Private Nuisance Flashcards
(37 cards)
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 .
Explain what it means by unreasonable use of land
this means that the use of the land which is the source of the nuisance must be unreasonable for a successful claim. there are fctors that affect this eg
considerations for example
- the sensitivity of the claimant
- the duration of the interference and the nuisance and the degree of interference
- the locality
- the reasonable foreseeability of the type of damage
- Any malice on the part of the defendant
What is meant by the character of the area( locality)
- this is a factor that is relevant in deciding whether there is a private nuisance for example Sturges v bridman “ what may be a nuisance in belgrave square would not necessarily be in bemondsey
- St helens smelting v tipping - there was a nuisance
is location more relevant than physical damage ?
- no physical damage is much more important than location
River cruises v kimbolton fireworks
What is meant by coming to a nuisance ?
this means that if a person comes/ moves towards the nuisance that was already there there is no liability eg Miller v jackson
What is meant by coming to a nuisance ?
this means that if a person comes/ moves towards the nuisance that was already there there is no liability eg Miller v jackson
What is meant by the duration and time of the nuisance ?
- This is a factor that must be considered when discussing the unreasonable use of land
- the duration of the nuisance can determine if there has been a nuisance for example in Hasley v Esso petroleum co ltd
- ## The nuisance generally has to be a continuing state of affairs this means the longer the nuisance goes on the more likely it is to be a nuisance eg in Crown river cruises ltd vKimbolton waterworks ltd even tho it was only 20 mins it still caused a nuisance because there was physical damage
What is meant by the duration and time of the nuisance ?
- This is a factor that must be considered when discussing the unreasonable use of land
- the duration of the nuisance can determine if there has been a nuisance for example in Hasley v Esso petroleum co ltd
- ## The nuisance generally has to be a continuing state of affairs this means the longer the nuisance goes on the more likely it is to be a nuisance eg in Crown river cruises ltd vKimbolton waterworks ltd even tho it was only 20 mins it still caused a nuisance because there was physical damage
What does it mean by Degree of interference ?
this is another consideration that suggests if there is a claim in public nuisance of not
- the greater the interference the more likely it is to be a nuisance
- the interference must materially interfere with ordinary existance
for example in the case of Murdock v Glacier metal
What does it mean by Degree of interference ?
this is another consideration that suggests if there is a claim in public nuisance of not
- the greater the interference the more likely it is to be a nuisance
- the interference must materially interfere with ordinary existance
for example in the case of Murdock v Glacier metal
