Nicholas Arthur Stokes v Molly Harris Toyne [2019] NSWSC 274

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Nicholas Arthur Stokes v Molly Harris Toyne [2019] NSWSC 274 Hearing dates: 15 & 16 October 2018 Decision date: 18 March 2019 Before: Rees J Decision: Judgment for the Plaintiff. Orders at [167]. Catchwords: LAND LAW — Conveyancing — Contract for sale — Deposit — Application for relief from forfeiture of deposit pursuant to Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW) s 55(2A) — Whether unjust or inequitable — Factors relevant to exercise of the Court's discretion — improvements to land between exchange and termination – lengthy pre-contractual negotiations between parties — Significant funds expended to obtain finance — Vendor's right to terminate exercised after several extensions — Purchaser conferred benefit and detriment on Vendor by works undertaken on land — Purchaser caused modest increase in value of land — Order for return of deposit. Legislation Cited: Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), s 55(2A) Law of Property Act 1925 (UK), s 49(2) Property Law Act 1958 (Vic), s 49(2) Cases Cited: Butcher v Harkins [2001] NSWSC 15 Butcher v Lachlan Elder Realty Pty Ltd (2004) 218 CLR 592; [2004] HCA 60 Chambers v Borness (2014) BPR 33,545; [2014] NSWSC 890 Fu Tian Fortune Pty Ltd v Park Cho Pty Ltd [2018] NSWCA 282 Fu Tian Fortune Pty Ltd v Park Cho Pty Ltd [2018] NSWSC 528 Harkins v Butcher; Butcher v Lachlan Elder Realty Pty Ltd (2002) 55 NSWLR 558; [2002] NSWCA 237 Hasanovic v Polistena (1982) NSW Conv R ¶55-078 Havyn Pty Ltd v Webster (2005) 12 BPR 22,837; [2005] NSWCA 182 Kinder Investments Pty Ltd v Sydney City Council (2005) 143 LGERA 237; [2005] NSWLEC 737 Lucas & Tait (Investments) Pty Ltd v Victoria Securities Ltd [1973] 2 NSWLR 268 Mulkearns v Chandos Developments Pty Ltd (2003) 11 BPR 21,277; [2003] NSWSC 1132 Mulkearns v Chandos Developments Pty Ltd (No 4) (2005) 12 BPR 22,993; [2005] NSWSC 511 Nassif v Caminer (2009) 74 NSWLR 276; [2009] NSWCA 45 PC Developments Pty Ltd v Revell (1991) 22 NSWLR 615 Rushcutters Bay Developments Pty Ltd v Dragon Asset Investment Pty Ltd (No 2) (2017) 18 BPR 37,025; [2017] NSWSC 866 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Nicholas Arthur Stokes (Plaintiff) Molly Harriss Toyne (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: J. Ronald (Plaintiff) J.K. Raftery (Defendant)