COAL AUTHORITY REPORTS: RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACCURACY

Mason v The Coal Authority; Flaherty and another v The Coal Authority (unreported, 15 March 2001, QBD)

Luke Harris, Barrister

Where the prospective purchaser of a house requests the Coal Authority to produce a coal mining report, in consideration of a fee, the Coal Authority is under a duty, when making its report, to take into account the possibility that its records may be inaccurate or unreliable. Accordingly, it is insufficient to inform the enquirer that the records show that there are no mineshafts or adits in the vicinity of the property, without also highlighting the danger of possible inaccuracy.