The Incorporated Owners of Hong Leong Industrial Complex and Another v. Hl Resources Ltd Formerly Known As Hong Leong Investment Co Ltd and Another

Read the full judgment text of CACV 189/2009 on BabelCite. This Court of Appeal judgment was delivered on 23 August 2010.

1. This is an application for leave to appeal to the Court of Final Appeal from a judgment of this Court given on 11 February 2010.  By that judgment, the Court upheld the decision of the judge below.  The claim had been in respect of a claim for damages for breach of the Deed of Mutual Covenant and an order for compensation in equity and an account and so forth.

Cited by 2 cases

Case No.CACV 189/2009
Court
Court of Appeal
Date23 Aug 2010
Judge
Case Document
100%Judiciary

CACV 189/2009

IN THE HIGH COURT OF THE

HONG KONG SPECIAL ADMINISTRATIVE REGION

COURT OF APPEAL

CIVIL APPEAL NO. 189 OF 2009

(ON APPEAL FROM HCA NO. 2572 OF 2005)

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BETWEEN    
  THE INCORPORATED OWNERS OF HONG LEONG INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX 1st Plaintiff
 

WING KEE PRODUCE LIMITED ONBEHALF OF ITSELF AND ALL OTHEROWNERS OF HONG LEONG INDUSTRIALCOMPLEX EXCEPT HL RESOURCESLIMITED FORMERLY KNOWN ASHONG LEONG INVESTMENT COMPANYLIMITED AND BRAND PROPERTYMANAGEMENT LIMITED FORMERLY KNOWN AS HONG LEONG INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX LIMITED

2nd Plaintiff
  and  
  HL RESOURCES LIMITEDFORMERLY KNOWN AS HONG LEONGINVESTMENT COMPANY LIMITED 1st Defendant
  BRAND PROPERTY MANAGEMENTLIMITED FORMERLY KNOWN ASHONG LEONG INDUSTRIALCOMPLEX LIMITED 2nd Defendant

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Before: Hon Rogers VP, Kwan JA and Stone J in Court

Date of Hearing: 23 August 2010

Date of Judgment: 23 August 2010

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J U D G M E N T

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Hon Rogers VP:

1.This is an application for leave to appeal to the Court of Final Appeal from a judgment of this Court given on 11 February 2010.  By that judgment, the Court upheld the decision of the judge below.  The claim had been in respect of a claim for damages for breach of the Deed of Mutual Covenant and an order for compensation in equity and an account and so forth.

2.This application for leave to appeal is put upon two grounds.  The first ground is that it comes within section 22(1)(a) of the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal Ordinance, Cap. 484.

3.In my view, in light of the numerous decisions of the Court of Final Appeal in respect of the interpretation of section 22(1)(a), it is quite clear that the claims in this case are not liquidated claims.  In the Statement of Claim, reference is made to various sums but the claims are in respect of damages and in respect of account of profits and these, by their very nature, are unliquidated.  In view of the decisions of the Court of Final Appeal, I have no hesitation whatsoever in refusing the application on that ground.

4.The second ground of the application for leave to appeal is that this case involves a matter of great general or public importance, on the basis that it involves the waterproofing layer in a building.  In my view, there are no grounds for saying that it is a matter of great general or public importance.  In the first place, the decision purely turned upon the factual dispute and the expert evidence in respect of the issues.  In the second place, it also involves interpretation of the Deed of Mutual Covenant, and although there are, of course, many buildings in Hong Kong, I do not see that the matters raised in this case can be characterised as matters of great general or public importance.  I therefore would not grant leave in respect of that subsection either.

5.I would therefore dismiss this application.

Hon Kwan JA:

6.I agree with the judgment of the Vice-President.

Hon Stone J:

7.I also agree.

(Anthony Rogers) (Susan Kwan) (William Stone)
Vice-President Justice of Appeal Judge of the Court of First Instance

Mr Simon K C Lam, instructed by Messrs Poon, Yeung & Li, for the 1st and 2nd Plaintiffs/Applicants

Mr Lee Tung-ming, instructed by Messrs Lo & Lo, for the 1st and 2nd Defendants/Respondents