In occupier's liability, what factors determine the standard of care?

• A. Type of building and owner's wealth.
• B. Visitor category and foreseeability of harm.
• C. Whether the occupier had insurance.
• D. The location of premises.

Answer: (B)

The level of care an occupier must show is shaped by who is on the premises and how likely harm is to occur. For lawful visitors, the occupier must take reasonable care to keep them safe, and what’s reasonable depends on the visitor’s status (for example, adults, children, or other classes of visitors) and the particular risks present. How foreseeable the harm is also matters: if a danger is obvious or the risk is low, the precautions required may be smaller; if a danger is serious and foreseeable, more steps are expected. This combination—the visitor category and the foreseeability of harm—determines the standard of care the occupier must meet.

The other options don’t affect the standard of care. The type of building or the owner’s wealth, whether the occupier has insurance, or the location of the premises do not set what a reasonable occupier must do in the circumstances.