Hyder v McGrath Sales Pty Ltd [2018] NSWCA 223

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Hyder v McGrath Sales Pty Ltd [2018] NSWCA 223 Hearing dates: 23 August 2018 Decision date: 04 October 2018 Before: McColl JA at [1]; Macfarlan JA at [2]; Emmett AJA at [108] Decision: Appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: CONSUMER LAW – misleading and deceptive conduct – sale of residential property – pre-sale statements as to availability of private parking made by respondent real estate agent orally and in advertising material – whether primary judge erred in finding that real estate agent engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct but did not cause purchaser any loss – whether primary judge erred in accepting respondent's valuation evidence – whether primary judge erred in finding purchaser two-thirds contributorily negligent – whether primary judgment could be supported on alternative ground that reasonable purchasers would have understood that real estate agent was merely passing on information obtained from the vendor and was thus a mere conduit Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW), s 5D(3)(b) Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), sch 2 Australian Consumer Law ss 18, 137B, 236 Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), s 66W Cases Cited: Borzi Smythe Pty Ltd v Campbell Holdings (NSW) Pty Ltd [2008] NSWCA 233 Butcher v Lachlan Elder Realty Pty Ltd (2004) 218 CLR 592; [2004] HCA 60 CH Real Estate Pty Ltd v Jainran Pty Ltd; Boyana Pty Ltd v Jainran Pty Ltd [2010] NSWCA 37; (2010) 14 BPR 27,361 Chappel v Hart (1998) 195 CLR 232; [1998] HCA 55 Como Investments Pty Ltd (in liq) v Yenald Nominees Pty Ltd (1997) ATPR 41-550 Dalton v Lawson Hill Estate Pty Ltd [2005] FCAFC 169; (2005) ATPR 42-079 Gould v Vaggelas (1985) 157 CLR 215; [1985] HCA 75 Henville v Walker (2001) 206 CLR 459; [2001] HCA 52 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 John G Glass Real Estate Pty Ltd v Karawi Constructions Pty Ltd (1993) ATPR 41-249 Pettey v Parsons [1914] 2 Ch 653 Tarabay v Leite [2008] NSWCA 259 Trewin v Felton [2007] NSWSC 851; (2007) 13 BPR 24,579 Yorke v Lucas (1985) 158 CLR 661; [1985] HCA 65 Texts Cited: Peter Butt, Land Law (7th ed, 2017, Thomson Reuters) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Amy Louise Hyder (Appellant) McGrath Sales Pty Limited (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: GKK Rich SC / J Sleight (Appellant) RCA Higgins SC / PJ Strickland (Respondent)