ABSTRACT
A person wishing to enforce a contractual promise must show that he or she has provided consideration for it.
Consideration consists of a promise to confer a benefit on the other party or a promise to do something which is detrimental to one’s self. An act which has the effect of conferring a benefit or which amounts to a detriment may also be a consideration. In a bilateral contract, the consideration will have the dual effect of being beneficial to the other party and detrimental to one’s self. For example, if Amrat promises to sell Barry a computer for £1,000, Amrat will confer the benefit of the computer on Barry and will undergo the detriment of losing the ownership of the computer. Conversely, Barry will confer the benefit of £1,000 on Amrat and will undergo the detriment of losing the £1,000.
