Santai v The Owners - Strata Plan No. 77971 [2010] NSWSC 628

New South Wales Supreme Court

CITATION : Santai v The Owners - Strata Plan No. 77971 [2010] NSWSC 628

HEARING DATE(S) : 13/5/10

JUDGMENT DATE : 17 June 2010

JURISDICTION : Equity Division Commercial List

JUDGMENT OF : McDougall J at 1

DECISION : Limited declaratory relief granted; amended summons otherwise dismissed, reserve costs for further argument.

CATCHWORDS : STRATA TITLES – whether agreement is a "caretaker agreement" – power to make by-laws – validity of by-laws – by-laws and necessary degree of connection. - CONTRACTS – illegal and void contracts – whether grant of rights was illegal because party did not hold licence as required by statute – whether contract void or unenforceable because of illegality – impermissible delegation of the owners corporation's functions. - PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – discretionary grounds for granting declaratory relief – Court's obligation to deal with issues before it in light of s 56 of the Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW).

Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) Property, Stock and Business Agents Act 2002 (NSW) LEGISLATION CITED : Strata Schemes Management Act 1996 (NSW) Strata Schemes (Freehold Development) Act 1973 (NSW) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW)

CATEGORY : Principal judgment

Carney v Herbert [1984] 3 NSWLR 85 Fitzgerald v FJ Leonhardt Pty Limited (1997) 189 CLR 215 Houghton v Immer (No. 155) Pty Ltd (1997) 44 NSWLR 46 Hurst v Vestcorp Ltd (1988) 12 NSWLR 394 CASES CITED : Nelson v Nelson (1995) 184 CLR 538 Owners-Strata Plan No 56443 v Regis Towers Real Estate Pty Ltd (2003) 58 NSWLR 78 Owners Strata Plan No. 61643 v 183 on Kent Management Pty Limited [2007] NSWSC 281 White v Betalli (2006) 66 NSWLR 690 White v Betalli (2007) 71 NSWLR 381 Yango Pastoral Company Pty Limited v First Chicago Australia Limited (1978) 139 CLR 410