Guarantee

What is a guarantee?

A guarantee is an undertaking by one person (the guarantor) to perform an obligation of another person (a borrower or other debtor), given in favour of the person to whom that obligation is owed (the beneficiary).

A guarantee is what is known as a “secondary” obligation – this means that the guarantor is only liable if the borrower or debtor has failed to perform the “primary” obligation, which is the obligation of the borrower or debtor which has been guaranteed.

In the context of a loan agreement, a guarantee is an undertaking from the guarantor to the lender that the borrower will perform the borrower’s obligations under the loan agreement, the most relevant obligation being to repay the loan and interest.  If the borrower does not pay, the guarantor will perform the obligation itself and make the payment instead of the borrower.

Why are guarantees also given as indemnities?

Guarantees are almost always drafted both as a guarantee and as an indemnity.  Unlike a guarantee, an indemnity is a “primary” obligation – it is an undertaking from one person (the guarantor) to pay the beneficiary if the beneficiary suffers loss as a consequence of a specified event.  In the case of an indemnity which is part of a guarantee for a loan, the specified event is the non-payment of the loan or other breach of the loan agreement.

As a primary obligation of the guarantor, the indemnity is independent of the obligations of the debtor or borrower.  An indemnity should, unlike a guarantee, remain in effect should the underlying loan agreement or equivalent transaction be set aside or if the borrower is somehow discharged from its obligations under the loan agreement.

What are the formalities of a guarantee?

A guarantee must be in writing and signed by the guarantor (or the guarantor’s agent).  It is usual also for a guarantee to be executed as a deed, to avoid an argument that it lacks contractual consideration.