Final answer:
In Hollier v Rambler Motors, the Court of Appeal held that a repair garage owed a customer a duty of care limited to the obligations in their contract, and tortious liability for negligence would only arise from a failure to meet expected professional standards of workmanship.
Step-by-step explanation:
The case of Hollier v Rambler Motors (AMC) Ltd [1972] 2 QB 71, is a significant case in the area of tort law, specifically concerning the law of negligence and occupiers' liability. The ratio decidendi of this case, which establishes the legal principle to be drawn from the judgment, illustrates the liability of a business occupier to a customer regarding care. The Court of Appeal held that a repair garage owed a duty of care to a customer's car, but this duty was limited to the obligations set out in the contractual agreement between the parties, and tortious liability would only arise where there was a failure to meet the standards of competent workmanship expected of the profession. In this case, the plaintiff's car was damaged by fire while in the defendant's garage, but the court determined that there was no breach of duty as the fire was accidental and not due to any negligence.