Lianghong Mei v West Apartments Pty Ltd [2011] NSWSC 662

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Lianghong Mei v West Apartments Pty Ltd [2011] NSWSC 662 Hearing dates: 27 June 2011 Decision date: 27 June 2011 Jurisdiction: Equity Division Before: Gzell J Decision: Separate question answered no if the breach was the reason for, or materially contributed to, the strata plan not being registered by the Registration Date. Catchwords: CONTRACTS - General Contractual Principles - Construction and Interpretation of Contracts - either party might rescind contract for sale of unregistered lot if strata plan not registered by a Registration Date - vendor to use reasonable endeavours to have strata plan registered by Registration Date - separate question whether vendor entitled to rescind notwithstanding any breach of the obligation to use reasonable endeavours - whether to be construed so that non-registration alone entitled vendor to rescind - no mention of causal connection of breach to non-registration - whether question had to be answered in the affirmative Cases Cited: Toll (FGCT) Pty Ltd v Alphapharm Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 52; (2004) 219 CLR 165 North v Marina [2003] NSWSC 64 Munro v Bodrex Pty Ltd [2002] NSWSC 122 Peters (WA) Ltd v Petersville Ltd [2001] HCA 45; (2001) 205 CLR 126 Secured Income Real Estate (Australia) Ltd v St Martins Investments Pty Ltd [1979] HCA 51; (1979) 144 CLR 596 Mackay v Dick (1881) 6 App Cas 251 at 263 Butts v O'Dwyer [1952] HCA 74; (1952) 87 CLR 267 Gauld v Obsidian Holdings Pty Ltd [2009] NSWSC 924 Plumor Pty Ltd v Handley (1996) 41 NSWLR 30 Suttor v Gundowda Pty Ltd [1950] HCA 35; (1950) 81 CLR 418 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Lianghong Mei (Plaintiff) West Apartments Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel JC Kelly SC (Plaintiff) E White (Defendant) Solicitors Legal Point Lawyers & Attorneys (Plaintiff) Blackstone Waterhouse Lawyers (Defendant) File Number(s): 2011/77942