Cases - Oswald v Countrywide Surveyors Ltd

Record details

Name

Oswald v Countrywide Surveyors Ltd

Date

[1996]

Citation

37 EG 140

Keywords

Negligence in valuations and surveys

Summary

The claimant purchased a house for £225,000, following a negligent survey that valued it 'in the region of £215,000'. Its true value at the date of purchase (due to defects that the survey should have revealed) was only £165,000. In marked contrast to the Hardy case, the Court of Appeal here accepted the finding of the trial judge that the purchasers' decision to pay £225,000 could be attributed to the surveyors' negligence, even though the price exceeded their valuation of the property. Damages were accordingly assessed at £60,000 rather than £50,000.