← All Authorities
United Kingdom Leading Case expectation damages

Ruxley Electronics and Construction Ltd v Forsyth

[1996] AC 344
JurisdictionUnited Kingdom
CourtUK House of Lords
Year1996
StatusBinding authority

Summary

Where cost of cure is disproportionate to benefit obtained, damages for defective performance may be limited to diminution in value or loss of amenity rather than cost of reinstatement.

Key Principle

measure of damages; cost of cure versus diminution in value; reasonableness

Area of Law

Contract — Breach and Remedies

Related Cases

Cavendish Square Holding BV v Talal El Makdessi [2015] UKSC 67

The UKSC reformulated the penalty clause rule, replacing the Dunlop test with a legitimate interest test asking whether the clause is extravagant or unconscionable relative to that interest.

Transfield Shipping Inc v Mercator Shipping Inc (The Achilleas) [2008] UKHL 48

Remoteness of damage in contract may depend on whether the defendant assumed responsibility for the type of loss, not merely reasonable contemplation.

Golden Strait Corporation v Nippon Yusen Kubishika Kaisha (The Golden Victory) [2007] UKHL 12

Where a charterparty was repudiated, damages are assessed by reference to subsequent events that would have terminated the contract early, reducing the award accordingly.

Ask CommonBench about this case

Get a detailed analysis of Ruxley Electronics and Construction Ltd v Forsyth and how it applies to your situation.

Explain Ruxley Electronics and Constru...