The abuse of rights principle

The seller sold her housing unit to the buyers for P70,000.00. In their Memorandum of Agreement, it was stipulated that the water and power bill of the unit would be for the account of buyers. However, the water connection remained in the seller’s name and was never questioned until four years later when, without notice, the water connection was cut.

When the buyer went to the water company’s office to complain, they were told that they were delinquent in their payment for three months and that it was the seller herself who requested that the water connection be cut off. This prompted the buyers to file a complaint for damages against both the seller and the water company.