FAI General Insurance Company Ltd. v. Parras & Ors. [2002] NSWCA 334

Reported Decision : (2002) 55 NSWLR 498 (2003) NSW ConvR 56-043

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : FAI General Insurance Company Ltd. v. Parras & Ors. [2002] NSWCA 334 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 41023/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 6 September 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 8 October 2002

FAI General Insurance Company Limited (In Liquidation) - appellant PARTIES : Michael Alfred Parras and Daphne Maria Parras - first respondents Constantine Nicholas Savas and Elizabeth Savas - second respondents JUDGMENT OF : Meagher JA at 1; Hodgson JA at 2; Young CJ in Eq at 28

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Supreme Court - Equity Division LOWER COURT ED 2775/01 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Santow J JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : Mr. B. Rayment QC with Mr. R. McHugh for appellant Mr. A. Street SC with Ms. S. Kaur-Bains for the respondents SOLICITORS : Abbott Tout, Sydney for appellant A.C. Comino & Associates, Sydney for respondents CATCHWORDS : PROPERTY - LANDLORD AND TENANT - Option in lease - Giving or serving of notice - Notice posted to company - Whether effectively given - Whether compliance with clause in lease as to service necessary for valid exercise of option. LEGISLATION CITED : Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) s.170 Re 88 Berkeley Road NW 9 [1971] Ch 648 Alexander v. Stocks & Holdings (Sales) Pty. Ltd. [1975] VR 843 Bressan v. Squires [1974] NSWLR 460 George Hudson Holdings Ltd. v. Rudder (1973) 128 CLR 387 Goodwin v. Swindon BC [2001] 4 AllER 641 Lolly Pops (Harbourside Pty. Ltd. v. Werncog Pty. Ltd. (1998) 9 BPR 16,361 Newby v. Von Oppen (1872) LR 7 QB 293 CASES CITED: Rochester Communications Group Pty. Ltd. v. Lader Pty. Ltd. (1997) 143 ALR 648 Spectra Pty. Ltd. v. Pindari Pty. Ltd. [1974] NSWLR 617 Tesco Ltd. v. Nattrass [1972] AC 153 Thos Cook v. Kumari [2002] NSWCA 141 Tonitto v. Bassal (1990) 5 BPR 11,258 Trade Practices Commission v. Tooth & Co. Ltd. (1979) 142 CLR 397 Tsaoucis v. Gallipoli Memorial Club Ltd. (1998) 9 BPR 16,265 Wilson's Laundry Pty. Ltd. v. Patmoy (1961) 78 WN(NSW) 636 DECISION : 1. Appeal allowed to the extent of setting aside the primary judge's costs order and substituting an order that the respondents pay the appellant's costs of the proceedings. 2. Appeal otherwise dismissed. 3. Respondents to pay appellant's costs of appeal and to have a suitors fund certificate if otherwise entitled.