There was no duty in negligent mis-statement from a vendor’s estate agent to a purchaser for that purchaser’s financial loss after proceeding without first obtaining a survey relying upon the agent.
Hobhouse LJ said: ‘On the Sunday, Mr. Scott knew, or ought to have known, that his representation was likely to be relied on by Mr. McCullagh. However, he also knew that Mr. McCullagh had the Lane Fox particulars which included both the relevant statement and the disclaimer. In my judgment, the result of this is that the element of proximity was negatived. A reasonable person, appreciating that the statement which he was proposing to rely upon was a statement contained in the particulars and the fact that those particulars also stated that ‘all statements contained in these particulars as to this property are made without responsibility on the part of Lane Fox . . ‘ would understand that there was no assumption of responsibility by Lane Fox. This understanding would be reinforced by paras 3, 4 and 5 of the disclaimer. In my judgment, the disclaimer puts the present case on all fours with the actual decision in Hedley Byrne as explained earlier.’
Judges:
Hobhouse LJ
Citations:
Times 22-Dec-1995, [1996] 1 EGLR 35, [1995] EWCA Civ 8, [1996] PNLR 205
Links:
Jurisdiction:
England and Wales
Citing:
Appeal from – McCullagh v Lane Fox and Partners Ltd QBD 25-Jan-1994
A vendor’s estate agent was liable for a negligent misrepresentation to a party proceeding with a purchase relying upon what had been said, and without his own survey. . .
Cited – Hedley Byrne and Co Ltd v Heller and Partners Ltd HL 28-May-1963
Banker’s Liability for Negligent Reference
The appellants were advertising agents. They were liable themselves for advertising space taken for a client, and had sought a financial reference from the defendant bankers to the client. The reference was negligent, but the bankers denied any . .
Cited by:
Appealed to – McCullagh v Lane Fox and Partners Ltd QBD 25-Jan-1994
A vendor’s estate agent was liable for a negligent misrepresentation to a party proceeding with a purchase relying upon what had been said, and without his own survey. . .
Cited – First National Commercial Bank Plc v Loxleys (a Firm) CA 6-Nov-1996
The plaintiff claimed damages from the seller of land and from their solicitors for misrepresentation in the replies to enquiries before contract. He appealed a striking out of his claim.
Held: A lawyer’s disclaimer placed on his Replies to . .
Cited – Avrora Fine Arts Investment Ltd v Christie, Manson and Woods Ltd ChD 27-Jul-2012
The claimants had bought a painting (Odalisque) through the defendant auctioneers. They now claimed that it had been misattributed to Kustodiev, and claimed in negligence and misrepresentation.
Held: Based on the connoisseurship evidence, the . .
Lists of cited by and citing cases may be incomplete.
Agency, Professional Negligence
Updated: 09 December 2022; Ref: scu.83515