Neilson v Letch [2004] NSWSC 1246

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Neilson v Letch [2004] NSWSC 1246 HEARING DATE(S) : 21 and 22 September 2004 JUDGMENT DATE : 17 December 2004 JURISDICTION: Equity Division JUDGMENT OF : Master McLaughlin at 1 DECISION : (1). I declare that the parties are entitled to the proceeds of sale of the property situate at and known as Unit 14/103 Kirribilli Avenue, Kirribilli ("the subject property"), together with interest thereon, in the following amounts: Plaintiff - $88,986 Defendant - $191,245. (2). I reserve to the parties liberty to apply in respect to arithmetical calculations. (3). I make no order as to costs, to the intent that each party will bear her or his own costs of the proceedings. (4). The exhibits may be returned.

CATCHWORDS : Real Property. Co-ownership. Respective contributions to purchase price. Presumption of resulting trust. Incidents of co-ownership. Co-owner in occupation. Proceeds of sale. Equitable accounting between co-owners. Claim for improvements (including mortgage payments). Entitlement of co-owner not in occupation to rents and to notional occupation fee. He who seeks equity must do equity. Conveyancing Act 1919 (New South Wales) De Facto Relationships Act 1984 (New South Wales) LEGISLATION CITED : Imperial Acts Application Act 1969 (Commonwealth) Property (Relationships) Act 1984 (New South Wales) Statute of Anne, 4&5 Anne c3 s27 (1705) Baumgartner v Baumgartner (1987) 164 CLR 137 Calverley v Green (1984) 155 CLR 242 Cardinaels-Hooper v Tierney (20 December 1995, New South Wales Supreme Court unreported) Cowcher v Cowcher (1972) 1 WLR 245 Dunlop v Macedo (1891) 8 TLR 43 Forgeard v Shanahan (1994) 35 NSWLR 206 Hogan v Baseden (24 November 1997, Butterworths Unreported Cases BC9706190) CASES CITED : In re Pavlou [1993] 1 WLR 1046 Luke v Luke (1936) 36 SR (NSW McMahon v Burchell (1846) 5 Hare 322; 67 ER 936 Muschinski v Dodds (1985) 160 CLR 583 Ngatoa v Ford (1990) 19 NSWLR 72 Pannizutti v Trask (1987) 10 NSWLR 531 Squire v Rodgers (1979) 39 FLR 106 at 121-122 Wheeler v Horn (1740) Willes 208; 125 ER 1135 PARTIES : Mary Ann Neilson (Plaintiff) Darryl Richard Letch (Defendant) FILE NUMBER(S) : SC 2122 of 2003 COUNSEL : Mr. P. Livingstone (Plaintiff) Mr. J. Drummond (Defendant) SOLICITORS : Adrian Twigg & Co. (Plaintiff) Hartmann and Associates (Defendant)