembangan
Hukum Perjanjian: Makalah, Seminar
Nasional, 12-13 Maret. Yogyakarta:
Fakultas Hukum Universitas Gajah Mada.
Panggabean, H. P. (2010). Penyalahgunaan
Keadaan (Misbruik Van Omstadigheden)
Sebagai Alasan (Baru) Untuk Pembatalan
Perjanjian. Yogyakarta: Liberty.
Paparang, F. (2016). Misbruik Van