The Law Reports (Appeal Cases)
[1966] AC 552
[HOUSE OF LORDS]
WHEAT APPELLANT AND E. LACON & CO. LTD. RESPONDENTS
1965 Dec. 13,
14,
15,
16;
1966 Feb. 15
1966 Feb. 15
VISCOUNT DILHORNE, LORD DENNING, LORD MORRIS OF BORTH-Y-GEST, LORD PEARCE and LORD PEARSON.
Occupiers' Liability
— “Occupation”
— Inn
— Manager employed by owners of inn
— Manager's wife allowed to take in paying guests in private part of premises
— Right of owners to enter private part for specific purposes
— Paying guest killed by f all on staircase in private part
— Whether owners in “occupation”
— Whether any duty of care owed
— Whether in breach of duty
—
Occupiers' Liability Act, 1957 (5 & 6 Eliz. 2, c. 31), ss. 1, 2.
Occupiers' Liability
— Common duty of care
— Inn
— Paying guest killed by fall on staircase
— Staircase left unlighted by manager
— Standard of care
— Liability of owners of inn
—
Occupiers' Liability Act, 1957, ss. 1, 2.
Negligence
— Contributory negligence
— Duty owed by injured party
— Descending staircase in dark
— Duty to act carefully
— Death of injured party
— Whether contributory negligence.
Court of Appeal
— Fact, question of
— Appeal from lower court
— Duty of appellate court to decide what inference should be drawn from undisputed evidence
— Fall down stairs in dark
— Cause of fall.