Ridis v Strata Plan 10308 [2005] NSWCA 246

Reported Decision : 63 NSWLR 449

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION: Ridis v Strata Plan 10308 [2005] NSWCA 246

HEARING DATE(S): 10 May 2005

JUDGMENT DATE: 1 August 2005

JUDGMENT OF: Hodgson JA at 1; Tobias JA at 14; McColl JA at 77

DECISION: Appeal dismissed with costs

CATCHWORDS: NEGLIGENCE - Personal injury - Occupiers' liability - Breach of duty of care - Nature and extent of owners corporations' statutory duties of maintenance and repair - Resident injured when glass in front door of building shattered over his arm - Whether owners corporation of building under a duty to inspect and replace glass in accordance with current safety standards - Whether s 62 of the Strata Schemes Management Act 1996 imposed on owners' corporation duty to inspect common property over and above that of occupier at common law

Building Units and Groups Titles Act 1980 (Qld) Conveyancing (Strata Titles) Act 1961 Mines and Quarries Act 1954 (UK) Occupiers' Liability Act 1985 (WA) LEGISLATION CITED: Residential Tenancies Act 1987 (WA) Strata Schemes (Freehold Development) Act 1973 Strata Schemes Management Act 1996 Strata Schemes Management (Miscellaneous Amendments) Act 1996 Strata Titles Act 1973

Abela v Giew (1965) 65 SR (NSW) 485 Ahluwalia v Robinson [2003] NSWCA 175 Aslanidis v Atsidakos (Court of Appeal, unreported 13 February 1989) Australian Safeway Stores Pty Ltd v Zaluzna [1987] HCA 7; (1987) 162 CLR 479 Baker v Gilbert [2003] NSWCA 113 Brodie v Singleton Shire Council; Ghantous v Hawkesbury Shire Council [2001] HCA 29; (2001) 206 CLR 512 Calin v Greater Union Organisation Pty Ltd [1991] HCA 23; (1991) 173 CLR 33 Carre v Owners Corporation - SP 53020 [2003] NSWSC 397; (2003) 58 NSWLR 302 CIC Insurance Ltd v Bankstown Football Club Ltd [1997] HCA 2; (1997) 187 CLR 384 Francis v Lewis [2003] NSWCA 152 Greetings Oxford Koala Hotel Pty Ltd v Oxford Square Investments Pty Ltd (1989) 18 NSWLR 33 Grunwick Processing Laboratories Ltd v Advisory Conciliation & Arbitration Service [1978] AC 655 Hackshaw v Shaw [1984] HCA 84; (1984) 155 CLR 614 Hamilton v National Coal Board [1960] AC 633 Haydon v Kent County Council [1978] QB 343 Houghton v Immer (No 155) Pty Ltd (1997) 44 NSWLR 46 Hoyts Pty Ltd v Burns [2003] HCA 61; (2003) 77 ALJR 1934 Humphries v Proprietors Surfers Palms North Group Titles Plan 1955 [1994] HCA 21; (1994) 179 CLR 597 Jacklin v Proprietors of Strata Plan No 2795 [1975] 1 NSWLR 15 Jones v Bartlett [2000] HCA 56; (2000) 205 CLR 166 King v Stewart (1994) 85 LGERA 384 Lin v Owners - Strata Plan No 50276 [2004] NSWSC 88; (2004) 11 BPR 21,463 CASES CITED: Lubrano v Proprietors of Strata Plan No 4038 (1993) 6 BPR 13,308 Margiz Pty Ltd v Proprietors Strata Plan No 30234 (1993) 30 NSWLR 364 Network Ten Pty Ltd v TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 14; (2004) 78 ALJR 585 O'Connor v SP Bray Ltd [1937] HCA 18; (1937) 56 CLR 464 Ordukaya v Hicks [2000] NSWCA 180 Owners - Strata Plan No 43551 v Walter Construction Group Ltd [2004] NSWCA 429 Phillis v Daly (1988) 15 NSWLR 65 Proprietors of Strata Plan 159 v Blake (1986) CCH Strata Titles Cases 30-068 Proprietors of Strata Plan No 6522 v Furney [1976] 1 NSWLR 412 Proprietors Strata Plan No 30234 v Margiz Pty Ltd (1993) 32 NSWLR 294 Puflett v Proprietors of Strata Plan No 121 (1987) 17 NSWLR 372 Sattel v Proprietors Be Bees Tropical Apartments Building Units Plan Number 71593 [2001] QCA 560; [2002] 2 Qd R 427 Short v Barrett (Court of Appeal, unreported 5 October 1990) Sibley v Kais [1967] HCA 43; (1967) 118 CLR 424 Simons v Body Corporate Strata Plan No 5181 [1980] VR 103 Stannus v Graham (1994) Aust Torts Reports 81-293 Tame v New South Wales (2002) 211 CLR 317 Tucker v McCann [1948] VLR 222 Watson v George [1953] HCA 41; (1953) 89 CLR 409 Western Suburbs Hospital v Currie (1987) 9 NSWLR 511 Wilkinson v Law Courts Ltd [2001] NSWCA 196 Wyong Shire Council v Shirt [1980] HCA 12; (1980) 146 CLR 40