The Owners Strata Plan No. 72250 v Letmin Pty Limited t/as Dubbo Powder Coating [2020] NSWDC 378

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: The Owners Strata Plan No. 72250 v Letmin Pty Limited t/as Dubbo Powder Coating [2020] NSWDC 378 Hearing dates: 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 March 2020, 14 April 2020 Date of orders: 16 July 2020 Decision date: 16 July 2020 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Hatzistergos DCJ Decision: (1) Verdict and judgment for the Plaintiff in the sum of $12,395.00 (2) The Defendants are to pay interest on the said sum from 17 November 2017 to date in accordance with s 100 of the Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) and District Court Practice Note 15 clause 5 (3) I will hear from the parties as to costs. Catchwords: TORTS– Negligence – Nuisance – Where Plaintiff Owners Corporation of Strata Plan claims First and Second Defendant caused damage to common property – Where First Defendant runs powder coating business out of Second Defendant's Lot in Strata Complex – Whether garnet and powder was emitted during course of First Defendant's business – Whether duty is owed by the Second Defendant to Plaintiff – Failure to take proper precautions in running of business – Whether the First Defendant's business constituted nuisance DAMAGES – Issue of causation – Common law and Civil Liability Act applied – Damage to roof – Whether residue caused further damage – Whether charges could be claimed for cleaning and replacing fire detectors – Whether fire detection system needed to be replaced as result of Defendants negligence – False fire alarm charges Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5B, 5D, 5E Strata Schemes Management Act 1996 (NSW), s 45 Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW), s 145 Cases Cited: Adelaide City Corporation v Australasian Performing Rights Association [1928] HCA 10; (1928) 40 CLR 481 Aussie Traveller Pty Ltd v Marklea Pty Ltd [1998] 1 Qd R 1; [1997] Q ConvR 54-485 Benning v Wong (1969) 122 CLR 249 Burnie Port Authority v General Jones [1994] HCA 13; (1994) 179 CLR 520 Daily Telegraph v Stuart (1928) 28 SR (NSW) 291 West v Nicholas (1915) 17 WALR 49 Dimitrios Michos & Another v Council of the City of Botany Bay [2012] NSWSC 625 Don Brass Foundry Pty Ltd v Stead (1948) 48 SR (NSW) 482 Gales Holdings Pty Ltd v Tweed Shire Council [2011] NSWSC 1128 Hargrave v Goldman (1963) 110 CLR 40 Hilton v James Smith & Sons (Norwood) Ltd (1979) 251 EG 1063 (CA) Hussain v Lancaster County Council [2000] QB1 (CA). Hutton v Martin Lewis Shipwrights Pty Ltd (unreported, Supreme Court of NSW, Bryson J, 19 May 1987) Kennaway v Thompson [1981] QB 88 Kraemers v A-G (Tas) [1966] Tas SR 113 March v Stramare (E & MH) [1991] HCA 12, (1991) 171 CLR 506 Murillo v SKM Services [2019] VSC 663 at [90]. Peden P/L & Ors v Bortolazzo [2006] QCA 350 Quick v Alpine Nurseries Sales Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 1248 Ross & Glendinning v Hancock & Co [1929] NZLR 204 Rylands v Fletcher [1868] UKHL 1; (1868) LR 3 HL 330 Sampson v Hodson Pressinger [1981] 3 All ER 710 (CA) Sedleigh-Denfield v O'Callaghan [1940] AC 880 Stockwell v Victoria [2001] VSC 497 Sykes v Connolly [1895] 11 WN (NSW) 145 Torette House Pty Ltd v Berkman (1940) 62 CLR 637 Woodhouse v Fitzgerald and McCoy (No 2) [2020] NSWSC 450 Texts Cited: Balkin & Davis, Law of Torts (LexisNexis Butterworths, 5th ed, 2013) Sappideen, Carolyn and Prue Vines (eds), Fleming's The Law of Torts (Lawbook, 10th ed, 2011) Villa, Dominic, Annotated Civil Liability Act 2002 (Thomson Reuters, 3rd ed, 2018) Young, M, S Loughnan and A Coorey, Court Forms, Precedents & Pleadings NSW – Nuisance Commentary (18 April 2018) Category: Principal judgment Parties: The Owners Strata Plan No. 72250 (Plaintiff) Letmin Pty Limited t/as Dubbo Powder Coating (First Defendant) Yangura Pty Limited (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr N. Simpson (Plaintiff) Mr B. McManus (First and Second Defendant)