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OCCUPIERS' LIABILITY ACT (NORTHERN IRELAND) 1957 - SECT 3

Effect of contract on occupier's liability to third party.

3.(1) Where an occupier of premises is bound by contract to permit persons who
are strangers to the contract to enter or use the premises, the duty of care
which he owes to them as his visitors cannot be restricted or excluded by that
contract, but (subject to any provision of the contract to the contrary) shall
include the duty to perform his obligations under the contract, whether
undertaken for their protection or not, in so far as those obligations go
beyond the obligations otherwise involved in that duty.

(2) A contract shall not by virtue of this section have the effect, unless it
expressly so provides, of making an occupier who has taken all reasonable care
answerable to strangers to the contract for dangers due to the faulty
execution of any work of construction, maintenance or repair or other like
operation by persons other than himself, his servants and persons acting under
his direction and control.

(3) In this section "stranger to the contract" means a person not for the time
being entitled to the benefit of the contract as a party to it or as the
successor by assignment or otherwise of a party to it, and accordingly
includes a party to the contract who has ceased to be so entitled.

(4) Where by the terms or conditions governing any tenancy (including a
statutory tenancy which does not in law amount to a tenancy) either the
landlord or the tenant is bound, though not by contract, to permit persons to
enter or use premises of which he is the occupier, this section shall apply as
if the tenancy were a contract between the landlord and the tenant.

(5) This section, in so far as it prevents the common duty of care from being
restricted or excluded, applies to contracts entered into and tenancies
created before the commencement of this Act, as well as to those entered into
or created after its commencement; but, in so far as it enlarges the duty owed
by an occupier beyond the common duty of care, it shall have effect only in
relation to obligations which are undertaken after that commencement or which
are renewed by agreement (whether express or implied) after that commencement.


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© 1957 Crown Copyright

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