Local Government – Landlord and Tenant. A landlord could be liable under s 4 of the Defective Premises Act 1972 by reason of a defect which would have been discovered if the landlord had implemented a system of regular inspection. In so holding, the Court of Appeal, Civil Division, allowed the claimant tenant's appeal and held that to hold to the contrary negated the purpose and spirit of s 4 which imposed upon a landlord a duty to take reasonable care to ensure that persons who might reasonably be affected by a defect were reasonably safe.