Metricon Homes Pty Ltd v Carbone [2017] NSWDC 256

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Metricon Homes Pty Ltd v Carbone [2017] NSWDC 256 Hearing dates: 24 August 2017; 1 September 2017 Date of orders: 14 September 2017 Decision date: 14 September 2017 Jurisdiction: Civil Before: Dicker SC DCJ Decision: (1) Judgment for the plaintiff on its Statement of Claim. (2) The parties are to bring in Short Minutes of Order within seven days reflecting these reasons including any appropriate claim for interest. (3) Judgment for the cross-defendant/plaintiff on the Amended Cross-Claim. The Amended Cross-Claim is dismissed. (4) The defendant/cross-claimant is to pay the plaintiff's costs of the proceedings as agreed or assessed. (5) Liberty to the parties to apply to vary the costs order in the preceding paragraph. (6) Exhibits to be returned after 28 days. Catchwords: Contract – deed of put and call option – proper construction of deed – applicable contractual principles – whether plaintiff entitled to refund of call option fees where draft plan of subdivision not registered within stipulated time – whether plaintiff entitled to retain call option fees where nominee of plaintiff breached contract for sale of land contemplated under deeds of put and call option – consequences of rescission of deeds

Taxes and duties - stamp duty – whether nominations of persons dutiable – effect of an undertaking being offered under UCPR Part 31.13 – enforceability of documents not stamped Legislation Cited: Duties Act 1997 (NSW) Home Building Act 1989 (NSW) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules Cases Cited: C&P Syndicate Pty Ltd v Reddy [2013] NSWSC 643 Caringbah Investments Pty Ltd v Caringbah Business & Sports Club Ltd (In Liq) [2016] NSWCA 165 Cordon Investments Pty Ltd v Lesdor Properties Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 184 Electricity Generation Corporation v Woodside Energy Ltd (2014) 251 CLR 640; [2014] HCA 7 Feldman v GNM Australia Ltd [2017] NSWCA 107 HP Mercantile Pty Ltd v Hartnett [2016] NSWCA 342 JLF Corporation Pty Ltd v Matos [2016] QCA 355 Mainteck Services Pty Ltd v Stein Heurtey SA [2014] NSWCA 184 McCallum v National Australia Bank Ltd [2000] NSWCA 218 McDonald v Dennys Lascelles Ltd (1933) 48 CLR 457 MK & JA Roche Pty Ltd v Metro Edgley Pty Ltd (BC200500862) (unreported, 3 March 2005) Nguyen v Taylor [1992] 27 NSWLR 48 Perri v Coolangatta Investments Pty Ltd (1982) 41 ALR 441 Phillips Fox (A Firm) v Westgold Resources NL [2000] WASCA 85 Photios v Cousen [2015] NSWSC 336 Prudential Assurance Co Ltd v Health Minders Pty Ltd (1987) 9 NSWLR 673 Reliance Financial Services Pty Ltd v Baddock [2001] NSWSC 857 Smoothseas Pty Ltd v Lawloan Mortgages Pty Ltd [2007] QCA 445 Suttor v Gundowda Pty Ltd (1950) 81 CLR 418 Tarango Land Pty Ltd v Lyons [2005] VSC 491 Wilkie v Gordian Runoff Ltd (2005) 221 CLR 522; [2005] HCA 17 WIN Corporation Pty Ltd v Nine Network Australia Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 297 Zhang v ROC Services (NSW) Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 370 Texts Cited: Professor P Butt, The Standard Contract for the Sale of Land in New South Wales, second edition, 1998. D Ferrands, The Law of Options, LawBook, 2010 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Metricon Homes Pty Ltd (Plaintiff) Angela Carbone (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: L Corbett (Plaintiff) D Carbone (solicitor) (Defendant)