Riana Pty Ltd v The Owners - Strata Plan No 22336 [2007] NSWSC 1033

Reported Decision : (2008) NSW Titles Cases 80-124

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Riana Pty Ltd v The Owners - Strata Plan No 22336 [2007] NSWSC 1033 This decision has been amended. Please see the end of the judgment for a list of the amendments.

HEARING DATE(S) : 16 August 2007-17 August 2007

JUDGMENT DATE : 21 December 2007

JURISDICTION : Common Law

JUDGMENT OF : Rothman J

(i) Appeal against the decision and orders of the Consumer, Trader & Tenancy Tribunal in the matter of The Owners' – Strata Plan No 22336 v Riana Pty Ltd made or given on 7 December 2006 and 27 March 2007 in matter SCS 05/51321 be allowed;

(ii) The orders made on 7 December 2006 and 27 March 2007 in the aforesaid matter be set aside;

DECISION : (iii) The matter be remitted to the Consumer, Trader & Tenancy Tribunal for determination in accordance with law;

(iv) The first defendant pay the plaintiff's costs of and incidental to these proceedings, as agreed or assessed;

(v) To the extent otherwise entitled, the first defendant be granted an indemnity certificate pursuant to the terms of the Suitors' Fund Act 1951.

CATCHWORDS : CTTT APPEAL – error of law – expert evidence – Makita principles – whether failure to disclose adequately reasoning by expert – building valuation report – valuation of strata title units – failure to have evidence of actual value of units - ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – standing – whether party a "person".

Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal Act 2001 LEGISLATION CITED : Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 Strata Schemes Management Act 1996

Anderson Stuart & Ors v Treleaven & 1 Ors [2000] NSWSC 283 Anthony Hordern & Sons v Amalgamated Clothing and Allied Trades Union of Australia [1932] HCA 9; (1932) 47 CLR 1 Australian Broadcasting Tribunal v Bond (1990) 170 CLR 321 Beale v GIO of NSW (1997) 48 NSWLR 430 Kostas v HIA Insurance Services [2007] NSWSC 315 Krishna v DPP (NSW) [2007] NSWCCA 318 Lewis v Spencer [2007] NSWSC 1383 CASES CITED : Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles [2001] NSWCA 305; (2001) 52 NSWLR 705 Morris v The Queen (1987) 163 CLR 454 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority [1998] HCA 28; (1998) 194 CLR 355 Qantas Airways Ltd v Gubbins (1992) 28 NSWLR 26 R v R (1989) 18 NSWLR 74 R v War Pensions Appeal Entitlement Tribunal; Ex parte Bott (1933) 50 CLR 228 Saraswati v R [1991] HCA 21; (1991) 172 CLR 1 Spencer v The Commonwealth (1907) 5 CLR 418 University of Wollongong v Metwally [1984] HCA 74; (1984) 158 CLR 447