Hedley Byrne & Co Ltd v Heller & Partners Ltd [1963] UKHL

ON 28 MAY 1963, the House of Lords delivered Hedley Byrne & Co Ltd v Heller & Partners a Ltd [1964] AC 465; [1963] UKHL (28 May 1963).

http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKHL/1963/4.html

A negligent, although honest representation, may give rise to an action for damages for financial loss even if there was no contract between the advisor and the advisee and no fiduciary relationship. The law will imply a duty of care when the advisee seeks information from the advisor who has a special skill and where the advisee trusts the advisor to exercise due care, and that the advisor knew or ought to have known that reliance was being placed upon his skill and judgment.