Is Your Furniture Making You Sick?

In Yuen Pui Man Ellen v. Majestic Furniture & Interior Design Limited (DCPI1960/2011), the Plaintiff purchased certain made-to-measure furniture from a renowned interior design company. The furniture turned out to emit toxic fumes at a high level and did not correspond with the sale description. Apart from seeking a refund of the purchase price of the furniture, the Plaintiff also brought a personal injury claim on the ground that the toxins emitted by the furniture affected her health.

Background

In July 2008, the Plaintiff visited the Defendant's store with a view to buying made-to-measure wooden household furniture. The salesmen who attended to her referred to newspapers clippings reporting that most furniture sold in Hong Kong would contain or be contaminated by toxins harmful to humans. She was assured this problem could be avoided if she purchased furniture from them. The salesmen also emphasised that their furniture was made of E-1 grade timber and