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As quotas de amortização do capital pagáveis com os juros prescrevem no prazo de 5 anos, nos termos do artigo 310.º, alínea e) do Código Civil. No entanto, muito se discutiu se aquele prazo curto de prescrição seria de aplicar quando ocorre o vencimento antecipado das quotas de amortização, por força da perda do benefício do prazo. Com efeito, uma vez ocorrer o pagamento de uma prestação unitária e global, por via da qual o devedor efectua a prestação debitória, objecto da obrigação fraccionada de capital, e a prestação da obrigação periódica de juros de uma só vez, surgia, desde logo, a confusão entre aquelas duas obrigações emergentes do mútuo bancário. No entanto, demonstramos que o pagamento de uma prestação unitária e global não significa que se deixe de estar perante duas obrigações manifestamente distintas – uma fraccionada e a outra periódica. Verificando-se o incumprimento por parte do devedor, pode o credor perder o interesse na realização da prestação, convertendo-se a mora em incumprimento definitivo e ocorrendo, por isso, a perda do benefício do prazo, que significa tão-só isso mesmo: o devedor já não mais beneficiará da possibilidade de pagamento escalonado da obrigação de restituição do capital, não tendo a perda do benefício do prazo a virtualidade de alterar a natureza da obrigação. Assim, o prazo de prescrição continua a ser o prazo curto de 5 anos, aplicável às quotas de amortização do capital que assim se venceram antecipadamente. Mais concluímos que a resolução contratual, enquanto causa modificativa da relação negocial, não extingue as obrigações emergentes do contrato, razão pela qual, se o credor resolver o contrato de mútuo bancário exigirá o pagamento de todas prestações da obrigação fraccionada, não nascendo uma obrigação nova, à qual seria de aplicar o prazo prescricional ordinário de 20 anos. Com efeito, a única obrigação nova exigível é a obrigação de indemnização, que tem por fonte a responsabilidade obrigacional.
Principal instalments bearing interest are time-barred within 5 years, pursuant to Article 310(e) of the Portuguese Civil Code. However, there has been much discussion as to whether this short limitation period should apply when the principal instalments fall due early, as a result of the collection of the debt in full. In fact, once a single, global instalment has been paid, whereby the debtor complies with his financial commitment, subject to the split principal obligation, and also complies with the periodic interest obligation, all at once, confusion would immediately rise between the two obligations arising from the bank loan. However, we have shown that payment of a single, global instalment does not mean that we are no longer dealing with two clearly distinct obligations - one split and the other periodic. If there is non-compliance on the part of the debtor, the creditor may lose interest in the maintenance of the debt repayment by instalments, in which case the debtor’s default becomes a material breach of contract; therefore the debt will be collected in full, which means that the debtor will no longer benefit from the possibility of staggered payment of the obligation to repay the principal, and the collection of the debt in full does not have the virtue of changing the nature of the obligation. The limitation period therefore remains the short 5-year period applicable to the principal instalments that are thus subject to early maturity. We further conclude that contract termination, as a cause for modifying the business relationship, does not extinguish the obligations arising therefrom, which is why, in case the creditor terminates the bank loan agreement, the latter will demand payment of all the instalments of the split obligation, and no new obligation will arise, to which the ordinary limitation period of 20 years would apply. In fact, the only new obligation that can be enforced is the obligation to pay compensation, which arises from liability under private law.
Principal instalments bearing interest are time-barred within 5 years, pursuant to Article 310(e) of the Portuguese Civil Code. However, there has been much discussion as to whether this short limitation period should apply when the principal instalments fall due early, as a result of the collection of the debt in full. In fact, once a single, global instalment has been paid, whereby the debtor complies with his financial commitment, subject to the split principal obligation, and also complies with the periodic interest obligation, all at once, confusion would immediately rise between the two obligations arising from the bank loan. However, we have shown that payment of a single, global instalment does not mean that we are no longer dealing with two clearly distinct obligations - one split and the other periodic. If there is non-compliance on the part of the debtor, the creditor may lose interest in the maintenance of the debt repayment by instalments, in which case the debtor’s default becomes a material breach of contract; therefore the debt will be collected in full, which means that the debtor will no longer benefit from the possibility of staggered payment of the obligation to repay the principal, and the collection of the debt in full does not have the virtue of changing the nature of the obligation. The limitation period therefore remains the short 5-year period applicable to the principal instalments that are thus subject to early maturity. We further conclude that contract termination, as a cause for modifying the business relationship, does not extinguish the obligations arising therefrom, which is why, in case the creditor terminates the bank loan agreement, the latter will demand payment of all the instalments of the split obligation, and no new obligation will arise, to which the ordinary limitation period of 20 years would apply. In fact, the only new obligation that can be enforced is the obligation to pay compensation, which arises from liability under private law.
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Keywords
Quotas de amortização do capital pagáveis com os juros Prestação unitária e global Mora Incumprimento definitivo Perda do benefício do prazo Vencimento antecipado Resolução contratual Prazo curto de prescrição Prazo de prescrição ordinário Principal instalments bearing interest Single and global instalment Default Material breach of contract Collection of the debt in full Early maturity Contract termination Short limitation period Ordinary limitation period