Rayner & Anor v Trabme Pty Ltd t/as Elders Redcliffe

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CITATION: Rayner & Anor v Trabme Pty Ltd t/as Elders Redcliffe [2013] QCATA 212
PARTIES: Julie Rayner
Sean Rayner
(Applicants/Appellants)
v
Trabme Pty Ltd t/as Elders Redcliffe
(Respondent)
APPLICATION NUMBER: APL075-13
MATTER TYPE: Appeals
HEARING DATE: On the papers
HEARD AT: Brisbane
DECISION OF: Justice Alan Wilson, President
DELIVERED ON: 26 July 2013
DELIVERED AT: Brisbane
ORDERS MADE:

1.   Application for leave to appeal dismissed.

2.   Application to investigate contempt of tribunal dismissed.

CATCHWORDS:

APPEAL – LEAVE TO APPEAL – MINOR CIVIL DISPUTE – RESIDENTIAL TENANCY – where applicants entered into tenancy agreement for premises managed by the respondent – where applicants were given notice to leave – where applicants filed an application for a rent decrease and a request for compensation – where the Tribunal dismissed the application and request – where the applicants seek leave to appeal that decision – where the applicants also seek to appeal decisions from former proceedings – where applicants contend there was a breach of natural justice – where the applicants submit the Tribunal relied on false and misleading information given by the principal of respondent during former proceedings – whether breach of natural justice – whether leave to appeal should be granted

NATURAL JUSTICE – PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – where Tribunal must take all reasonable steps to ensure each party to a proceeding understands practices and procedures of the Tribunal – where applicants lodged the incorrect type of application – where application was dismissed because the applicants did not participate in mandatory conciliation process identified in correct application – where applicants contend the Tribunal should have identified the error before the hearing – whether duty to ensure parties understand practices and procedures of Tribunal includes identifying errors in application

PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – CONTEMPT – where application for Tribunal to investigate whether principal of respondent was in contempt of tribunal by giving false and misleading information – where Tribunal has power to punish for contempt of tribunal – where a person may be in contempt of tribunal if the person commits an offence against Part 1, Chapter 5 of the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2009 – where giving false or misleading information in a material particular is an offence against that part – where all proceedings for contempt must be proved beyond reasonable doubt – whether beyond reasonable doubt principal was in contempt of tribunal – whether information alleged to be false or misleading given in a material particular

Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal Act 2009 (Qld), s 4(c), s 28, s 29(1), s 137, s 138, s 139(5), s 216, 218(1)(g), s 219, Schedule 3
Residential Tenancies and Rooming Accommodation Act 2008 (Qld), s 70(2)(b), s 94, s 281, s 282, s 284, s 286, s 291, s 326(1), s 402, s 415(5), s 416

Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal Rules 2009 (Qld), r 99
Uniform Civil Procedures Rules 1999 (Qld), r 922

Big4 Brisbane Northside Caravan Village v Schliebs [2012] QCAT 277, cited
Cachia v Grech [2009]…

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Details
Case
[2013] QCATA 212
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The applicants, Rayner and another, sought leave to appeal against a decision made by the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal in relation to a residential tenancy dispute with Trabme Pty Ltd, trading as Elders Redcliffe. The applicants had entered into a tenancy agreement for premises managed by the respondents but were subsequently given notice to vacate. They filed an application for a rent decrease and compensation, which the Tribunal dismissed. The applicants now sought to appeal the decision, as well as decisions from previous proceedings, and also sought to have the Tribunal investigate whether the principal of the respondents was in contempt for providing false and misleading information during the former proceedings.

The court considered whether the Tribunal had breached natural justice by not identifying that the applicants had lodged the incorrect type of application, which led to its dismissal. The applicants argued that the Tribunal should have identified the error before the hearing. The court also examined whether the Tribunal had a duty to ensure that parties understood the practices and procedures, which included identifying errors in applications. Furthermore, the court addressed whether the Tribunal should investigate the principal of the respondents for contempt based on the allegation that they provided false and misleading information during the former proceedings.

The court found that the Tribunal had not breached natural justice, as there was no duty on the Tribunal to identify errors in applications. The court also determined that the principal of the respondents was not in contempt of the Tribunal because the alleged false or misleading information was not in a material particular and the evidence did not prove the allegation beyond reasonable doubt. Therefore, the application for leave to appeal was dismissed, and the application to investigate contempt of the Tribunal was also dismissed.

In conclusion, the court dismissed both the application for leave to appeal and the application to investigate contempt of the Tribunal. The decision highlights the importance of understanding and correctly lodging applications with the Tribunal and the high standard of proof required to establish contempt of the Tribunal.

Orders

Orders of the court

1. Application for leave to appeal dismissed.

2. Application to investigate contempt of tribunal dismissed.

Background

Background to the litigation

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Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

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Decision

Reasons for decision

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Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

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