Dirk owns and runs a Small local store

Dirk owns and runs a small local store. Last week, Cong, a customer in the shop, through no fault of his own, tripped on a loose floor tile and fell onto some shelves. Due to his fall, Cong sprained his ankle; he also damaged his mobile phone that he was carrying at the time. The floor tiles had been laid the previous day by a local contractor with a questionable reputation, Fancy Flooring Limited.

During the evenings, Dirk puts a sign on the door of his shop that states ‘No school children between the hours of 18:00 and 20:00’. On Friday evening, Dirk reinstalled the shelves and mopped the floor. Salee, a 15-year-old schoolgirl, ignored the sign and came into the shop at 19:00 to buy some sweets. Salee slipped on the wet floor and broke her arm when she fell onto the shelves; she also smashed her wristwatch.

Advise Cong and Salee as to their potential claims under the Occupiers’ Liability Acts.