WPC= 6Cw,\DC_^BKɥ"8Qk߬ŵl+|?L =CN8¸™A Uxs2(*]|h?l֘[e5_eL\}PgjkKQJM2EIspl IoVd]R=(جKyw^GEQLɝЕh/ N -(i^L`ze}!̪I} ܴL0 oymB%ۑM !H?%t+D.(G<DA0Ŧ O%x׷Ŏ̯Q}g 7tܢmoNAev;Y ZE%?,!-Fp?*KͿm>JJHZ 2#U BF %  n 04K 4 0 w@ U> UFA #  N  m  U: B D3!!! 0DTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT AO 0D D/ B <6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpiX3|x:<6X9`(*Courier 12pt10cpiXXx6X@JQX@( T$  h&  ShelbyMcMURRAY &D'(D)D*+,D-./Ӏ<( 9Z &Courier Regular<09Z .Courier New RegularHP LaserJet 4SiHPPCL5MS,,,,,,0nLU X6XXXXX6   Ad FILEDo   June2,1999  CecilCrowson,Jr.oAppellateCourt  Clerk ,cAZ"Arial Regular d%%%%'dxd(3$ !  -C<< CLevel 1Level 2Level 3Level 4Level 5($$   1  ' dxdP Pd T!   //_`   7bXXdXXd7TR[A'Legal3'A' Legal3'T  /r*<,(j 8 `@Ef  tt0"H` rߛ/@LLINTHECOURTOFAPPEALS@@$ `  @$ATKNOXVILLEBILLJENNINGS@*@@*)  SULLIVANCOUNTY x  x    `     h   )  03A019803CV00111 @   PlaintiffAppellant@*) h    @*)@*)  v.@*)  HON.RICHARDE.LADD, `  @*)  JUDGE (  @*)LAWLERWOOD,INC.@*)   Ѐ@*)       DefendantAppellee@*)  AFFIRMEDANDREMANDED H  DAVIDW.BLANKENSHIPOFKINGSPORTFORAPPELLANTGENEH.TUNNELLOFKINGSPORTFORAPPELLEE@*@* XbXXX@$OPINION  p    `     h      p   #XbXX Xbo# XXXXbGoddard,P.J. $X# #XbXX X`#   ` Thecontroversygivingrisetothisappeal&isa&'hadits (' genesisina'((servicecontractforwashersanddryersenteredintobetweenPlaintiffBillJenningsandDefendantLawlerWood,Inc.,whichmanagedMapleOakapartmentsfortheowners.   ` ThesuitallegesabreachofcontractbyLawlerWoodandseeksdamagestherefor.   ` TheTrialCourtfoundthatMr.Jenningshimselfhadbreachedthecontractinamaterialwayanddismissedhissuit.   ` Heappeals,raisingthefollowingissue: :p1?S 1. ` DidtheCourt.[err].ingrantingjudgmenttothe `  defendantinthiscontractactionandabuseitsdiscretioninfailingtocorrectlyinterpretthecontractbetweenthepartiesthatwasthebasisofthiscivilaction?   ` Thepartiesearlierhadenteredintoa10yearcontractand,attheexpirationthereof,asimilareightyearcontractwhichMr.JenningsallegedwaslikewiserenewedandLawlerWoodinsistswasnot-.-   ` Thesecondcontract,whichwasforaperiodofeightyears,wasenteredintoinFebruary1989,withaninceptiondateofMarch1,1989.InMay1994,arepresentativeofLawlerWoodwroteMr.JenningsadvisinghimthatuponhiscomplyingwithADArequirementsbytheinstallationofawasheranddryerthat [W]ewillrenewourcontractuponitsexpirationbasedontheunderstandingthatthetermsandconditionsofourexistingagreementwillremainthesameasintherenewalagreement.   ` TheprovisionsoftheFebruary1989agreement,whicharepertinenttothisappeal,areasfollows:(a)Toserviceaboveequipmentandkeepsameingoodrepairatitsownexpenseduringthetermofthiscontractandtoremoveequipmentforshoprepairsifnecessary. ` ....(f)OwnerhasrighttocancelcontractifserviceisnotatacceptablelevelandServiceContractorhashadnotificationtocorrectdefciencies(sic)within30daysandhasnotdoneso.   ` SubsequenttotheletterofLawlerWoodregardingrenewal,considerabledifficultywasexperiencedwithregardto themaintenanceofthewashersanddryers,whichultimately @8.< resultedinaletterdatedFebruary3,1997,toMr.Jenningsadvisinghimthatthecontractwouldnotberenewed.    ` Withregardtothefactualdisputebetweentheparties,theTrialCourtmadethefollowingfinding:THECOURT:IfindfortheDefendant.ThebasisthatthecontractisfiledinthiscaseasExhibit1wasfulfilledbytheDefendanthere.AndthequestioniswhetherabreachoftheextensionorrenewalcontractwasbreachedbytheDefendant.AndthememosupportingtherenewaloftheexistingcontractiscontainedinExhibit2,thememotoMr.Jennings,thePlaintiffandMr.Peterson,arepresentativeoftheDefendant.AnditwasvaluableconsiderationforthisthatMr.PetersonstatedtoMr.JenningsthattheywouldrenewthecontractifMr.JenningswouldinstallawasheranddryerthatcomplieswithADArequirements.Mr.Jenningsdidthis.However,IfindundertheproofthatthetwolonglastingproblemsthatwereneversolvedbyMr.Jennings,whetheritbewithin30daysortwoorthreeyears,repeatedproblemswithwashingmachinesleaking.Now,Ifindunderthecontractthathadntcomeunderthe12hourservice.The12hourservice9:00to9:00issothattenantscancallifamachineisnotworkingorfailstogivechangeandsoforth.Obviouslythemachineleakingwaterintothis  :04 apartmentbuildingcouldntwait12hours.Andtheproofisclearherethatseveraltimesitlastedforseveraldays.EvenaftertheletterofNovember%%11th%%,whichisExhibit4,theproblemisnotcorrected.Evenwiththeadditionaltelephonenumber,theuncontrovertedproofisheattemptedtocallthatnumberandgotnoresponseeither.Andthecontract,Exhibit1,doesnotrequire30daysnoticeoffailuretorenewthecontract.Whatitdoes,itgivesthePlaintiff30daysafternotificationtocureaproblem.Andthetwoproblemswerenevercured;theleakingofthemachinesandthemachinesthatdidntgiveservicewhenthetenantsoftheapartmentbuildingputthemoneyin.SoIfindthattherewasadequategroundsfortheDefendanttodeclareabreachofcontractandtheyrenotboundtorenewit.   ` Ourreadingoftherecordpersuadesusthattheevidencedoesnotpreponderateagainsttheforegoingfindingsoffact.   ` Mr.Jennings,however,insiststhatinlightoftheprovisionofthecontracthereinbeforequoted,hehad30daysafterthenoticetoremedyanydefectwithregardtothecontract.Whileasageneralrulethismightbetrue,wedonotconceivethatinemergencysituationssuchaspipesburstingandthewashroomflooding,LawlerWoodmustwait30daysforrepairstobemade.Indeed,Mr.Jenningsrecognizedthiswasnotthecaseinthefollowingtestimonyhegaveoncrossexamination:Q. ` Wouldyoucallitanemergency,Mr.Jennings,ifa 30*- washerisleakingandleakingtotheextentthatitsontothefloor,andthewasheranddryersbeingonthesecondfloor,overflowsdownintoafloorbelow?Wouldthatbeanemergencysomethingthatwouldrequireattention?A. ` Yes.  :04 ЇQ. ` Andyousaythatneverexistedpriorto `  October/November9796,excuseme.A. ` Itspossibleitdidatimeortwo. 0  Q. ` Atimeortwo?  A. ` Uhhuh(Affirmative).  Q. ` Butthatwouldbeanemergencythattheownerand p  themaintainerandthe%%servicer%%ofthosemachinesshouldgivepromptattentionto,shoulditnot?A. ` Right. 0  Q. ` Youllagreewiththat? p A. ` Right. P    ` )Wefindthat)*Asalreadynoted,weconcurin*theTrialCourt+sfinding+,correctlyfound,thatMr.Jenningshadbreachedthecontract,justifyingLawlerWoodrescindingitsoffertorenew.   ` FortheforegoingreasonsthejudgmentoftheTrialCourtisaffirmedandthecauseremandedforcollectionofcostsbelow.CostsofappealareadjudgedagainstMr.Jenningsandhissurety.   `     h   _______________________________   `     h   HoustonM.Goddard,P.J.  0`'* CONCUR:________________________________HerschelP.Franks,J.򀀀(NotParticipating) `  DonT.%%McMurray%%,J. X6^XXX*Ԁ P  #X*XX X6^%#