10,809 Yuan Unpaid Tile Supply: Court Orders Payment After Buyer Fails to Appear

A building materials supplier won a judgment for 10,809 yuan in unpaid tile deliveries after the buyer failed to appear in court, with the court treating the absence as a waiver of defense rights and confirming the debt based on a handwritten receipt.

In mid-2011, the supplier delivered 20,245 flat tiles at 0.79 yuan each and 68 ridge tiles at 12 yuan each to the buyer, totaling 16,809 yuan. The buyer signed a receipt confirming the quantities and total amount on September 22, 2011. Five days later, the buyer made a partial payment of 6,000 yuan, leaving a balance of 10,809 yuan outstanding.

The supplier repeatedly demanded payment, but the buyer refused. The supplier filed suit in February 2012, seeking the full remaining balance of 10,809 yuan. The buyer was properly served with court notice but failed to submit a defense or appear at the hearing.

The court found the handwritten receipt clearly established a sales contract between the parties. The receipt documented both the quantities delivered and the agreed prices, confirming the buyer had received the goods and acknowledged the total amount owed. The subsequent partial payment of 6,000 yuan further corroborated the debt.

Under contract law, a buyer who has received goods must promptly pay the purchase price. The buyer’s failure to pay after repeated demands constituted a breach of the supplier’s legitimate rights. The court ordered the buyer to pay 10,809 yuan within five days, with double interest on delayed payments, and assessed the 35 yuan court fee against the buyer.