AUYEUNG & ANOR v CHAN [1999] NSWCA 417

New South Wales Court of Appeal CITATION : AUYEUNG & ANOR v CHAN [1999] NSWCA 417 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40149/98 HEARING DATE(S) : 29 October 1999 JUDGMENT DATE : 26 November 1999

PARTIES : Sing Yuen Auyeung & Yuet Yuen Wong - Appellants Selina Ching Man Chan - Respondent JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Handley JA at 2; Sheller JA at 3

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : District Court LOWER COURT FILE NUMBER(S) : 1413/97 LOWER COURT JUDICIAL OFFICER : Dent DCJ

COUNSEL : M J Slattery QC/M A Ashurst - Appellants B A J Coles QC/N Potts - Respondent SOLICITORS : Kemp & Strang - Appellants McGrath Dicembre & Co - Respondent CATCHWORDS : FAIR TRADING ACT 1987 - misleading and deceptive conduct - lease of premises - restaurant - faulty air-conditioning - downturn in business - causation - damages ACTS CITED : Fair Trading Act 1987 Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) Archer v Brown [1985] QB 401 Clarke v Urquhart; Stracey v Urquhart [1930] AC 28 Doyle v Olby (Ironmongers) Ltd [1969] 2 QB 158 East v Maurer (1991) 1 WLR 461 Gates v City Mutual Life Assurance Society Ltd (1986) 160 CLR 1 Gould v Vaggelas (1984) 157 CLR 215 CASES CITED: Kizbeau Pty Ltd v WG & B Pty Ltd (1995) 184 CLR 281 Marks v GIO Australia Holdings Ltd (1998) 73 ALJR 12 Potts v Miller (1940) 64 CLR 282 Smith New Court Securities Limited v Citibank NA [1997] AC 254 Thompson v Ice Creameries of Australia Pty Ltd & Atchison (1998) ATPR 41-611 Toteff v Antonas (1952) 87 CLR 647 Twycross v Grant (1877) 2 CPD 469 Wardley Australia Ltd v Western Australia (1992) 175 CLR 514 DECISION : 1. Appeal allowed; 2. Set aside the verdict and judgment made by Judge Dent on 26 February 1998; 3. In lieu thereof order that there be a verdict for the plaintiff in the sum of $270,000 to take effect from 26 February 1998; 4. The defendants to pay the plaintiff's costs of the hearing at first instance and one-half of the plaintiff's costs of the appeal.