Dinh v Nguyen [2017] NSWDC 156

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Dinh v Nguyen [2017] NSWDC 156 Hearing dates: 23, 24 and 26 May 2017 Date of orders: 29 June 2017 Decision date: 29 June 2017 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Gibson DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the defendant. (2) Plaintiffs pay defendant's costs. (3) Liberty to apply in relation to costs. Catchwords: TORT – professional negligence – landlord provided new refrigerator in leased premises subject to a clause which excluded the landlord's liability for its suitability and performance – whether a solicitor advising as to the terms of a lease breached his duty of care by not advising in relation to this clause – foreseeability – whether conduct fell short of the expected standard – causation – whether breach caused loss – whether the loss was in part attributable to a concurrent wrongdoer – mitigation – contributory negligence – quantum Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), ss 5B, 5D, 5E, 5R, 35 Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), Sch 2, Australian Consumer Law, s 236 Cases Cited: Abu‑Mahmoud v Consolidated Lawyers Pty Ltd [2015] NSWSC 547 Addenbrooke Pty Ltd v Duncan (No 2) [2017] FCAFC 76 Bebonis v Angelos (2003) 56 NSWLR 127 Chandra v Perpetual Trustees Victoria Ltd (2007) 13 BPR 25,259 Cullen v Sema [1998] NSWCA 65 Dhaildeal v Pade [2003] NSWCA 16 Finishing Services Pty Ltd v Lactos Fresh Pty Ltd [2006] FCAFC 177 Ginelle Finance Pty Ltd v Diakakis [2007] NSWSC 60 Heenan v Di Sisto [2008] NSWCA 25 Heydon v NRMA Ltd (2000) 51 NSWLR 1 Hunt & Hunt Lawyers v Mitchell Morgan Nominees Pty Ltd [2013] HCA 10 Kayteal Pty Ltd v Dignan (2011) 15 BPR 29,515 Lucantonio v Stichter [2014] NSWCA 5 Neill v New South Wales Fresh Food & Ice Pty Ltd (1963) 108 CLR 362 Perpetual Trustee Company Limited & anor v Peter Ishak [2012] NSWSC 697 Pilkington v Wood [1953] Ch 770 at 777 Provident Capital Ltd v Naumovski [2011] NSWSC 270 Schacht v Thompson and Staunton t/as Staunton & Thompson Lawyers [2012] NSWSC 168 Vella v Permanent Mortgages Pty Ltd [2008] NSWSC 505 Walker v Geo H Medlicott & So (1999) 1 WLR 727 Wallace v Kam [2013] HCA 19 Wardley Australia Ltd v Western Australia (1992) 175 CLR 514 Yates Property Corp Pty Ltd (in liq) v Boland (1998) 85 FCR 84 Category: Principal judgment Parties: First Plaintiff: Quang Thach Dinh Second Plaintiff: Kim Hoang Bui Defendant: Nathan Nguyen Representation: Counsel: Plaintiffs: Mr M Rollinson Defendant: Mr D Lloyd