Bavulo Pty Limited v Zhang Property Pty Limited [2025] NSWCA 9

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Bavulo Pty Limited v Zhang Property Pty Limited [2025] NSWCA 9 Hearing dates: 19 November 2024 Date of orders: 11 February 2025 Decision date: 11 February 2025 Before: Payne JA at [1]; McHugh JA at [2]; Griffiths AJA at [3] Decision: Dismiss the appeal, with costs. Catchwords: EQUITY — Equitable remedies — Specific performance — Contract for the sale and purchase of land 2022 edition — where vendor issued a notice to complete — where completion did not occur — where vendor issued a notice of termination — where purchaser sought specific performance of contract in circumstances where vendor said to be in breach of contract — where purported breach related to the requirement that a notice of attornment be served by the vendor and held in escrow at least two business days prior to completion — whether vendor's failure to serve notice of attornment a "disentitling breach" such that it was relevant to or connected with the securing of completion Legislation Cited: Strata Schemes Management Act 2015 (NSW), s 184 Strata Titles Act 1973 (NSW), s 70 (repealed) Cases Cited: Carr v Keys-Arenas (1981) 2 BPR 9498 Carrapetta v Rado [2012] NSWCA 202; (2012) 16 BPR 30,997 Chandos Developments Pty Ltd v Mulkearns [2008] NSWCA 62; (2008) 13 BPR 25,321 Doyle v Howey (1990) 6 BPR 13,401 HG & R Securities Pty Ltd v Sayer [2009] NSWSC 427; (2009) 14 BPR 27,045 Jillinda Pty Ltd v McCourt (1983) 3 BPR 9199 Kraguljac v A & B Property Developments Pty Ltd (No 2) [2012] SASC 1 Malouf v Sterling Estates Development Corporation Pty Ltd [2002] NSWSC 920 McNally v Waitzer [1981] 1 NSWLR 294 Neeta (Epping) Pty Ltd v Phillips (1974) 131 CLR 286; [1974] HCA 18 Sandpiper Kooragang Pty Ltd v Fortis Products Pty Ltd [2020] NSWSC 1256; (2020) 19 BPR 40,689 Santangelo v Yates Holdings Victoria Pty Ltd [2022] NSWSC 397; (2022) 20 BPR 42,615 Texts Cited: Nil Category: Principal judgment Parties: Bavulo Pty Limited (Appellant) Zhang Property Pty Limited (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: M McCulloch SC / B Kasep (Appellant) V Bedrossian SC / H Stitt (Respondent)