Housman v Camuglia [2021] NSWCA 106

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Housman v Camuglia [2021] NSWCA 106 Hearing dates: 28 April 2021 Decision date: 26 May 2021 Before: Bell P at [1]; Leeming JA at [2]; White JA at [95]. Decision: Appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: CONTRACT - damages - claim for consequential loss - construction works caused damage to neighbour's land - claim for lost rent - trial judge found apartments unlettable in light of damage to stairway - finding based on evidence of landlord and letting agent - no reference in reasons to unchallenged engineering evidence that stairway safe - whether reasons of trial judge inadequate - inutility of inadequate reasons as a ground where appeal is by way of rehearing - whether trial judge misused evidence admitted on limited basis - no error made out APPEALS - requirement of leave - whether appellants required leave for separate challenge to costs order based on rejection of Calderbank offer in circumstances where there was an appeal as of right - construction of "an appeal from a judgment or order as to costs only" in District Court Act 1973 (NSW), s 127(2)(b) - history of s 127(2)(b) and s 101(2)(c) of Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) - history of United Kingdom antecedents - appellants entitled to challenge special costs order as of right COSTS - Calderbank letter - whether error in finding that appellants had unreasonably rejected offer - significance of factual error in letter - significance of offer being rejected before service of all evidence - no error made out Legislation Cited: Administration of Justice Act 1840 (NSW) (4 Vic No 22), s 21 Advancement of Justice Act 1841 (NSW) (5 Vic No 9), s 13 Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 (UK) Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5D, 5E Courts Legislation Further Amendment Act 1995 (NSW), Schedule 1 Item 1.3 [10] District Court Act 1973 (NSW) (prior to 1995), ss 126, 127, s 128(2A) District Court Act 1973 (NSW), s 127 District Courts Act 1858 (NSW) (22 Vic No 18), s 94 District Courts Act 1901 (NSW), s 107 District Courts Act 1912 (NSW), s 142 Equity Act 1880 (NSW), s 70 Equity Act 1901 (NSW), s 81 Judicature Act 1873 (UK), s 49 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) (as enacted), s 101(3)(a) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 101(2)(c) Supreme Court of Judicature (Consolidation) Act 1925 (UK), s 31 The Judicature Act 1883 (Vic) (47 Vic No 761), s 27 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) rr 36.16, 51.41 Cases Cited: AF Concrete Pumping Pty Ltd v Ryan [2014] NSWCA 346 Apache Northwest Pty Ltd v Department of Mines and Petroleum [2012] WASCA 167 Arena Management Pty Ltd (rec and mgr apptd) v Campbell Street Theatre Pty Ltd (2011) 80 NSWLR 652; [2011] NSWCA 128 Attenborough v Kemp (1861) 14 Moo PC 351; 15 ER 338 Attorney-General v Butcher (1827) 4 Russ 180; 38 ER 773 Bunge SA v Nidera BV [2015] UKSC 43; 3 All ER 1082 C G Maloney Pty Ltd v Noon [2011] NSWCA 397 Calderbank v Calderbank [1975] 3 All ER 333 Camuglia v Housman [2020] NSWDC 446 Camuglia v Housman (No 2) [2020] NSWDC 518 Capilano Honey Ltd v Dowling (No 2) [2018] NSWCA 217 Coffs Harbour City Council v Polglase [2020] NSWCA 265 Dasreef Pty Ltd v Hawchar [2010] NSWCA 154 Dight v Gordon (1863) 3 SCR Eq 62 Dillon v Gosford City Council [2011] NSWCA 328; 284 ALR 619 Dixon v Williams (1875) 13 SCR Eq 7 Dunn v Lowe (1876) 14 SCR 371 Dwyer v Calco Timbers Pty Ltd (2008) 234 CLR 124; [2008] HCA 13 Eberlein v Eberlein (1887) 8 LR (NSW) Eq 1 Harpham v Shacklock (1881) 19 Ch D 207 Harris v Aaron (1877) 4 Ch D 749 Inglis v Mansfield (1835) 3 Cl & Fin 362; 6 ER 1472 Jackmain (a pseudonym) v R (2020) 102 NSWLR 847; [2020] NSWCCA 150 Mussumat Keemee Baee v Latchman-das Narrain-das (1837) 1 Moo Ind App 470; 18 ER 188 Muswellbrook Shire Council v Hunter Valley Energy Pty Ltd [2019] NSWCA 216; 372 ALR 695 Owen v Griffith (1749) 1 Ves Sen 250; 27 ER 1012 Perara-Cathcart v The Queen (2017) 260 CLR 595; [2017] HCA 9 Richards v Birley (1864) 2 Moo PC (NS) 96; 15 ER 838 Road Chalets Pty Ltd v Thornton Motors Pty Ltd (1986) 47 SASR 532 Robinson v Sutton (1909) 9 SR (NSW) 295 Sahade v Bischoff [2015] NSWCA 418 Stephenson v Santos [2020] NSWCA 262 Tyco Australia Pty Ltd v Optus Networks Pty Ltd [2004] NSWCA 333 Vella v Commissioner of Police (NSW) [2019] HCA 38; 93 ALJR 1236 Victorian Stevedoring and General Contracting Co Pty Ltd v Dignan (1931) 46 CLR 73; [1931] HCA 34 Walsh v Law Society of New South Wales (1999) 198 CLR 73; [1999] HCA 33 Wheeler v Somerfield [1966] 2 QB 94 Yeo v Tatem (1871) 3 LR PC 696 Texts Cited: W Courtney, "Contract Damages and the Promisee's Role in its own Loss" (2019) 42(2) MULR 406 J Edelman, McGregor on Damages (21st ed, Sweet & Maxwell, 2021) M Leeming, "The Primary Judge in Equity" (2016) 90 ALJ 783 Morgan and Wurtzburg, A Treatise on the law of Costs in the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice (2nd ed, Stevens and Sons, London, 1882) W Parker, The Practice in Equity (New South Wales) (Law Book Co of Australasia Ltd, 1930) T Prince, ("Recent Cases: Coffs Harbour City Council v Polglase [2020] NSWCA 265" (2021) 95 ALJ 181 D Steele, "The Judicial House of Lords: Abolition and Restoration 1873-6" in L Blom-Cooper et al (eds), The Judicial House of Lords 1876-2009 (Oxford University Press, 2009) The Annual Practice 1961 (Sweet & Maxwell Ltd, London, 1960), Vol 1 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Bardia Housman (First Appellant) Beatriz Pena Alda (Second Appellant) Pacific Plus Constructions Pty Ltd (Third Appellant) Yolenda Camuglia (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J Turnbull SC, A Ahmad (Appellants) G Sirtes SC, G Rubagotti (Respondent)