Private Nuisance Flashcards
What is a private nuisance ? what case established this
- A private nuisance is an interference with a person Enjoyment and use of his land
- established in Hunter v canary wharf
What are the three kinds of private nuisances ?
- Nuisance by encroachment a neighbours land eg the roots from a tree grow under the ground into my neighbours garden , damaging the foundations of my neighbours house
- Nuisance by direct physical injury to a neighbours land eg driving a car onto the neighbour garden damaging
- Nuisance by interference with a neighbours quiet enjoyment of his land: playing music to stop neighbours from sleeping
What are the two types of nuisances ?
- Private nuisance
- Public nuisance
What is private nuisance ?
Private nuisance is a land based tort that in order to be successful there needs to be an interest in the land
what are the things that need to be considered when discussing a successful claim of nuisance
- who can be a claimant
- who can be a defendant
- has there been an interference with the claimants use of enjoyment of the land
- Can the defendant establish a defence
- What remedies are available
What is meant by claimant ?
This means that
a claimant must have an interest in the land and this has been affected by the private nuisance this has been established in the case of Foster v warblington udc
- Hunter v Canary Wharf
What case established that the claimant must have an interest in the land ?
- Foster v Warblington UDC - which established that exclusive possession is regarded as having an interest in the land
- Malone v Laskey - no claim could be made because the wife didn’t have a direct interest in the land
- Khorasandjian v Bush -established that phone call harassment can be seen as a private nuisance because it affects the enjoyment of the land
What has the case of Hunter and others v canary wharf ltd and hunter and othees v london docklands corporation state ?
this case established that only one householder with a right to land can commence an action in private nuisance
Who can a defendant be ?
- The person who causes the nuisance or:
- someone who allows the nuisance to continue such as landlords
What cases illustrate the law on defendant regarding private nuisance?
- Sedleigh v o callaghan - this held that a person can be liable for being aware of the nuisance
- Tetley v chitty - established that landlords can be liable for private nuisance
Can occupiers be liable in private nuisance ?
- they can if they bear some personal responsibility for it for example
- the occupier was aware of the nuisance created by a stranger
- if the nuisance was created by an act of nature and she or he knew about it
- if the nuisance was created by the previous occupier and she or he knew about it
When can an landlord be liable for private nuisance ?
- if the landlord authorises the tenant to commit a private nuisance
- A private nuisance is created during the tenancy and there is no agreement and the tenant making the tenant responsible for the repairs
Explain what is meant by has there been an interference with the use of the land ?
- this suggests that an interference with the land can occur in two ways through:
- physical damage of the land, example In malone v laskey with vibrations. tehre can also be blocking pipes , flooding , dust
- Loss of amenity - this means loss of enjoyment for example in Wheeler v jj saunders and smells
- Kennaway v thompson - noise
What does loss of amenity mean ?
this means loss of enjoyment of the use of the land
What case can be used to show loss of amenity ?
- Wheeler v saunders smell.
- Kennway v thompson, noise .