The Owners Strata Plan 50276 v Thoo [2013] NSWCA 270

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: The Owners Strata Plan 50276 v Thoo [2013] NSWCA 270 Hearing dates: 20, 21 May 2013 Decision date: 22 August 2013 Before: Barrett JA at [1]; Tobias AJA at [22]; Preston CJ of LEC at [227]. Decision: 1.Appeal allowed. 2.Cross-Appeal dismissed. 3.Set aside Declarations 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 and Orders 7 and 8 made by Slattery J on 22 August 2011 and Orders 1 to 5 made by his Honour on 4 December 2012. 4.Order that the Third Further Amended Statement of Claim be dismissed. 5.Order that the First Respondent pay the Appellants' costs of the proceedings before Slattery J and of the Appeal but have with respect to the latter a certificate under the Suitors' Fund Act 1951, if otherwise qualified. 6.Direct that the parties indicate, in the light of the foregoing reasons for judgment, the consequential effect on Orders 12, 13 and 14 made on 22 August 2011 and Orders 6 and 7 made on 4 December 2012 by the filing of written submissions within 14 days of the publication of these reasons, in the event that the parties cannot reach agreement as to the disposition of those Orders. [Note: The Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 provide (Rule 36.11) that unless the Court otherwise orders, a judgment or order is taken to be entered when it is recorded in the Court's computerised court record system. Setting aside and variation of judgments or orders is dealt with by Rules 36.15, 36.16, 36.17 and 36.18. Parties should in particular note the time limit of fourteen days in Rule 36.16.] Catchwords: STRATA PLANS - duty of owners corporation to renew or replace mechanical exhaust ventilation system pursuant to Strata Schemes Management Act 1996, s 62(2) - whether duty extended to installing additional system to service plaintiff's lot - whether proprietary right of plaintiff in common property imposed such a duty - validity of special resolution pursuant to s 62(3) of the 1996 Act determining that it was inappropriate to renew or replace system - whether special resolution constituted a fraud on the minority Legislation Cited: Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal Act 2001 Factories, Shops and Industries Act 1962 Local Government Act 1958 (Vic), s 588 Retail Leases Act 1994, Sch 1 Strata Schemes (Freehold Development) Act 1973, ss 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 26, 27 Strata Schemes Management Act 1996, ss 3, 11, 12, 61, 62, 65A, 65B, 65C, 117, 138, 207, 226; Sch 3 Strata Schemes Management Amendment Act 2004 Strata Titles Act 1973, ss 68, 105, 146; Part 5 Cases Cited: Arthur Yates & Co Pty Ltd v Vegetable Seeds Committee [1945] HCA 55; (1945) 72 CLR 37 Associated Provincial Picture Houses Ltd v Wednesbury Corporation [1948] 1 KB 223 Biviano v Natoli (1998) 43 NSWLR 695 Bull v Bull [1955] 1 QB 234 Byrne v Australian Airlines Ltd [1995] HCA 24; (1995) 185 CLR 410 City of Heidelberg v McPherson [1964] VR 783 Field v Dettman [2013] NSWCA 147 Forgeard v Shanahan (1994) 35 NSWLR 206 Freeman v Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria [2000] VSC 547; (2000) 17 VAR 106 Gambotto v WCP Ltd [1995] HCA 12; (1995) 182 CLR 432 Houghton v Immer (No 155) Pty Ltd (1997) 44 NSWLR 46 Jacklin v Proprietors of Strata Plan No 2795 [1975] 1 NSWLR 15 Lin v The Owners - Strata Plan No 50276 [2004] NSWSC 88; (2004) 11 BPR 21,463 Lubrano v The Proprietors of Strata Plan No 4038 (1993) 6 BPR 13,308 MacLeod v Proprietors of Strata Plan No 6544 [1980] 2 NSWLR 691 Martin v Western District of the Australasian Coal & Shale Employees' Federation Workers' Industrial Union of Australia (Mining Department) (1934) 34 SR (NSW) 593 Miller v Miller [2011] HCA 9; (2011) 242 CLR 446 Ngurli Limited v McCann (1953) 90 CLR 425 Nicita v Owners of Strata Plan 64837 [2010] NSWSC 68 Peters' American Delicacy Co Ltd v Heath (1939) 61 CLR 457 O'Connor v SP Bray Ltd (1937) 56 CLR 464 Platt v Ciriello [1998] 2 Qd R 417 Proprietors - Strata Plan No 30234 v Margiz Pty Ltd (1993) 32 NSWLR 294 Proprietors of Strata Plan No 159 v Blake (1986) CCH Strata Titles Cases 30-068 Proprietors of Strata Plan No 464 v Oborn (1975) 1 BPR 9623 Proprietors of Strata Plan No 6522 v Furney [1976] 1 NSWLR 412 Proprietors of Strata Plan No 30234 v Margiz Pty Ltd (Supreme Court of New South Wales, Brownie J, 30 June 1993, unreported) R v Connell; ex parte The Hetton Bellbird Collieries Limited (No 2) (1944) 69 CLR 407 Re the Mayor etc. of the City of Hawthorn; Ex parte Co-operative Brick Co Ltd [1909] VLR 27 Re Christchurch Inclosure Act (1888) 38 Ch D 520 Ridis v Strata Plan 10308 [2005] NSWCA 246; (2005) 63 NSWLR 449 Seiwa Pty Ltd v The Owner of Strata Plan 35042 [2006] NSWSC 1157; (2006) 12 BPR 23,673 Select Plant Hire Pty Ltd v John Holland Construction and Engineering Pty Ltd [1998] VSC 102 Sovar v Henry Lane Pty Ltd (1967) 116 CLR 397 Stolfa v Hempton [2010] NSWCA 218 The Owners - Strata Plan No 43551 v Walter Construction Group Limited [2004] NSWCA 429; (2004) 62 NSWLR 169 The Owners SP 35042 v Seiwa Australia Pty Ltd [2007] NSWCA 272; (2007) 13 BPR 24,789 Trevallyn-Jones v Owners Strata Plan No 50358 [2009] NSWSC 694; (2009) 14 BPR 27,113 Vatcher v Paull [1915] AC 372 Young v Owners - Strata Plan No 3529 [2001] NSWSC 1135; (2001) 54 NSWLR 60 Texts Cited: Macquarie Dictionary, 5th Edition Category: Principal judgment Parties: The Owners - Strata Plan No 50276 (First Appellant/First Cross-Respondent) E & M Partners Pty Ltd (Second Appellant/Third Cross-Respondent) The Rose Chang Investments Pty Ltd (Third Appellant/Eleventh Cross-Respondent) Thakrar Nominees Pty Ltd (Fourth Appellant/Twelfth Cross-Respondent)