Sidoti v Hardy [2021] NSWCA 105

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Sidoti v Hardy [2021] NSWCA 105 Hearing dates: 25 November 2020 Date of orders: 26 May 2021 Decision date: 26 May 2021 Before: Basten JA at [1]; Brereton JA at [45]; Simpson AJA at [179] Decision: (1) Leave to appeal be granted; and (2) The appeal be dismissed, with costs. Catchwords: LAND LAW – Adverse possession – Actual possession – Old system title – Conversion to Torrens title – Limited title – Indefeasibility of title – Exceptions to indefeasibility – Where successful claim at trial in respect of adverse possession of small portion of a 'dunny lane' commencing before creation of limited folio – Whether statutory possessory application over Torrens title land able to be made – Alternatively, whether adverse possession claims preserved at common law by reason of possession for any length of time commencing prior to creation of folio – Whether wrong description of parcel or boundaries in circumstances where adverse possessory claim inchoate but not crystallised at time of conversion – Appeal dismissed LIMITATION OF ACTIONS – Actions to recover land – Adverse possession – Interaction of Limitation Act 1969 (NSW), ss 27 and 65, with Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), s 45C STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – Interpretation of Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) – Extrinsic materials – Explanatory memoranda and notes – Legislative history – Registrar-General's guidelines – Second reading speeches MORTGAGES AND SECURITIES – Mortgages – Duties, rights and remedies of mortgagee – Right to notice of proceedings in which orders might be made affecting mortgagee's interest – Where no notice given and no application by mortgagee to set aside orders below – Where application may not succeed – Where if successful, ultimate result unlikely to be different – Where impact on value of mortgagee's security likely de minimis – Absence of notice not decisive of appeal APPEALS – Leave to appeal – Whether leave required – Monetary threshold – Whether threshold denotes value of whole parcel of land or disputed portion only – Where questions of principle and public importance as to Torrens system also raised – Leave granted Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), s 89 Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW), s 33 Land Titles Legislation Amendment Act 2001 (NSW), Sch 2[1] Limitation Act 1969 (NSW), ss 8(1)(a), 27(2), 28, 65, Sch 4 Local Government Act 1919 (NSW), s 327 Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), ss 12, 14, 14A, 28A, 28C, 28D, 28E, 28EA, 28J, 28M, 28P, 28S, 28T, 28U, 28V, 28Y, 28Z, 28ZA, 42, 43, 43A, 44, 45, 45C, 45D, 74F, 74K, 118, 124, 125A, 135, 136, pts 4A, 4B, 6A Real Property (Amendment) Act 1976 (NSW) Real Property (Caveats) Amendment Act 1986 (NSW) Real Property (Conversion of Title) Amendment Act 1967 (NSW) Real Property (Conversion of Title) Amendment Act 1984 (NSW) Real Property (Possessory Titles) Amendment Act 1979 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 101(2)(r) Survey Practice Regulation 1933 (NSW) Cases Cited: Ballas v Theophilos (No 1) (1957) 97 CLR 186; [1957] HCA 49 Braye v Tarnawskyj (2019) 19 BPR ¶39,213; [2019] NSWSC 277 Buckingham County Council v Moran [1990] 1 Ch 623 Clement v Jones (1909) 8 CLR 133; [1909] HCA 11 Deguisa v Lynn (2020) 94 ALJR 1020; [2020] HCA 39 Hamilton v Iredale (1903) 3 SR (NSW) 535 Hardie Rubber Co Pty Ltd v General Tire & Rubber Co (1973) 129 CLR 521; [1973] HCA 66 Hardy v Sidoti (2020) 19 BPR ¶40,535; [2020] NSWSC 1057 Jabulani Pty Ltd v Walkabout II Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 267 Michael v Onisiforou (1977) 1 BPR ¶9,356 Nanschild v Pratt [2011] NSWCA 85 Oertel v Crocker (1947) 75 CLR 261; [1947] HCA 40 Quach v Marrickville Municipal Council (No 1) (1990) 22 NSWLR 55 Refina Pty Ltd v Binnie (2010) 15 BPR ¶28,633; [2010] NSWCA 192. Sahab Holdings Pty Ltd v Registrar-General (2011) 15 BPR ¶29,627; [2011] NSWCA 395 South Maitland Railways Pty Ltd v Satellite Centres of Australia Pty Ltd (2009) 14 BPR ¶26,823; [2009] NSWSC 716 Sparks v Meers [1976] 2 NSWLR 1 Sze To Chun Keung v Kung Kwok Wai David [1997] 1 WLR 1232 Taylor v Taylor (1979) 143 CLR 1; [1979] HCA 38 Van den Bosch v Australian Provincial Assurance Association Ltd [1968] 2 NSWLR 550; (1968) 88 WN (Pt 1) (NSW) 357 Westfield Management Ltd v Perpetual Trustee Co Ltd (2007) 233 CLR 538; [2007] HCA 45 Texts Cited: Explanatory Memorandum, Land Titles Legislation Amendment Bill 2001 (NSW) Explanatory Note, Real Property (Conversion of Titles) Amendment Bill 1984 (NSW) HW Ballantine, "Title by Adverse Possession" (1918) 32(2) Harvard Law Review 135 K Gray & SF Gray, Elements of Land Law (5th ed, 2009, Oxford University Press) Land Registry Services, "Registrar-General's Guidelines – Deposited Plans – Conversion of Old System – Deposited Plans Redefining Old System Land – Limited Titles", https://rg-guidelines.nswlrs.com.au/deposited_plans /conversion_os/dps_redefining_os_land/limitedtitles, accessed 13 April 2021 Land Registry Services, "Registrar-General's Guidelines – Land Dealings – Dealings Involving – Notifications on the Register", https://rg-guidelines.nswlrs.com.au/land_dealings/ dealings_involving/notifications, accessed 13 April 2021 Land Registry Services, "Registrar-General's Guidelines – Land Dealings – Dealing Requirements – Qualified Title – Cautions", https://rg-guidelines.nswlrs.com.au/land_dealings/ dealing_requirements/qualified_title/cautions, accessed 13 April 2021 New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), Land Titles Legislation Amendment Bill 2001 (NSW) Second Reading Speech, 19 September 2001 New South Wales Legislative Council, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), Real Property (Conversion of Titles) Amendment Bill 1984 (NSW) Second Reading Speech, 8 May 1984 RA Woodman & P Butt, "Possessory Title and the Torrens System in New South Wales" (1980) 54 Australian Law Journal 79 RA Woodman & PJ Grimes, Baalman's The Torrens System in New South Wales (2nd ed, 1974, Law Book Co) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Joseph Geoffrey Sidoti (First Appellant) Natalie Martinoski (Second Appellant) Christopher Luke Hardy (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J Doyle, L-A Walsh (Appellants) J van Aalst (Respondent)