HL Deb 28 June 1956 vol 198 cc161-2

Under the Hotel Proprietors Act, 1956, a hotel proprietor may in certain circumstances be liable to make good any loss of or damage to a guest's property even though it was not due to any fault of the proprietor or staff of the hotel.

This liability however—

  1. (a) extends only to the property of guests who have engaged sleeping accommodation at the hotel;
  2. (b) is limited to £50 for any one article and a total of £100 in the case of any one guest except in the case of property which has been deposited, or offered for deposit, for safe custody;
  3. (c) does not cover motor-cars or other vehicles of any kind or horses or other live animals.

The display of this notice does not constitute an admission either that the Act applies to this hotel or that liability thereunder attaches to the proprietor of this hotel in any particular case.

5.3 p.m.

LORD SILKIN

My Lords, this Amendment is consequential on Amendment No. 1. I beg to move.

Amendment moved— Page 4, line 15, after ("kind") insert ("or any property left in them").(Lord Silkin.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

THE LORD CHANCELLOR

My Lords, I do not know whether I might just say this, with the permission of the House. As the noble Lord, Lord Silkin, has carried his Amendment to substitute "two hundred" for "one hundred" on page 2 of the Bill, a consequential Amendment will be needed in the Schedule—that is, on page 4 at line 11. The Amendment needed will be to leave out £100 and insert £200. I hope that in order that it may be dealt with at this stage, the noble Lord will move that as a consequential Amendment.

LORD SILKIN

My Lords, I beg to move.

Amendment moved— Page 4, line 11, leave oat ("£100") and insert ("£200").—(Lord Silkin.)

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

LORD SILKIN

My Lords, I beg to move this Amendment to omit the words "The display of". My reason is simple: the words are unnecessary. If you can save three words in a notice—the noble Lord opposite was anxious about saving cost—it may well improve, the notice and it reduces cost. Here is way of saving cost. I beg to move.

Amendment moved— Page 4, line 17, leave out ("The display of").—(Lord Silkin.)

LORD MERTHYR

My Lords, I agree that these words are unnecessary, and I accept this Amendment.

On Question, Amendment agreed to.

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