Heidari - Dowling v Leisure Inn Sydney Central Pty Ltd

The applicants, Heidari and Dowling, brought a claim against Leisure Inn Sydney Central Pty Ltd in the Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman. The applicants alleged that they were misled by the respondent's advertisement of a hotel room, resulting in a contract that did not meet their expectations. They sought a remedy for breach of contract and for misleading or deceptive conduct under the Australian Consumer Law.

The court was required to determine whether the respondent had breached the contract and engaged in misleading or deceptive conduct. The applicants argued that the advertised price did not include certain charges, which were later added to their bill, and that the hotel did not meet the standard depicted in the advertisement. The respondent contended that the charges were disclosed and that the contract was valid.

The court found that the respondent breached the contract by charging additional fees not included in the advertised price. The court held that the additional charges were not clearly disclosed, which misled the applicants. Additionally, the court found that the hotel did not meet the standard depicted in the advertisement, which constituted misleading or deceptive conduct. The court ordered the respondent to pay the applicants $350, which included the additional charges and the cost of the room. The court did not award any additional damages for the misleading or deceptive conduct as the applicants did not suffer any loss as a result of the misrepresentation.