The district auditor for Poplar Council had surcharged council members for making payments of a minimum wage of andpound;4 a week to their lowest grade of workers. This was notwithstanding that the cost of living had fallen during the year from 176% to 82% above its pre-First World War level. The council was motivated by … Continue reading Roberts v Hopwood: HL 1925
It was not possible for two trustees to retire, and be replaced by and leaving only one trustee, not being a trust corporation. The two trustees were not therefore discharged from the trust, and the solicitors who had advised them in the exercise had been negligent. A discharge of the second trustee could only be … Continue reading Adam and Company International Trustees Ltd and Others v Theodore Goddard (A firm): ChD 17 Mar 2000
The complainant has requested some information about the meetings of transition trustees and connected data. He received no response. The Commissioner gave British Waterways a number of opportunities to issue an appropriate response and it failed to do so. The Commissioner’s decision is that British Waterways has breached the requirements of section 1(1) in not … Continue reading British Waterways (Decision Notice) FS50419259: ICO 9 Feb 2012
RESTRICTIVE COVENANT – modification – proposed mosque and madrasah – whether objector acting as a custodian of the public interest or as a landowner of adjoining and adjacent land – whether substantial practical benefits – traffic, parking, noise – breach – whether discretion should be exercised to refuse application – application granted subject to acceptance … Continue reading The Trustees of The Green Masjid and Madrasah Re Yardley Wood Road: UTLC 6 Aug 2013
The appeal raised two points as to restrictive covenants: (a) Statutory annexation – whether the covenant was unenforceable, because the land intended to be benefited by the covenant could be easily or fully ascertained as to situation or extent for the purposes of s.78(1) of the Law of Property Act 1925; and (b) Breach – … Continue reading Trustees of The Coventry School Foundation v Whitehouse and Others: CA 18 Jul 2013
RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS – DISCHARGE – three houses built on part of golf course – 30- year covenants restricting residential development without consent – objector having no retained land – price for consent not a practical benefit – no loss or . .
The original trustees had puported to appoint to act in their stead a company and an individual. The beneficiaries said that the trust deed required two individuals, and a trust corporation was not such.
Held: The word ‘individuals’ in section . .
Appeal by the Defendants against an order declaring that the flank wall of 39HP which adjoins the Garden is a party wall within the meaning of section 38(1) of the 1925 Act and of section 20 of the 1996 Act. The issue on the appeal is whether the . .
The company found itself unable to fund the pension scheme it had committed itself to. If it sought to pay the money due, the company would have to go into liquidation. It did not meet the minimum funding requirements of the Act. The company . .
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Judges: Gloster, Patten, Floyd LJJ Citations: [2018] EWCA Civ 1082, [2018] WLR(D) 310 Links: Bailii, WLRD Statutes: Trustees Act 1925 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Agency, Torts – Other Updated: 22 April 2022; Ref: scu.616333
Long Relationship Not Enough for Interest in Home The parties lived together for 17 years but were not married. The woman took the man’s name, but beyond taking on usual household duties, she made no direct financial contribution to the house. She brought up their two children over 17 years. Latterly she went to work, … Continue reading Burns v Burns: CA 1984
The bank appealed against a decision that the simple deposit of deeds with a bank did not take effect as an equitable charge. Held: Depositing deeds with a bank is not sufficient to create a charge over them. The old law as to the creation of an equitable mortgage by deposit of deeds had been … Continue reading United Bank of Kuwait Plc v Sahib and Others: CA 2 Feb 1996
A covenant on the sale of land for a public house provided that the vendor should not permit the building of licensed premises within half a mile. Held: The covenant operated personally only. The covenants which might be implied by the section to bind successors in title also, could not be implied where the commercial … Continue reading Morrells of Oxford Ltd v Oxford United Football Club Ltd and Others: CA 21 Jul 2000
The claimant had an equitable charge over the property, and sought a possession order after failures to keep up repayments. The order was sought under the Act, and the claimants asserted that the conditions for the grant of possession were unchanged. Held: Parliament had clearly intended a change. The interests of a chargee ranked alongside … Continue reading Mortgage Corporation Ltd v Shaire and Another: ChD 25 Feb 2000
Family money had been placed into a trust to be managed by a bank. It was said that the bank had wrongly advanced money to the daughter allowing her to fritter away large parts of the capital Held: The bank had misunderstood the power of advancement given, and was liable to replace nearly pounds 15,000 … Continue reading Re Pauling’s Settlement Trusts: ChD 1962
The test under the section was whether it was inequitable to make the order for sale where one of the joint beneficiaries, who in that case were ex-husband and wife, wished to realise their investment in the property. Held: Referring to the statement of principle in in re Mayo, described as ‘a simple uncomplicated case … Continue reading Jones v Challenger: CA 1960
An assent by personal representatives is ‘the instrument or act whereby a personal representative effectuates a testamentary disposition by transferring the subject-matter of the disposition to the person entitled to it’, and must be in writing even if the assent is by the executors in their own favour as trustees. There had to be a … Continue reading Re King’s Will Trusts, Assheton v Boyne: ChD 1964
A scheme of arrangements was proposed on behalf of infant beneficiaries to three settlements. The object of the scheme was to avoid losses to the beneficiaries by reason of inheritance tax. Held: The court rejected the contention that it had an inherent jurisdiction to vary the beneficial interests in a trust fund designated by the … Continue reading In re Downshire Settled Estates: CA 1953
A new trustee was to be appointed. The beneficiaries, all of full age and capacity wanted the remaining trustee to appoint someone they nominated. The trustee purported to exercise the discretion given to him in the trust deed and appointed someone else. Held: The court would not interfere in the exercise of a discretion properly … Continue reading In Re Brockbank: 1948
Trustees in bankruptcy of bankrupt husbands successfully appealed for the removal of provisos delaying the operation of orders for sale made under s30 in respect of each husband’s matrimonial home for the benefit of that husband’s wife who had been declared by the judge at first instance to be an equal owner with the husband … Continue reading Re Citro, Lloyds Bank plc v Byrne and Byrne, Abbey National plc v Moss and others and Barclays Bank plc v Hendricks: CA 1991
The court was asked whether a building scheme had been established. Held: It had. The court set out the factors which must be shown to establish a building scheme on an estate; Both plaintiff and defendant’s titles must derive from the same vendor who must have laid out a definitive scheme for development before the … Continue reading Elliston v Reacher: ChD 1908
Limits to Police Exemption from Liability The claimant, an elderly lady was bowled over and injured when police were chasing a suspect through the streets. As they arrested him they fell over on top of her. She appealed against refusal of her claim in negligence. Held: Her appeal succeeded. It is normally only in a … Continue reading Robinson v Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police: SC 8 Feb 2018
Where money was raised on mortgage of registered land to discharge an existing incumbrance (and so in exercise of the power conferred by s.28(1) Law of Property Act 1925 by reference to s.71(1)(i) Settled Land Act 1925) and paid to two trustees for sale, the rights of occupying beneficiaries were overreached. [1986] Ch 605 England … Continue reading City of London Building Society v Flegg And Another: CA 1986
The defendant tenants, anticipating that the landlord might delay or refuse consent to a subletting entered into a ‘virtual assignment’ of the lease, an assignment in everything but the deed and with no registration. The lease contained a standard form prohibition against assignments or sub-letting. The defendants now appealed against a finding that they were … Continue reading Clarence House Ltd v National Westminster Bank Plc: CA 8 Dec 2009
A school board employed staff to manage a residential school for vulnerable children. The staff committed sexual abuse of the children. The school denied vicarious liability for the acts of the teachers. Held: ‘Vicarious liability is legal responsibility imposed on an employer, although he is himself free from blame, for a tort committed by his … Continue reading Lister and Others v Hesley Hall Ltd: HL 3 May 2001
The claimant was working in a prison supervising working prisoners. One of them dropped a bag of rice on her causing injury. At the County Curt, the prisoner was found negligence in the prisoner, but not the appellant for vicarious liability. The claimant’s appeal succeeded at the Court of Appeal. Held: The Minister’s appeal failed. … Continue reading Cox v Ministry of Justice: SC 2 Mar 2016
The rules of a pensions scheme were altered. It was required that any such alteration be in writing, but the trustees had not signed the document creating the amendment. Held: The words ‘writing under hand’ clearly required a signature, and the amendment was ineffective. No estoppel arose as against the members: ‘An avoidance of pedantry, … Continue reading Trustee Solutions Ltd and others v Dubery and Another: ChD 21 Jun 2006
This appeal concerns the question whether an area of land in Bath known as the Recreation Ground, commonly called ‘the Rec’, is still subject to a restrictive covenant imposed in a conveyance of the Rec dated 6 April 1922 (‘the 1922 conveyance’). That turns on the question whether there is anyone who can now claim … Continue reading Bath Rugby Ltd v Greenwood and Others: CA 21 Dec 2021
The parties disputed the effect of a conveyance of land from 1985 and an associated deed of variation. The variation added an easement which was argued by the purchaser to have attached to the land, and was said by the vendor to have been personal only. Held: The appeal was dismissed. The judge had correctly … Continue reading Allied London Industrial Properties Limited v Castleguard Properties Limited: CA 24 Jul 1997
The word ‘assigns’ was used to denote the successors in title to the land both of the original restrictive covenantor and of the original covenantee. Held: this was insufficient to enable a subsequent owner of the Mill Hill estate who did not have any express assignment of the benefit of the covenant to enforce the … Continue reading Renals v Cowlishaw: 1879
A father had granted an option over land to his son, but it had not been registered. The father later tried to frustrate the option by conveying the land to his wife for 500 pounds. The land was worth 40,000 pounds. When the son found out about it, he sought to exercise the option, and … Continue reading Midland Bank Trust Co Ltd v Green (No 1): HL 11 Dec 1980
Minor Irregularity in Break Notice Not Fatal Leases contained clauses allowing the tenant to break the lease by serving not less than six months notice to expire on the third anniversary of the commencement date of the term of the lease. The tenant gave notice to determine the leases on 12th January 1995, although the … Continue reading Mannai Investment Co Ltd v Eagle Star Assurance: HL 21 May 1997
The defendants had charged a property to the claimant bank to secure a guarantee of borrowings. The signatures were not witnessed as required under section 1(3) of the 1989 Act, and there were other misdescriptions. The bank sought a declaration as to the validity of the charge, and now applied for summary judgment. Held: Applying … Continue reading Bank of Scotland Plc v Waugh and Others: ChD 21 Jul 2014
LRA Rentcharges : Nature and Extent : Rectification or Setting Aside of Documents : Scope of Jurisdiction – Rentcharges – grant of lease over rentcharge to trustees to enforce payments due under a rentcharge – equitable status of lease pending registration – proof of title to rentcharge – proof of sums due and owing – … Continue reading Roberts and Others v Keegan: LRA 3 Mar 2014
The claimant sought rectification of the land register. In a development deal, an option agreement had not been registered, and the land sold on. The land was required to allow the building of a roundabout necessary for the intended store. An application had been made for registration of the option, but requisitions had not been … Continue reading Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd v Olympia Homes Limited, Hughes etc: ChD 17 Jun 2005
A clause in a trust deed may validly excuse trustees from personal liability for even gross negligence. The trustee was exempted from liability for loss or damage ‘unless such loss or damage shall be caused by his own actual fraud’. Held: The trustee was under no liability in absence of any dishonest intention. Millett LJ … Continue reading Armitage v Nurse; etc: CA 19 Mar 1997
The land owners sought relief from possession orders made under mortgages given in equity release schemes: ‘If the purchaser raises all or part of the purchase price on mortgage, and then defaults, the issue arises whether the mortgagee’s right to possession has priority over, or is subject to, any entitlement of the vendor to continue … Continue reading Cook v The Mortgage Business Plc: CA 24 Jan 2012
The authority was required to provide housing to the minor applicant, but she was too young to hold a legal estate. An equitable lease had been created, and she now appealed against an order for possession having broken the terms of the agreement, saying that the authority was in practice trustee for the tenant, and … Continue reading Alexander-David v London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham: CA 1 Apr 2009
Approprietary remedy against Fraudulent Agent The Court was asked whether a bribe or secret commission received by an agent is held by the agent on trust for his principal, or whether the principal merely has a claim for equitable compensation in a sum equal to the value of the bribe or commission. Held: The appeal … Continue reading FHR European Ventures Llp and Others v Cedar Capital Partners Llc: SC 16 Jul 2014
HL Capital gains tax – Trustees of fund appointed out of main settlement under special powers- – Whether liable for chargeable gain accruing to trustees of unappointed residue – Finance Act 1965, s 25(11) – Sch 10, para 12.A claim was made for the payment of Capital Gains Tax. It was material to that claim … Continue reading Roome v Edwards: HL 5 Feb 1981
Presumption of dedication dates back. The claimant tripped over a tree root raising a path in the park. The court was now asked whether the pathway through a public park, but which was not a public right of way, was maintainable at public expense as a highway governed by the 1980 Act. Held: As to … Continue reading Barlow v Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council: CA 1 Jun 2020
The beneficiary, a child was to inherit estates of his grandparents and parents, all of which were intestate. An application was made to vary the provisions in order to reduce the liability to Inheritance Tax. Held: A deferment of vesting might constitute a ‘benefit’ for the purposes of the 1958 Act, but it was an … Continue reading Wright and Another v Gater and Others: ChD 7 Nov 2011
Parents had each left a share of their estate to the bank on trusts for their disabled son. The revenue said that the gifts were caught by and taxable by virtue of sections 5, 49 and 89 of the 1984 Act, the residuary estates of both parents forming part of the son’s estate because section … Continue reading Barclays Bank Trust Company Ltd v Revenue and Customs: CA 14 Jul 2011
The appellant challenged a sale and rent back transaction. He said that the proposed purchaser had misrepresented the transaction to them. The Court was asked s whether the home owners had interests whose priority was protected by virtue of section 29(2)(a)(ii) of, and Schedule 3, paragraph 2, to the Land Registration Act 2002. Held: The … Continue reading Scott v Southern Pacific Mortgages Ltd and Others: SC 22 Oct 2014
The taxpayer imported swimwear for sale. The respondent had incorrectly indicated that such swimwear had one classification. The claimant sought to prevent the respondent reclassifying the goods, saying that they had made given binding tariff information. It depended on the proportion of rubber in the suits. The respondent viewed the calculation differently. Held: the commissioners … Continue reading Matalan Retail Ltd v Revenue and Customs: ChD 5 Aug 2009
Trustees of a settlement had exercised their power of advancement under the section, in order to save estate duty by transferring investments to be held on the trusts of a later settlement. However the actual effect of the advancement was that the trusts in remainder were void for perpetuity. Held: A trustee when exercising a … Continue reading Re Hastings-Bass; Hastings v Inland Revenue: CA 14 Mar 1974
The trustees proposed establishing a new trust in respect of the share of an estate to which an infant beneficiary had a contingent entitlement. A portion of the trust fund would be allocated to the new trust. Held: This was a lawful exercise of the statutory power of advancement. The new trusts must be read … Continue reading In Re Pilkington’s Will Trusts; Pilkington v Inland Revenue Commissioners: HL 8 Oct 1962
Testing for Mutual Wills The parties disputed whether wills were mutual. The claimants challenged the probate granted to a later will of their deceased mother, saying that her earlier will had been mutual and irrevocable after the death of their father. Held: The claim was established. ‘in my judgment this evidence would establish two agreements … Continue reading Legg and Another v Burton and Others: ChD 11 Aug 2017
The parties were not married, but had brought together their resources to purchase a home in the name of one of them. Nothing had been said about the respective shares on which the property was to be held. Held: The shares were to be assessed as at the time of the sale, not the time … Continue reading Oxley v Hiscock: CA 6 May 2004
Rectification or Setting Aside of Documents – Rentcharges – grant of lease over rentcharge to trustees to enforce payments due under a rentcharge – equitable status of lease pending registration – proof of title to rentcharge – proof of sums due and . .
Trustees applied to the court for orders under section 57(1) of the Trustee Act 1925, and under the court’s inherent jurisdiction, to extend their powers. . .
The Society, a charitable company regulated by statute, requested that it be permitted inter alia, to consolidate various different trust funds of which it was trustee for investment and accounting purposes.
Held: The application did not come . .
The income of a fund was to be held on trust for the support or benefit of the members of a class as the trustees might decide in their discretion. The trustees resolved in each of three successive periods to distribute part of the income to certain . .
The trustees of a large settlement made by Lord Vestey and his brother Sir Edmund Vestey exercised their discretion over the allocation of income with the apparent intention of income being accumulated during the minorities of a number of . .
Land had been purchased under compulsory purchase powers. It had been subject to restrictive covenants in favour of neighbouring land which would have prevented the development now implemented. The question was how the compensation should be . .
The court discussed the duty of trustees to sell in the absence of unanimity: ‘The trust for sale will prevail, unless all three trustees agree in exercising the power to postpone.’ . .
The court was asked to pierce the veil of incorporation of a company in the course of ancillary relief proceedings in a divorce. H had failed to co-operate with the court.
After a comprehensive review of all the authorities, Munby J said: ‘The . .
The court considered whether a deed of trust created a post nuptial settlement within the 1950 Act: ‘Inasmuch as the deed vested no property in trustees and created no successive legal or beneficial interests it had none of the attributes of a . .
An administrator de son tort, who was also a beneficiary, held the estate property on trust, and so could not establish adverse possession against the estate during the period of trusteeship. He held a sufficient interest in the assets already. A . .
A was by will given a right to reside rent-free in a house. She left due to ill health, and the trustees for sale sold. The question was whether A was entitled to the income of the proceeds of sale on the ground that the house was settled land and A . .
The trust was created in 1948, and provided gifts over, which had now failed. The court considered the construction of the term ‘stautory next of kin’. The possible beneficiaries claimed through being adopted, arguing that at the date of the last . .
Mrs Moss inherited the former matrimonial home. Her daughter (L) suggested that she transfer it into their joint names to ease its transfer on her mother’s death. It was agreed the house would never be sold during Mrs Moss’s lifetime. L borrowed . .
Major Stibbard had died appointing family members and a solicitor to act in his will. The family had become embroiled in bitter litigation. The defendants were appointed administrators with will annexed. As personal representatives of the last . .
G executed a deed surrendering his life interest in a trust fund in order to vest the property in his two children: the deed did not have that effect because of two errors (one of which was ignoring the fact that his life interest was subject to . .
The court was asked to consider the effectiveness of an unsigned assignment of a chose in action: ‘An assignment is only a legal assignment if it complies with s.136 of the 1925 Act. What that section requires is that there should be an ‘absolute . .
Application for declarations relating to the enforceability, meaning and effect of a restrictive covenant.
Held: The court stressed the dangers of allowing an overly commercial construction to override the clear language of the instrument. . .
The parties had agreed in a contract for the sale and purchase of land to exclude the application of section 49(2). The buyer had failed to comply with a notice to complete.
Held: The parties cannot contract out of section 49(2). The . .
The parties each had a charge over a property, and now disputed which had priority. The brewery appealed an order for rectification of the registers to reverse priority on the basis of an estoppel. The charge in their favour had been registered . .
The House was asked whether the taxpayer association was established for ‘Charitable purposes only’ so as to benefit from tax exemptions. The association promoted sporting activities among members of the Glasgow police.
Held: Though the . .
The creditor had assigned the debt, but without first giving the debtor defendant the necessary notice. A challenge was made to the ability of the assignee to bring the action, saying that the deed of trust appointed to circumvent the reluctance of . .
The applicant challenged the exercise of a power of sale under a mortgage, saying that the mortgagee’s purposes included purposes not those under the mortgage. The parties had been involved in an attempted development of a penthouse.
Held: The . .
The court upheld a declaration by the trial judge that the claimant was an equitable chargee under an equitable charge of the defendant’s property, notwithstanding that the claimant relied on an oral agreement by the defendant for the grant to the . .
The plaintiffs were Indian Chiefs from Canada. They complained that the 1982 Act which granted independence to Canada, had been passed without their consent, which they said was required. They feared the loss of rights embedded by historical . .
The defendant and his wife separated when she left the flat they shared. She accepted a new tenancy of other premises. The landlord claimed possession of the flat, saying that the tenancy had ended.
Held: There was no express surrender within . .
The plaintiffs had bought a cottage subjecty to a tenancy to the defendant. They sought possession saying that she held under a tenancy at will. It was a renancy for her life but described as a tenancy at will. The judge had held that the other . .
A couple bought a property and registered it in their own names with substantial financial assistance from the parents of one of them. The parents occupied the house with them. Without telling the parents, the owners borrowed again, executing . .
A property had been bought in the husband’s name. The wife made financial contributions to repayment of the charge, and thereby acquired an interest in it. The property was later charged by the paper owner to the claimant, who sought possession . .
A former partner in a firm could not set off sums due to him from the former partnership, against sums expended by remaining partners in acting to protect partnership property, and claimed from him. There was insufficient mutuality to enforce the . .
