Waaka v Francois [2017] NSWSC 744

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Waaka v Francois [2017] NSWSC 744 Hearing dates: 22 – 24 May 2017 Date of orders: 09 June 2017 Decision date: 09 June 2017 Jurisdiction: Equity Before: Darke J Decision: Plaintiffs' equitable proprietary estoppel case not established Catchwords: ESTOPPEL – equitable proprietary estoppel – arrangement whereby defendant agreed to sell property to plaintiffs if they were able to obtain finance – where plaintiffs gave up a secure public housing tenancy to lease the property – where plaintiffs carried out improvements to property – defendant refused to sell property after plaintiffs had not obtained finance over period of more than six months – whether defendant created assumption or expectation that plaintiffs had to obtain finance by a certain time – whether defendant adhered to assumption or expectation – no estoppel established Cases Cited: Austotel Pty Ltd v Franklins Selfserve Pty Ltd (1989) 16 NSWLR 582 Delaforce v Simpson-Cook (2010) 78 NSWLR 483; [2010] NSWCA 483 DHJPM Pty Ltd v Blackthorn Resources Ltd (2011) 83 NSWLR 728; [2011] NSWCA 348 Doueihi v Construction Technologies Australia Pty Ltd (2016) 92 NSWLR 247; [2016] NSWCA 105 Grundt v Great Boulder Pty Gold Mines Ltd (1937) 59 CLR 641 Ramsden v Dyson (1866) LR 1 HL 129 S & E Promotions Pty Ltd v Tobin Brothers Pty Ltd (1994) 122 ALR 637 Sidhu v Van Dyke (2014) 251 CLR 505; [2014] HCA 19 Silovi Pty Ltd v Barbaro (1988) 13 NSWLR 466 Sullivan v Sullivan (2006) 13 BPR 24,755; [2006] NSWCA 312 Waltons Stores (Interstate) Ltd v Maher (1988) 164 CLR 387 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Susanne Huhana Waaka (First Plaintiff) John Rhubin Waaka (Second Plaintiff) Marie Anne Valerie Francois (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr P Batley (Plaintiffs) Mr A L Connolly (Defendant)