Victoria Laundry (Windsor) Ltd. v. Newman Industries Ltd. [1949] 2 K.B 528

The claimant purchased a large boiler for use in their dying and laundry business. The defendant was aware that they wished to put it to immediate use and knew the nature of their business. The delivery of the boiler was delayed in breach of contract and the claimants brought an action for the loss of profit which the boiler would have made during the period in which the delivery was delayed. The claim contained a sum for a particularly lucrative contract which they lost due to the absence of the boiler.

Held:

The claimants could only recover losses which were in the reasonable contemplation of the parties which included the loss of profit that could be expected from the lack of use of the boiler, but the claimant could not recover for the loss of the exceptionally lucrative contract since the defendant was unaware of this contract.

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