The plaintiffs had paid deposits for apartments which were to be built. After the developer became insolvent the plaintiffs sought recovery of the deposits, saying they had a lien which preceded the claims of chargees. Held: The one appeal failed and another succeeded. ‘the circumstances in which a purchaser’s lien will arise are not limited … Continue reading Chattey and Another v Farndale Holdings Inc and others: CA 11 Oct 1996
The knowledge of a solicitor, acting for both the borrower and the lender, of the lay clients intentions as regards the future use of the loan, is not to be imputed to the lender, even though the solicitor acts for both parties, and is the lender’s agent.Morritt LJ discussed section 199: ‘Counsel for the wife … Continue reading Halifax Mortgage Services Ltd (Formerly BNP Mortgages Ltd) v Stepsky and Another: CA 1 Dec 1995
The landlord served a section 146 notice and the tenant served a counternotice under the 1938 Act. The landlord sought leave to forfeit the lease. Held: Leave was given under ground (e) to forfeit the lease of a public house which had closed for business in 1998 and then had been vandalised and finally destroyed … Continue reading Landmaster Properties Limited v Thackeray Property Services Limited: 2003
The Borough’s tenant had died. His wife and daughter had lived with him, but the mother not for long enough to succeed to his tenancy. The daughter (aged thirteen) claimed to have done so having lived with him for three years. Held: The 1985 Act did not limit its effects to adults. A minor may … Continue reading Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames v Prince and Another: CA 2 Dec 1998
The land-owners applied for a variation of a restrictive covenant to allow them to put a second house on their plot. They had bought out the right of the original builder, but a neighbour also had the benefit of the covenant. They now appealed the nil compensation awarded. Held: ‘it is perhaps difficult, as a … Continue reading Winter and Another v Traditional and Contemporary Contracts Ltd: CA 7 Nov 2007
Appeal, by way of case stated, from a decision of the Lands Tribunal refusing to order the discharge of certain restrictions affecting land of which the appellant, the University of Westminster, is the freehold owner. Judges: Swinton Thomas, Waller, Chadwick LJJ Citations: [1998] 3 All ER 1014, [1998] EWCA Civ 1215 Links: Bailii Statutes: Law … Continue reading In the Matter of University of Westminster: CA 15 Jul 1998
The claimant sought an order to prevent the respondent erecting a building on Greenham Common. The respondent had argued that the rights of common had been removed by conveyance and the land was not registered as a common. Held: ‘under no conceivable circumstances could Miss Howse establish that the building of the enterprise centre on … Continue reading Howse v Newbury District Council: CA 7 Apr 1998
The parties disputed whether a contract had been entered into for the sale of land, and whether new evidence could be entered on an appeal against a strike out. The estate agents had signed a contract as agents for the mortgagee in possession, but the mortgagee said that they has acted outside their agency. Eventually … Continue reading Rudra v Abbey National Plc and Stickley and Kent (Risk Management Unit) Limited: CA 26 Feb 1998
The applicant had sought removal of a fence erected near Greenham Common airbase. She sought leave to appeal an order refusing its removal. The land was a common. Held: The fence served a proper purpose, and there were insufficient grounds to expect any success on an appeal. Leave refused. Citations: [1998] EWCA Civ 393 Statutes: … Continue reading Howse and others v Secretary Of State for Defence: CA 4 Mar 1998
A common right of grazing which was quantified but not related to the ability of the land to sustain it was capable of existing in gross, and was therefore severable entirely from the land to which it related. The severance was no necessary prejudice to the land. Robert Walker LJ doubted ‘whether it is correct … Continue reading Bettison and Another v Penton and Another: CA 22 Jan 1998
Objecting neighbours appealed against a decision allowing a variation of a restrictive covenant to allow the owner to convert a dwellinghouse into two self-contained apartments. Held: The appeal failed. The power in the 1985 Act to vary a covenant must be used judicially, and ‘the statute does not create any presumption in favour of the … Continue reading Lawntown Ltd v Camenzuli and Another: CA 10 Oct 2007
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 under that charge. The wife resisted. Held: The discretion of court to order the … Continue reading Bank of Baroda v Dhillon and Dhillon: CA 17 Oct 1997
Appeal by prospective purchaser of property from order that contract rescinded, and deposit forfeited. Judges: Morritt LJ Citations: Gazette 26-Mar-1997, Times 21-Mar-1997, [1997] EWCA Civ 1062, [1997] 1 WLR 1016 Links: Bailii Statutes: Land Registration Act 1925 110 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Citing: Cited – McCausland and Another v Duncan Lawrie Ltd and Another CA … Continue reading Urban Manor Limited v Sadiq: CA 20 Feb 1997
Beneficial equitable interests in land were overreached by a mortgage despite no the fact that no capital was actually advanced under the charge. Citations: Gazette 13-Nov-1996, Times 07-Nov-1996, [1996] EWCA Civ 835 Statutes: Law of Property Act 1925 2(1)(ii) Jurisdiction: England and Wales Citing: Cited – Williams and Glyn’s Bank Ltd v Boland CA 1979 … Continue reading State of India v Sood and Others: CA 30 Oct 1996
The County court may not suspend a possession order pending an application to the High Court for an order for sale. The court considered the protection given by s15(1) of the 1970 Act, and found the protection to be limited, but nevertheless of considerable value to mortgagors who are in default. Citations: Gazette 20-Nov-1996, Times … Continue reading Cheltenham and Gloucester Building Society v Krausz: CA 22 Oct 1996
The tenant had broken a negative covenant against making alterations, namely not to change the exterior sign and not to alter the premises without consent. The landlord sought to forfeit the lease. Held: The breach of the covenant was remediable if the harm caused can be rectified. The breach was a continuing one. Possession was … Continue reading Savva and Another v Houssein: CA 24 Apr 1996
A parole agreement by all the shareholders in a company, to liquidate it, created a constructive trust. That a specifically enforceable agreement to assign an interest in property, created an equitable interest in the assignee, was unquestionably correct. A trust deed governed by s53(2) is not subject to the requirement to be in writing. Judges: … Continue reading Neville and Another v Wilson and Others: CA 4 Apr 1996
The assignment of a debt by a company in liquidation to a significant shareholder, in order to allow him to make an application for legal aid, and to avoid having to give security for costs and to allow the action to proceed was not unlawful, but the Legal Aid Board should be careful in supporting … Continue reading Circuit Systems Ltd (In Liquidation) and Another v Zuken Redac (Uk) Ltd: CA 5 Apr 1996
A claim for an easement based upon section 62 of the 1925 Act failed. There had not been regular use of the path in question with the putative dominant tenement to gain access to it. Roch LJ said: ‘Section 62 of the 1925 Act cannot create new rights where there has been no actual enjoyment … Continue reading Payne v Inwood: CA 1996
A notice to quit given by one of two joint tenants was binding on the other tenant despite there having been no consultation between them. Citations: Times 23-Feb-1995, [1996] 1 QB 13 Statutes: Law of Property Act 1925 26-3 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Cited by: Cited – Sims v Dacorum Borough Council CA 24-Jan-2013 Husband … Continue reading Crawley Borough Council v Ure: CA 23 Feb 1995
A break clause was contained in an agreement not in the lease but in a side letter which made the benefit of the break clause personal to the original lessee but said nothing express as to whether the burden of the break clause passed to an assignee of the reversion. Held: The burden of a … Continue reading System Floors Ltd v Ruralpride Ltd and Another: CA 31 Oct 1994
The owner of a common appealed a finding that the neighbouring land owner had acquired by prescription a right of way across the common to use a track for commercial vehicles (buses) to get to the property (the bus depot). Held: An easement cannot become a right where the use of the route is illegal … Continue reading Hanning and Others v Top Deck Travel Group Ltd: CA 9 Jun 1993
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 andpound;30,000 using the house as security and forged her mother’s signature on the … Continue reading Abbey National plc v Moss and Others: CA 1994
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 protective trusts), with the result that the fund … Continue reading Gibbon v Mitchell: ChD 1990
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 parties had agreed for a lease, and the tenant entered possession, but no formal lease was executed. The tenant stopped paying rent in 1977 or 1984. He now claimed rectification of the registers to show him as proprietor. The landlord argued that as a lease in writing, time ran from the notice to quit. … Continue reading Long v Tower Hamlets London Borough Council: ChD 20 Mar 1996
An equity arising from a proprietary estoppel is not an ‘equitable interest’ capable of being overreached pursuant to section 2 of the Law of Property Act 1925. Judges: Robert Walker LJ Citations: [1999] EWCA Civ 3042, (1999) 80 P and CR 256 Links: Bailii Statutes: Law of Property Act 1925 2 Jurisdiction: England and Wales … Continue reading Birmingham Midshires Mortgage Services Ltd v Sabherwal: CA 17 Dec 1999
Tenants occupied land next to land which was to be developed after compulsory acquisition. The tenants and the landlords asserted a right of light over the land, and sought an injunction to prevent the development. The developer denied that any right of light had been acquired. The sky contour diagrams projected that the reductions in … Continue reading Midtown Ltd v City of London Real Property Company Ltd: ChD 20 Jan 2005
An intended assignment of a tenancy which had not been completed in writing by deed was ineffective as against Landlord. An assignment of a weekly tenancy must be by deed if it is to be valid. Citations: Gazette 22-Jan-1992, [1992] 1 All ER 744 Statutes: Law of Property Act 1925 53 Jurisdiction: England and Wales … Continue reading Crago v Julian: CA 22 Jan 1992
The landlord’s agents wrote to the proposed tenant offering a quarterly tenancy of the premises. The tenancy was to commence at a future date. The defendant endorsed the letter and returned it to say he would abide by the terms, and he was allowed into possession. He ceased to pay rent, and eventually came to … Continue reading Long v Tower Hamlets London Borough Council: ChD 29 Mar 1996
The court considered the nature of an option to buy land. Hoffman J said: ‘The granting of the option imposes no obligation upon the purchaser and an obligation upon the vendor which is contingent upon the exercise of the option. When the option is exercised, the vendor and purchaser come under obligations to perform as … Continue reading Spiro v Glencrown Properties Ltd and Another: ChD 1991
Court will not allow order for sale of mortgaged property instead of repossession where very substantial expected shortfall. Citations: Gazette 04-Feb-1998 Statutes: Law of Property Act 1925 91 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Land Updated: 02 June 2022; Ref: scu.84634
The plaintiff acquired land on which 27 chalets were erected. They served notice to quit so that the site could be developed. The defendants argued that they had residential tenancies with protection under the Rent Act 1977. Held: The tenants’ appeals succeeded. A built structure becomes part of the land and itself real property, according … Continue reading Elitestone Ltd v Morris and Another: HL 1 May 1997
A court order can properly be recalled to correct an error before it had been perfected. This appeal was rejected also as attempt to re-litigate the interpretation of a section in the appeal judgement. Citations: Gazette 07-May-1998, [1998] EWCA Civ 746 Statutes: Law of Property Act 1925 62 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Citing: See Also … Continue reading Hillman and Hillman v Rogers and Rogers: CA 30 Apr 1998
A deed granting access to a common in accordance with the section included access by horseback as well as by foot. The court upheld the Inspector’s decision that the 20-year user of the land relied upon by the applicant for the modification was not ‘as of right’ because a revocable deed by the landowner’s predecessor … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for Environment ex parte Billson: Admn 16 Feb 1998
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
The parties were neighbours, with houses adjacent to a right of way. Slabs had been laid next to the houses forming a raised pavement. The respondents had sought to enclose their area of this raised pavement, building a porch. They now appealed an order requiring to remove what had already been built. Held: The pavement … Continue reading Minor v Groves: CA 20 Nov 1997
A non-party to a deed cannot take the benefit of a covenant even though he had been named as such in the deed. Citations: Times 13-Nov-1996 Statutes: Law of Property Act 1925 56 Land Updated: 17 May 2022; Ref: scu.77781
The wife was co-owner of the family home. Her husband owed money to the bank. He separated from his wife and left the matrimonial home moving to another house owned by the wife. The bank obtained a charging order absolute against the husband’s interest in the matrimonial home and then sought an order under section … Continue reading Barclays Bank Plc v Hendricks and Another: ChD 3 Nov 1995
Mortgagee is entitled to relief against forfeiture retrospectively. Sub-tenants and mortgagees can also apply for relief under s 146(2). Citations: Gazette 11-May-1995, [1996] QB 231 Statutes: Law of Property Act 1925 146(2) Jurisdiction: England and Wales Landlord and Tenant Updated: 14 May 2022; Ref: scu.80364
The Court considered the effect of a note or memorandum evidencing the sale of a property where it was described as ‘6,8 and 41, Boundary Street, Shoreditch (freehold).’ It was sought to connect the signature on a purchaser’s deposit cheque with an unsigned memorandum that stated the terms of the contract. Held: Jenkins LJ said: … Continue reading Timmins v Moreland Street Property Co Ltd: CA 1958
The insurance company claimant had insured a cargo under a voyage charter made by the defendant as charterer with the claimant as time charterer and disponent owner of the vessel. The charter had an arbitration clause. The cargo was damaged in a fire and steps taken to extinguish it. The insurers began proceedings in Brazil … Continue reading Schiffahrtsgesellschaft Detlev von Appen GmbH v Voest Alpine Intertrading GmbH (‘The Jay Bola’): CA 1997
The setting aside of the statutory power of a mortgagor in possession to grant a lease, by the mortgage itself did not create in the lender a duty of good faith properly to consider a request from the mortgagor for permission to let the property. It was wrong to attempt to import such a duty … Continue reading Kenneth Starling v Lloyds TSB Bank plc: CA 10 Nov 1999
A landlord could recover under the service charge the full cost of works of repair to the outside of premises even though part of the works had been undertaken by the tenant, for which breach a waiver had been given, and even though other tenants having carried out similar works had had an allowance given … Continue reading Broomleigh Housing Association Ltd v Hughes: ChD 26 Nov 1999
Rights of a first lender to grant tenancies must be respected, and override the rights of a second mortgagee to possession. A mortgagee in possession has full power to grant a tenancy. A mortgagee is not limited by the section. Citations: Times 27-May-1999 Statutes: Law of Property Act 1925 99 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Land … Continue reading Berkshire Capital Funding Ltd v Street et Al: CA 27 May 1999
A husband held the matrimonial home on trust for sale for himself and his wife in equal shares. The couple lived in the house. The husband and another man were in business with through a limited company, and guaranteed the its debts to the plaintiff, who obtained a default judgment against the husband under the … Continue reading Lloyds Bank plc v Byrne and Byrne: 1993
The wife claimed that the husband had forged the mortgage document. The Society said that she had allowed them to believe that she had consented to the charge. Slade LJ set out the principle: ‘in a case where A, the holder of the legal estate in land, has executed a mortgage of the land in … Continue reading Skipton Building Society v Clayton: CA 1993
On an application to vary a restrictive covenant preventing further building, construction disturbance was treated as one of number of factors justifying refusal to modify. Judges: Mr Clarke Citations: [1995] 70 P and CR 569 Statutes: Law of Property Act 1925 84 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Citing: Applied – Re Tarhale Limited LT 1990 Two … Continue reading Re Bromor Properties Limited: LT 1995
Two five bedroom houses were proposed on the garden of a plot for which only one plot was permitted by the restrictive covenant. There was a specific covenant relating to the use of the approach drive and preventing its use by lorries or heavy vehicles, apart from those required for a particular development. The objectors … Continue reading Re Tarhale Limited: LT 1990
The applicants sought modification of a covenant, to enable them to build a second house on a single plot within a building scheme. Held: ‘The position of the Tribunal is clear. Any application under section 84(1) must be determined upon the facts and merits of the particular case, and the Tribunal is unable to bind … Continue reading Re Snaith and Dolding’s Application: LT 1995
In a shopping centre, a tenant and its customers had acquired the right under s62 of the 1925 Act to use the concourse. The tenant was therefore entitled to an injunction to prevent the landlord further developing the concourse in such a way as to infringe those rights. Citations: [1993] EGCS 120 Statutes: Landlord and … Continue reading Pretoria Warehousing Co Ltd v Shelton: 1993
The court was asked as to the position resulting from the assignment of a contract including an arbitration clause: ‘Where the assignment is the assignment of the cause of action, it will, in the absence of some agreement to the contrary include as stated in s136 all the remedies in respect of that cause of … Continue reading The Jordan Nicholev: 1990
The lease provided for re-entry for breach of covenant. The landlord served a notice requiring repairs and payment of compensation on both the tenant and the mortgagee. The mortgagees served a counter-notice, and the landlord proceeded against the tenant alone. The tenant argued that the counter-notice operated to trigger the requirement for proceedings to begin … Continue reading Church Commissioners for England v Ve-Ri-Best Manfacturing Co Ltd: 1956
The defendant had made a mistake resulting in an equitable chargee not being given proper opportunity to object to the registration of a further charge with priority. The chargee sought compensation from the defendant registrar. Held: The registration of a charge is not to be defeated by a minor error – compensation payable. The 1925 … Continue reading Clark and Another v Chief Land Registrar and Another: ChD 2 Dec 1992
The customer had deposited title deeds with the bank as security for a loan, but no deed of charge had been executed. Held: The mere deposit of title deeds does not create an equitable charge without more. The 1989 Act operated as a statutory bar to such a claim. The rule that the deposit of … Continue reading United Bank of Kuwait Plc v Sahib and Others: ChD 24 Jun 1994
A tenant of a lease for 14 months, having agreed to exclude his security, granted a sub-tenancy to a business from month to month. The sub-tenant claimed security, but was held only to have taken an assignment of the tenant’s rights and so was not secure. Citations: Times 09-Apr-1999, Gazette 19-May-1999, Gazette 31-Mar-1999 Statutes: Law … Continue reading Parc (Battersea) Ltd (In Administrative Receivership) and An v Hutchinson: ChD 9 Apr 1999
There was a covenant that the premises should not ‘be used for any art trade or business or profession whatsoever . . ‘ but should be ‘kept and used only for the purposes of the Grosvenor Housing Scheme as dwellings for the working classes . . ‘. Held: A term in a restrictive covenant was … Continue reading Westminster City Council v Duke of Westminster: ChD 1991
The LAB was entitled to register the statutory charge over property which had been defended under a legal aid certificate against an application under the section. Citations: Times 24-May-1994 Statutes: Law of Property Act 1925 30 Legal Aid Updated: 09 April 2022; Ref: scu.84582
A nomination of a beneficiary to take proceeds of a life policy, where that beneficiary was in turn to pay it on to somebody else, was akin to a secret trust, but nominations are not subject to Law of Property Act 1925 s 53 since a nomination is not a disposition. Citations: Times 24-Aug-1998, Gazette … Continue reading Gold and Another v Hill; Hill v Fold and Others: ChD 24 Aug 1998
Encouragement from the landlord to one of two joint tenants to give notice to quit did not vitiate the landlord’s possession claim. Citations: Ind Summary 18-Apr-1995 Statutes: Law of Property Act 1925 26-3 36 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Landlord and Tenant Updated: 08 April 2022; Ref: scu.79603
Registered land was bought with an advance from the plaintiff. The transfer and charge were registered one month later, but in the meantime, the buyer’s parents moved in. When the buyer defaulted, his mother resisted possession proceedings, saying that she had an overriding interest through her occupation at the time when the charge was registered. … Continue reading Abbey National Building Society v Cann: HL 29 Mar 1990
The parties disputed whether a contract had been made. The proposed contract was contained in a letter and a plan but only the plan was signed by both parties. Held: The requirements of Section 2 had not been satisfied because it was the letter which contained the contract which referred to the plan and incorporated … Continue reading Firstpost Homes Ltd v Johnson and Others: CA 14 Aug 1995
Appeal by the Defendant from a judgment on an application for summary judgment under RSC Order 14 by the Plaintiffs, Camdex International Ltd judgment was entered for the Plaintiffs in the sum of Kuwaiti Dinars 20,595,557.429. The Plaintiffs pleaded that the Central Bank of Kuwait deposited with the Defendant the sum of Kuwaiti Dinars 15,000,000 … Continue reading Camdex International Ltd v Bank of Zambia and Another: CA 3 Apr 1996
A notice of severance of a joint tenancy applied to sever the tenancy even though it had not actually been received. It was sufficient that it had been posted and received at the house though intercepted. Times 16-Sep-1998, [1999] 1 WLR 423 Law of Property Act 1925 36(2) England and Wales Cited by: Cited – … Continue reading Kinch and Another v Bullard and Others: ChD 16 Sep 1998
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
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
A Local Authority is liable for any damage to adjacent property caused by the roots of a tree growing on the verge of a public highway. Held: Pre-adoption trees vest in the highway authority for all purposes. Stuart-Smith, Morritt L, Sir John Balcombe Times 26-Jun-1997, [1997] EWCA Civ 1901, (1997) 96 LGR 27 Bailii Highways … Continue reading Hurst and Another v Hampshire County Council: CA 19 Jun 1997
To defeat a defence of adverse possession, the plaintiff must succeed in an action which itself had been commenced within the twelve year period. A squatter does not succeed to the title that he has disturbed: by sufficiently long adverse possession he obtains a title of his own, but ‘his possession only defeats the rights … Continue reading St Marylebone Property Co Ltd v Fairweather: HL 16 Apr 1962
A bankrupt husband, a mortgage broker, had applied for mortgage for his wife, fraudulently claiming that she had income. She appealed against an order for possession on the basis that he was agent of the bank, and that therefore the bank was fixed with notice of the fraud. She claimed that she had operated under … Continue reading Abbey National Plc v Tufts: CA 16 Feb 1999
Same Sex Paartner to Inherit as Family Member The claimant had lived with the original tenant in a stable and long standing homosexual relationship at the deceased’s flat. After the tenant’s death he sought a statutory tenancy as a spouse of the deceased. The Act had been extended to include as a spouse someone living … Continue reading Fitzpatrick v Sterling Housing Association Ltd: HL 28 Oct 1999
The court considered the defence of illegal user to a claim to have established an easement by prescription: ‘These authorities seem to me to establish that when applying the ‘ex turpi causa’ maxim in a case in which a defence of illegality has been raised, the court should keep in mind that the underlying principle … Continue reading Tinsley v Milligan: CA 1992
No damages for Psychiatric Harm Alone The House considered claims by police officers who had suffered psychiatric injury after tending the victims of the Hillsborough tragedy. Held: The general rules restricting the recovery of damages for pure psychiatric harm applied to the plaintiffs’ claims as employees. An employer has a duty to protect his employees … Continue reading White, Frost and others v Chief Constable of South Yorkshire and others: HL 3 Dec 1998
(Commission decision as to admissibility) The applicant’s house had been repossessed by a mortgagee when she defaulted on her payments due under the mortgage. Her complaint was found to be manifestly ill-founded, saying ‘In so far as the repossession constituted an interference with the applicant’s home, the Commission finds that this was in accordance with … Continue reading Wood v United Kingdom: ECHR 2 Jul 1997
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 issue was the proper construction and effect of condition 6.8 of the Standard Conditions of Sale, 2nd edition, in relation to the giving of a notice to complete a contract for the sale of land. Held: The condition provided exclusively for the circumstances in which a notice to complete could be given in respect … Continue reading Country and Metropolitan Homes Surrey Ltd v Topclaim Ltd: 1996
The house had been bought during the marriage but in the husband’s sole name. The plaintiff’s charge secured the husband’s overdraft. The bank issued possession proceedings. Mr Rosset had left, but Mrs Rosset claimed, as against the bank an interest in it as the matrimonial home. She said there had been a common understanding or … Continue reading Lloyds Bank plc v Rosset: HL 29 Mar 1990
The applicant’s property was charged to the defendant. At the time it was not occupied. The mortgage fell into arrears, and after serving notice at the property, the bank took posssession and sold the property at auction. The claimants said the bank should have taken possession only after court proceedings. Held: A lender taking possession … Continue reading Ropaigealach v Barclays Bank plc: CA 6 Jan 1999
The parties disputed ownership of a strip of land between a garden and a farm. The land was registered. There was a hedge and a ditch along the disputed boundary, it had been conceded in the Court of Appeal that a conveyance of land on the hedge side of the ditch transferred land only up … Continue reading Alan Wibberley Building Ltd v Insley: HL 24 Mar 1999
The parties disputed whether good title had been shown when an assent under seal had been used where a conveyance ordinarily should have been used. Held: Good title had been shown. Though the law is concerned with substance rather than form, it would not be consistent with the orderly development of the common law if … Continue reading Re Stirrup’s Contract: 1961
The claimant, in a representative action complained that the works involved in the erection of the Canary Wharf tower constituted a nuisance in that the works created substantial clouds of dust and the building blocked her TV signals, so as to limit her enjoyment of her land. Held: The interference with TV reception by an … Continue reading Hunter and Others v Canary Wharf Ltd: HL 25 Apr 1997
Land was bought for development, but the purchaser later discovered a sewage pipe which very substantially limited its development potential. The existence of the pipe had not been disclosed on the sale, being unknown to the seller. Held: Under the National Conditions of Sale, it is the purchaser who takes the risk of there being … Continue reading William Sindall Plc v Cambridgeshire County Council: CA 21 May 1993
The parties entered into a written contract for the sale of land which, in error, provided for completion on a Sunday. The parties varied the date to the Friday but did not execute a new contract which would comply with section 2(1) of the 1989 Act. Time was not initially of the essence of the … Continue reading McCausland and Another v Duncan Lawrie Ltd and Another: CA 18 Jun 1996
The parties signed a memorandum of agreement to let a strip of land from 1930 until determined as provided, but the only provision was that the lease would continue until the land was needed for road widening and two months’ notice was given. The land was never used for road widening and notice to terminate … Continue reading Prudential Assurance Co Ltd v London Residuary Body and Others: HL 16 Jul 1992
A colliery manager asked for police protection for his colliery during a strike. He wanted police officers to be billeted on the premises. The senior police officer for the area was willing to provide protection by a mobile force, but he refused to . .
Relief from forfeiture was available against a landlord who had peaceably re-entered property subject to a tenancy without a court order. Such a landlord was still ‘proceeding’ to enforce his rights of forfeiture until he obtained a judgment for . .
Before the parties called evidence, and having read the papers, the court considered that there was no real defence shown, and invited submissions. Negotiations for the grant of a tenancy had been terminated by the sudden illness of the proposed . .
Regarding service of notices on the Public Trustee under Administration of Estates Act 1925. . .
A borrower took out a loan under undue influence. The test of whether the lender was fixed with notice of this was an objective one. The lender was fixed with the knowledge of its agent solicitor, but whether it was so fixed was not dependent upon . .
Three Leases of the Peter Jones site to T’s predecessor in 1934 contained covenants by T to redevelop the site in two phases, the second of which related to the MackMurdo and Simon’s Street buildings and was to be completed by December 25 1987. In . .
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 tenant took on a weekly tenancy in 1975 of Wandsworth under an ‘Acceptance of Offer of Accommodation’. The document made no provision for service. The tenant left for America leaving A as a caretaker. Wandsworth ended the tenancy serving a . .
To defeat a defence of adverse possession, the plaintiff must succeed in an action which itself had been commenced within the twelve year period. A squatter does not succeed to the title that he has disturbed: by sufficiently long adverse possession . .
References: Gazette 10-Jul-1996, Times 08-Apr-1996, [1998] QB 22 Coram: Mr Justice Neill, Lord Justice Peter Gibson and Lord Justice Hobhouse Ratio: There was no maintenance in the assignment of debt though litigation was required to recover it. It remains objectionable to traffic in litigation. The assignment had no essence in maintenance and was contemplated by … Continue reading Camdex International Ltd v Bank of Zambia: CA 3 Apr 1996
References: Gazette 20-Nov-1996, Times 20-Nov-1996, [1996] EWCA Civ 780, [1997] 1 WLR 1558 Links: Bailii The County court may not suspend a possession order pending an application to the High Court for an order for sale. The court considered the protection given by s15(1) of the 1970 Act, and found the protection to be limited, … Continue reading Cheltenham and Gloucester Building Society v Aaron Krausz and Rebecca Krausz: CA 22 Oct 1996
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A mortgage had been granted, but a twenty year rent free licence had not been disclosed. The bank came to seek possession, and was met with the assertion of the licence. The court at first instance had refused an injunction, saying that the appellant had behaved unconscionably in failing to disclose the licence. Held: The … Continue reading Midland Bank Ltd v Farmpride Hatcheries: CA 1980
The two deceased had made mutual wills bequeathing the family home. The survivor transferred the property during his life to defeat the agreement. It was now said that the arrangement fell foul of the 1989 Act and was unenforceable. Held: Subject to the 1989 Act the arrangement was enforceable. As to the 1989 Act: ‘section … Continue reading Healey v Brown: ChD 25 Apr 2002
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 common theme running through all the cases in which the court has … Continue reading Ben Hashem v Ali Shayif and Another: FD 22 Sep 2008
Even an unlawful sub-tenancy can have protection under Part II of the 1954 Act. The court described as fallacious the submission that section 74(1) does not extend to or answer the question whether the document has ever been delivered, saying: ‘The section says that the document is to be deemed to have been duly executed … Continue reading D’Silva v Lister House Development Ltd: 1970
The court was asked as to the nature and effect of tenancies for life granted by fully mutual housing co-operatives and in particular how they can lawfully be brought to an end and a possession order obtained. The tenants sought a declaration of incompatibility in respect of section 80. The Co-operative was fully mutual and … Continue reading Southward Housing Co-Operative Ltd v Walker and Another: ChD 8 Jun 2015
