Sckaff v Sckaff [2024] NSWCA 207

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Sckaff v Sckaff [2024] NSWCA 207 Hearing dates: 7 June 2024 Date of orders: 19 August 2024 Decision date: 19 August 2024 Before: Leeming JA at [1]; Mitchelmore JA at [2]; Stern JA at [179] Decision: (1) Appeal allowed. (2) Set aside orders 1 to 9 inclusive made on 15 December 2023 and in lieu thereof, order that: 1. Within 90 days, the defendants pay equitable compensation to the plaintiffs, being the sum of $250,000, with that sum to be secured by an equitable charge over the property at [No 6] ("the Property"); 2. The second further amended statement of claim is otherwise dismissed. (3) Order pursuant to s 74MA of the Real Property Act 1900 (NSW) that the caveat having registered number … lodged by the first respondent over the Property be withdrawn or removed within 28 days of today. (4) Direct the parties to supply agreed short minutes of order in relation to the balance of the relief sought by the appellants within 14 days of today, or, in lieu of agreement: (a) direct each party to file and serve the orders for which they contend, including as to costs, together with submissions not exceeding 5 pages within 14 days of today, and (b) direct each party to file and serve submissions in reply within 7 days thereafter. Catchwords: ESTOPPEL — proprietary estoppel — standing by — where appellants registered proprietors — where appellants allowed respondents to occupy property long term for no rent — whether first appellant paid for property — whether first appellant asserted ownership of property to respondents — proprietary estoppel not made out APPEALS — review of findings of primary fact — whether primary judge erred by failing to make findings of fact — where evidence lost to passage of time — where multiple conflicting witnesses — error in finding on basis not put to parties or supported by evidence — evidence sufficient to support finding — findings made pursuant to s 75A of the Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW) Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW), s 56 Residential Tenancies Act 1970 (NSW), s 13 Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 75A Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 51.53(1) Cases Cited: Blatch v Archer (1774) 1 Cowp 63; 98 ER 969 Clancy & Anor v Salienta Pty Ltd & Ors [2000] NSWCA 248; (2000) 11 BPR 20,425 Cook's Construction Pty Ltd v Brown & Anor [2004] NSWCA 105; (2004) 49 ACSR 62 Currie v Hamilton [1984] 1 NSWLR 687 Curtis v Curtis [2024] NSWCA 136 Delaforce v Simpson-Cook (2010) 78 NSWLR 483; [2010] NSWCA 84 Donnelly v Kempsey Local Aboriginal Land Council [2021] NSWSC 1699 Evans v Evans [2011] NSWCA 92 Fensom & Anor v Cootamundra Racecourse Reserve Trust & Ors [2000] NSWSC 1072 Foundas v Aramztzis [2020] NSWCA 47 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 Lee v Lee (2019) 266 CLR 129; [2019] HCA 28 Mitchell v Cullingral Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 389 PC Developments Pty Ltd v Revell (1991) 22 NSWLR 615 Q (a pseudonym) v E Co (a pseudonym) [2020] NSWCA 220; (2020) 383 ALR 469 Revell v PC Developments Pty Ltd (1990) NSW ConvR 55-527 Rixon v Horseshoe Pastoral Co Pty Ltd [2017] NSWSC 1293 Saltalamacchia v Zamagias [2024] NSWCA 184 Waltons Stores (Interstate) Ltd v Maher (1988) 164 CLR 387 Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 West v Mead [2003] NSWSC 161; (2003) 13 BPR 24,431 Zhang v Metcalf; Metcalf v Zhang [2020] NSWCA 228 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Richard Sckaff (First Appellant) Nada Sckaff (Second Appellant) George Sckaff (First Respondent) Anne Thompson (Second Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J Lazarus SC / D Knoll AM (Appellants) C Wood SC / N Obrart (Respondents