Multi-Span v Portland [2001] NSWSC 696

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Multi-Span v Portland [2001] NSWSC 696 CURRENT JURISDICTION: Equity Division FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 2869/00 HEARING DATE(S) : 18/06/01, 19/06/01, 20/06/01, 21/06/01, 22/06/01, 25/06/01, 26/06/01/, 27/06/01, 28/06/01, 29/06/01, 02/07/01 JUDGMENT DATE : 22 August 2001

Multi-Span Constructions No 1 Pty Limited - First Plaintiff Stipo Lovrinovic - Second Plaintiff Vlatko Rasic - Third Plaintiff Mark Komadina - Fourth Plaintiff Stipo Kasalo - Fifth Plaintiff PARTIES : 14 Portland Street Pty Limited - First Defendant CVC Communication & Technology Pty Limited - Second Defendant Broadway Developments Pty Limited - Third Defendant Ronald Charles Dunkley - Fourth Defendant St Helens Broadway Pty Limited - Fifth Defendant Sam Zdrilic - Sixth Defendant Gavin Solomon - Seventh Defendant JUDGMENT OF : Barrett J

Mr P. Roberts SC/Mr M.K. Minehan - Plaintiffs Mr P.W. Taylor SC/Mr A.M. Colefax - First to Third Defendants COUNSEL : Mr R.C. Dunkley in person - Fourth and Fifth Defendants Mr G.L. Turner - Sixth Defendant Mr A.J. Meagher SC/Mr M.J. Leeming - Seventh Defendant LMG Lawyers - Plaintiffs Landerer & Company - First to Third Defendants SOLICITORS : Mr R.C. Dunkley in person - Fourth and Fifth Defendants Alan Brown & Company - Sixth Defendant Corrs Chambers Westgarth - Seventh Defendant CATCHWORDS : CONTRACTS - general contractual principles - construction and interpretation of contracts - alleged uncertainty - effect to be given to manifest commercial intention - MORTGAGES - alleged clog on equity of redemption - right to redeem on payment not compromised - EQUITY - undue influence - presumption of undue influence in solicitor-client relationship - limited relationship - no benefit to solicitor - parties immediately benefited not on notice that solicitor acting - tests to be applied in contemporary circumstances where client is company with commercially astute principals - EQUITY - undue influence - actual undue influence - based on representations found not to have been made - CONTRACTS - statutory remedies - Contracts Review Act relief not available to company - also not available to guaranteeing directors who regularly give such guarantees - CONVEYANCING - caveat against dealings - caveat based on option to purchase lots in unregistered strata plan - caveatable interest arose but ceased when option expired - no power for court to extend caveat to protect interest not claimed therein - no additional interest shown in any event - no right to maintain caveat - CONTRACTS - general contractual principles - no contract arose from incomplete negotiation - no estoppel Contracts Review Act 1980 LEGISLATION CITED : Real Property Act 1900 Fair Trading Act 1987 Conveyancing Act 1919 Upper Hunter County District Council v Australian Chilling & Freezing Co Ltd (1968) 118 CLR 429 Meehan v Jones (1982) 149 CLR 571 Garcia v National Australia Bank Ltd (1998) 194 CLR 395 Yerkey v Jones (1939) 63 CLR 649 Commonwealth Bank v Verwayen (1990) 170 CLR 394 Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd v Amadio (1983) 151 CLR 44 Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Ridout Nominees Pty Ltd [2000] WASC 37 Westpac Banking Corporation v Paterson [2001] FCA 556 Westmelton (Vic) Pty Ltd v Archer & Shulman [1982] VR 305 Australian Bank Ltd v Stokes (1985) 3 NSWLR 174 Forder v Cemcorp Pty Ltd [2001] NSW ConvR 55-966 CASES CITED : Jessica Holdings Pty Ltd v Anglican Property Trust Diocese of Sydney (1992) 27 NSWLR 140 Re Henderson's Caveat [1998] 1 QdR 632 Kuper v Keywest Constructions Pty Ltd [1993] WAR 419 Ruptash v Zawick (1956) 2 DLR 145 In the Marriage of Stevens (1991) 15 FamLR 51 Hayes v O'Sullivan (2001) 27 FamLR 462 Depsun Pty Ltd v Tahore Holdings Pty Ltd (1990) ANZ Conv Rep 334 Re Spencer (1904) 4 SR (NSW) 471 Midwarren Estates Pty Ltd v Retek & Stivic [1975] VR 575 Beca Developments Pty Ltd v Idamenco (No 92) Pty Ltd (1990) 21 NSWLR 459 May v Gibson (1970) 92 WN (NSW) 904 Currie v Kennedy (1896) 17 LR (NSW) Eq 28 DECISION : See paragraphs 158 to 161