The Owners – Strata Plan No 87265 v Saaib (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 394

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: The Owners – Strata Plan No 87265 v Saaib (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 394 Hearing dates: On the papers Date of orders: 21 April 2021 Decision date: 21 April 2021 Jurisdiction: Equity - Technology and Construction List Before: Henry J Decision: (1) Order (2) made on 1 March 2021 be varied so as to provide: Subject to any costs orders already made in the proceedings, the Plaintiff to pay the First Defendant's costs: (a) up to and including 30 July 2019 as assessed or agreed on the ordinary basis; and (b) thereafter on an indemnity basis. (2) The Plaintiff to pay the First Defendant's costs of this application on the ordinary basis. Catchwords: COSTS – exceptions to general rule that costs follow the event – offers of compromise – walk away offers made by defendant in early and late stages of proceedings – no real element of compromise in early offer – evidence available at date of later offer raised significant difficulties for plaintiff's claim – indemnity costs awarded on basis of later offer under Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) r 42.15A Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), ss 56(1)–(2) Home Building Act 1989 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), rr 12.3, 20.26, 42.1, 42.15A Cases Cited: Alexander v Cambridge Credit Corp Ltd (1985) 2 NSWLR 685 Andrews v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [1979] 2 NSWLR 184 Bridges v Australian Consolidated Press Ltd (Court of Appeal (NSW), 16 June 1970, unrep) Caine v Lumley General Insurance Ltd (No 2) [2008] NSWCA 109 Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 WLR 586 Chen v Lym International Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 121 Clark v Commissioner of Taxation (2010) 222 FCR 102; [2010] FCA 415 Consolidated Lawyers Ltd v Abu-Mahmoud [2016] NSWCA 4 Hungry Jack's Pty Ltd v Fourtounas (No 2) [2021] NSWCA 26 Leach v The Nominal Defendant (QBE Insurance (Australia) Ltd) (No 2) [2014] NSWCA 391 Loulach Developments Pty Ltd v Roads and Maritime Services (No 2) [2019] NSWSC 601 Macquarie Radio Network Pty Ltd v Dent (No 2) [2007] NSWCA 339 New South Wales Bar Association v Stevens [2003] NSWCA 95 Nominal Defendant v Hawkins [2011] NSWCA 93 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 Prospect Resources Ltd v Molyneux [2015] NSWCA 171 Regency Media Pty Ltd v AAV Australia Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 368 Richardson v Lindsay [2019] NSWCA 30 South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service v King [2006] NSWCA 2 South Western Sydney Local Health District v Gould (No 2) [2018] NSWCA 160 Taheri v Vitek (No 2) [2014] NSWCA 344 Walker v Harwood [2017] NSWCA 228 Woolworths Limited v Strong (No 2) (2011) 80 NSWLR 445; [2011] NSWCA 72 YWCA Australia v Chief Commissioner of State Revenue (No 2) [2021] NSWSC 102 Zhou v Xie [2020] NSWSC 1367 Ziliotto v Hakim [2013] NSWCA 359 Texts Cited: Nil Category: Costs Parties: The Owners – Strata Plan No 87265 (Plaintiff) Tony Saaib (First Defendant) Representation: Counsel: N Kidd SC with S Ahmed (Plaintiff) S Lawrance with M Fernandes (First Defendant)