8. Duty of owners to supply documents and information

(1)

An owner shall, within 7 business days of the receipt thereof, comply with a written request made to him by a hirer, at any time before final payment has been made, whereby the hirer requires either a copy of the regulated agreement between the parties or a statement signed by the owner or his agent showing —

(a)

the amount paid to the owner by or on behalf of the hirer;

(b)

the amount which has become due under the agreement but remains unpaid; and

(c)

the amount which is to become payable under the agreement,or both such copy of the agreement and the statement.

(2)

Notwithstanding subsection (1), an owner need not comply with such a request —

(a)

if he has sent the hirer the document requested within a period of 3 months immediately preceding the request; or

(b)

unless the request is accompanied by a reasonable fee, which shall not exceed such amount as may be prescribed, if the hirer makes a second or subsequent request for a copy of the regulated agreement between the parties after the owner has previously complied with such a request.

(3)

In the event of a failure without reasonable cause to comply with subsection (1) then, while the default continues —

(a)

the owner shall not be entitled to enforce —

(i)

the agreement against the hirer;

(ii)

any right to recover the goods from the hirer; or

(iii)

any contract of guarantee relating to the agreement; or

(b)

any security given by the hirer in respect of money payable under the agreement or given by a guarantor in respect of money payable under a contract of guarantee relating to the agreement shall not be enforceable against the hirer or the guarantor by any holder of the security.