Landlord’s Liability under Defective Premises Act
In an important decision, the High Court has ruled that the duties owed by landlords under the Defective Premises Act 1972 are not endless and that any liability in respect of accidental injury suffered by tenants is dependent on proof of fault.
The case concerned an accident in which a council tenant fell into a sink hole which suddenly opened up whilst she was hanging her laundry out to dry. The hole was a result of long-term water seepage from a fractured pipe some distance underground.