Pankhania v LB Hackney [2002] EWHC 2441

The claimants purchased property induced by a representation that the current occupiers of the property were contractual licensees, whose occupation could be terminated on giving 3 months notice. In fact the current occupant was in fact a tenant protected under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. This was a misrepresentation as to law which had previously been assumed not to be an actionable misrepresentation through analogy with case law based on restitutionary claims for mistake of law. The rule barring recovery for mistake of law was abolished by the House of Lords in Kleinwort Benson v Lincoln County council. The High court held that actions based on misrepresentation of law could now be actionable based upon that change of law. The claimant's action was therefore successful.

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