Category: Injunction against caveating

Blog 85. The Giurina litigation.

The cases in this Blog partially concern caveats and illustrate a persistent use of the legal system leading to loss of a property.  They are in chronological order: Giurina v Greater Geelong City Council & Anor [2023] VSCA 148; Giurina v Greater Geelong City Council & Anor [2023] VSCA 299; Giurina v Registrar of Titles [2023] VSC 784; Giurina v Sheriff (Vic) [2024] VSCA 112.  (There are many earlier Giurina cases but this Blog commences with the Court of Appeal caveat case).   The caveat points arising in these cases are:

Giurina v Greater Geelong City Council & Anor [2023] VSCA 148 – unlike the Transfer of Land Act s. 89A(1), which enables “any person interested in the land” to apply to the Registrar of Titles for service of a notice, an applicant for relief under s. 90(3) is not require to have an interest in the land.

Giurina v Greater Geelong City Council & Anor [2023] VSCA 299 – confirming the statement of law in the previous Court of Appeal case and also rejecting the proposition that where there is a warrant of seizure and sale (while saying nothing about the standing of the Sheriff to apply to remove a caveat from the title of a property subject to the warrant) only the Sheriff had standing to apply to remove the caveats by virtue of the warrants.

Giurina v Registrar of Titles [2023] VSC 784 – a proposed caveat by an executor, in his personal capacity, claiming that he held the land on trust for himself is untenable.

Giurina v Sheriff (Vic) [2024] VSCA 112 – where a court has made an order requiring leave for lodging further caveats, the court has a broad general discretion, to be exercised by reference to whatever considerations are relevant in the particular case, in determining whether to grant leave.

By way of background –

  • Carolina Nacinovich died in 2002.  At the time of her death she was the registered proprietor of a property in Geelong West.  She was still so registered.
  • Ermanno Giurina obtained probate of the will of the deceased.  By operation of s. 13 of the Administration and Probate Act the property vested in Giurina as executor at that time.  The deceased bequeathed the property to him ‘for his own use and benefit absolutely’.   Clause 5 of the will provided:

I give devise and bequeath the rest of my estate to my trustee upon trust to sell call in and convert into money … and after the payment of my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses and death estate and succession duties State Federal or otherwise to hold the residue upon trust for the following in equal shares …

and thereafter were named two other people.

  • In October 2003 Giurina made a handwritten note which he signed twice (once as executor and once as beneficiary), reading –

‘Note 11-10-2003

I assent as Executor to dispose of property at Geelong West … to myself as beneficiary as per [3] of Will of C. Nacinovich —  no liabilities that I am aware of – no power of sale anyway —  dispose of specific devise of Property only — chase up other matters re funds —  Ermanno Giurina —  Executor.

I accept assent — agree as beneficiary to pay for outgoings, costs, etc myself privately for Property — not claim anything against Nacinovich Estate — Ermanno Giurina

Beneficiary’

  • In 2019 Greater Geelong City Council made an emergency order under s. 102 of the Building Act 1993 concerning the house on the property.  Giurina, as executor, engaged in unsuccessful litigation against the Council concerning the order, resulting in orders for costs being made against him in his executorial capacity.
  • In March 2022, at the request of the Council, warrants of seizure and sale were issued against the property.  The warrants inter alia authorised execution to be levied by the Sheriff for the purpose of satisfying the costs orders.  In his capacity as executor Giurina unsuccessfully sought to set aside the warrants.
  • In July 2022 Giurina lodged a caveat, naming himself as caveator.  The estate or interest claimed was ‘freehold estate’, the grounds of claim were ‘estoppel’ and the prohibition was listed as ‘absolutely’.
  • In August 2022 Giurina lodged a second caveat, naming himself as caveator.  The estate or interest claimed was ‘freehold estate’, the prohibition was listed as ‘absolutely’, and the grounds of claim were stated as: “Beneficiary/ies under the will of … [Nacinovich] … where probate has been granted and all debts in the estate have been paid”.
  • The Council applied under the Transfer of Land Act s. 90(3) for removal of the caveats.  Section s. 90(3) materially provided that “any person who was adversely affected” by a caveat could bring proceedings for its removal.   Giurina argued that the Council did not have standing to make the application because, as a mere unsecured judgment creditor, it did not have an interest in the land.  Matthews AsJ rejected this argument and on 9 March 2023 directed the removal of the caveats and restrained Giurina from lodging any further caveat without leave ([2023] VSC 59).   Matthews AsJ also refused an application to stay these orders.
  • On 31 March 2023 Giurina filed an application for leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal on the single proposed ground of appeal that Matthews AsJ erred in law in concluding that the Council had standing to bring the caveat removal application pursuant to s. 90(3).
  • On 14 April 2023, Giurina applied to the Court of Appeal to stay the orders of Matthews AsJ.  In Giurina v Greater Geelong City Council & Another [2023] VSCA 148 Osborn and Kaye JJA refused to grant the stay sought on the ground that the proposed ground of appeal was not reasonably arguable, noting that, unlike the administrative procedure in s. 89A(1) which enabled “any person interested in the land” to apply to the Registrar of Titles for service of a notice requiring the caveator in substance to give notice of proceedings to substantiate the caveator’s claim, an applicant for relief under s. 90(3) was not require to have an interest in the land ([15(b)]).   The construction of s. 90(3) contended for by the applicant would result in an absurd outcome, namely that a judgment creditor could never obtain a removal of caveat under s. 90(3) in aid of the sale of real property pursuant to a warrant of seizure and sale ([15(e)]).

On 17 August 2023, Giurina filed an application in the Court of Appeal to amend his proposed grounds of appeal. By that application, he sought to add the following proposed grounds of appeal:

    1. Her Honour erred at law and on the evidence before her by concluding that [Mr Giurina] did not have a prima facie case [in relation] to the interest claimed in the first caveat and even if she was wrong about that the prima facie case was very weak and consequently the balance of convenience favoured [the Council].
    2. Her Honour erred at law and on the evidence before her by concluding that [Mr Giurina] did not have a prima facie case [in relation] to the interest claimed in the second caveat and even if she was wrong about that the prima facie case was very weak and consequently, the balance of convenience favoured [the Council].
    3. Her Honour erred at law in concluding that both caveats should be removed instead of maintaining them until the trial where any dispute of the factual issues or the claims which the caveats seek to protect can be determined.

In Giurina v Greater Geelong City Council & Anor [2023] VSCA 299 Beach and McLeish JJA heard the applications for leave to amend the grounds of appeal and for leave to appeal and (if leave was granted) the appeal.   Their Honours refused leave to amend the grounds and refused leave to appeal, holding –

  1. For the reasons given in Giurina v Greater Geelong City Council & Another [2023] VSCA 148, which their Honours adopted as their own, proposed ground 1 was not reasonably arguable. Their Honours further rejected the new submission that (while saying nothing about the standing of the Sheriff to apply to remove a caveat from the title of a property subject to a warrant of seizure and sale) only the Sheriff had standing to apply to remove the caveats by virtue of the warrants. [24]-[25]
  2. Proposed ground 2 was based on an alleged representation Giurina made to himself in 2003 and his conduct following the death of Ms Nacinovich, whereby he alleged that the property belonged to him personally by reason of a proprietary estoppel.  It was totally devoid of merit.  The balance of convenience was also against maintenance of the first caveat. [37], [38], [57]
  3. Proposed ground 3 was without merit. Although the bequest to Giurina was a specific bequest of the property to him for his use and benefit absolutely, the use of the word ‘absolutely’ did not mean that the property vested in him at the time of death of the deceased. Giurina had not made out a prima facie case that the property was no longer an asset in the estate. [47]-[49], [57]
  4. Proposed ground 4 was without merit. Giurina had taken no steps to commence the proceeding or articulate a claim for the trial he sought. If, as alleged owner of the property, he applied in his personal capacity to have the warrants set aside, it would be difficult to see how that could not be an abuse of process of the kind referred to in Port of Melbourne Authority v Anshun Pty Ltd (1981) 147 CLR 589. [51], [55], [57]
  5. Another reason for refusing leave to amend was because Giurina had stated that the reason for the application for leave to amend was because, after a previous hearing, it had become obvious to him that ‘to have any chance of succeeding’, he ‘had to add additional grounds’. [58]

Giurina v Registrar of Titles [2023] VSC 784, Barrett AsJ.  This was an application by Giurina for leave to lodge a caveat over the property (Matthews AsJ having restrained lodgment of further caveats without leave).  Giurina argued that –

  • he (as executor) was trustee for himself (as beneficiary) pursuant to a constructive, resulting or implied trust arising as a result of his personal expenditure (as opposed to his expenditure as trustee) in relation to the property.  He had deposed that since 11 October 2003, he believed that he had not performed any executorial acts and he had since been, personally and not on behalf of the estate, making payments for the property’s outgoings in his capacity as a specific beneficiary.  These outgoings covered: rates, valuation and charges; insurance; gardening; fencing; and maintenance.   The total was approximately $120,000 excluding maintenance.
  • the property was given to him absolutely by the terms of the will and was unavailable to satisfy any debts arising out of his administration of the estate.
  • as executor he had on 11 October 2003 assented to the transfer of the property to himself, and so the estate had been fully administered.

Barrett AsJ refused the application, holding –

  1. It was a fundamental principle of common law and equity that a person who held the entire legal and beneficial interest in a property cannot hold the property on trust for themselves.  If one person had both the legal estate and the entire beneficial interest in the land he held an entire and unqualified legal interest and not two separate interests, one legal and the other equitable.  If that person first held the legal estate upon trust for some other person and thereafter that other person transferred to the first person the entire equitable interest, then again the first person did not hold two separate interests but a single entire interest – he was the absolute owner of an estate in fee simple in the land.  The equitable interest merged into the legal estate to comprise a single absolute interest in the land.  However, although the trustee could not be the sole beneficiary, the trustee could be one of the beneficiaries. [23]-[24]
  2. Further, it was impossible for a constructive trust to be imposed to avoid any unconscientious or unconscionable conduct between Giurina and himself. [25]
  3. The argument that Giurina assented (pursuant to s. 41(1) of the Administration and Probate Act) to the transfer to himself of the beneficial interest in the property was also invalid: the only interest in real property that may be conveyed by assent was the interest held by the testator.  The process of assent did not enable a personal representative to separate the legal estate and equitable interest in real property. [27]
  4. It was accordingly not arguable that Giurina had the caveatable interest asserted. [28]
  5. Further, Giurina was personally liable for debts incurred by himself as executor.  Although he had a right to an indemnity out of the assets of the estate, an executor’s liability was not necessarily limited to the assets of the estate, eg the indemnity did not extend to costs of actions improperly commenced or defended.  Accordingly, his submissions as to the different capacities in which he held the property were both of limited weight and irrelevant to the question of leave. [32]-[33]
  6. Finally, even if the question of the availability of the property to satisfy costs orders was relevant to the question of leave it was not open to the court to upset the orders of Matthews AsJ that the Property was affected by the costs orders and the warrant.  [34]

Giurina v Sheriff (Vic) [2024] VSCA 112 (Walker and Orr JJA).   This was the hearing of two applications.  In the first application the respondent was the Sheriff.  In the second application the respondent was the Registrar of Titles.  The first application arose from an application by Giurina for an interlocutory injunction to prevent the Sheriff’s sale.  The second application arose from an application by Giurina for leave to lodge two caveats on the property.  The applications were heard at first instance in the Practice Court on 23 February 2024.  On 26 February, the day before the sale was due to occur, Forbes J. refused each application on a number of grounds.  Her Honour held that the test for granting leave an application for leave to lodge a caveat was like an application to remove a caveat under s. 90(3), and accordingly the test in relation to the caveatable interest was analogous to the interlocutory injunction test.  Her Honour further noted: there was no evidence of a declaration of trust by Giurina in favour of himself – this argument appeared to stem only from the words of the will, which empowered Giurina to act as trustee as well as executor, but which did not, of itself, create a trust relationship in respect of any particular property of the estate; even if a trust in favour of oneself could be made there was not a serious question to be tried that the applicant had a caveatable interest.   Giurina sought leave to appeal from her Honour’s decision.  In the caveat proceeding he also sought an extension of time in which to file his notice of application for leave to appeal.

The Court of Appeal refused leave to appeal in the injunction proceeding and refused the application for an extension of time in the caveat proceeding, holding –

  1. The underlying basis for Giurina’s claims — that the estate has been fully administered, at least in relation to the property — was without merit.  In particular: the estate was the legal owner of the property, the property having vested in Giurina as executor upon the grant of probate but formal transfer of the registered title to the property to him not having occurred; the estate could not be regarded as having been fully administered until its assets had been distributed in accordance with the will; this was also why Giurina’s contention that he was a trustee of the property, holding it on trust for himself as beneficiary, lacked any prospect of success. [49], [50], [52], [84]
  2. The balance of convenience also weighed against the grant of an interlocutory injunction. [66]
  3. In determining whether to grant leave to lodge a further caveat the court had a broad general discretion to be exercised by reference to whatever considerations were relevant in the particular case.  In exercising that discretion it was permissible to adopt the approach taken by Forbes J., namely to assess whether the applicant for leave could demonstrate an arguable caveatable interest which, on the balance of convenience, should remain pending trial.  Even if the court was to conclude that Forbes J. made a specific error in the course of her reasoning it would make the same order, because the basis for Giurina’s asserted interest that he sought to protect by the caveats was the interest he invalidly claimed had resulted from the alleged completion of the administration of the estate. [83], [84], [86], [93], [94]
  4. Accordingly it would be futile to extend the time for filing of the notice of application for leave to appeal in the caveat proceeding. [96]

Philip H. Barton

Owen Dixon Chambers West

Tuesday, October 29, 2024

Blog 76. A collection of claims, none amounting to a caveatable interest.

SJM v PMD & Anor [2023] VSC 349, Daly AsJ.

This case concerns a persistent user of the court system with sundry claims, none caveatable.  Interestingly Daly AsJ essays a definition of what is an estate or interest in land (this being the basis of a caveatable interest under the Transfer of Land Act s. 89).  Lawyers find it easier to say whether, in the particular circumstances of a case, an interest in land exists, than to define one.  Relying on Victorian authority her Honour stated –

“An estate or interest in land required to support a caveat must be an interest in respect of which equity would give specific relief against the land itself, either by way of requiring the provision of a registrable instrument or in some other way, for example, ordering a sale to enable a charge to be satisfied out of the proceeds.”

This is a comprehensive definition though not complete, because, for example it does not cover the interest of an adverse possessor, held caveatable in Nicholas Olandezos v Bhatha & Ors [2017] VSC 234 at [35], [37], nor rights of a legal not equitable nature.  In that case Derham AsJ stated at [18] –

“First, the Caveators must establish that there is a prima facie case – there is a probability on the evidence before the Court that the Caveators will be found to have the asserted legal or equitable rights or interest in the disputed land by adverse possession.”

Any general statement of what is an estate or interest in land also depends on context.  So in Stow v Mineral Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd (1979) 180 CLR 295, which concerned the requirement that permitted objectors to the grant of a mining licence claim an estate or interest in land, Aickin J. stated at [21] –

“In my opinion the ordinary meaning of the compound expression “estate or interest in land” is an estate or interest of a proprietary nature in the land.  This would include legal and equitable estates and interests, e.g., a freehold or a leasehold estate, or incorporeal interests such as easements, profits a prendre, all such interests being held by persons in their individual capacity.  It does not embrace interests in which the person concerned has no greater claim than any other member of the public.”

  The facts were as follows –

  • The plaintiff and the first defendant (defendant) were in a de facto relationship for about a decade until 2010.  In 2003 the plaintiff purchased a property at Hoddles Creek of which she was sole registered proprietor and where they cohabited until she moved interstate in 2010, returning, she alleged, in 2012 to retake exclusive possession.  In 2012 the defendant caveated claiming an implied, resulting or constructive trust, the grounds of the claim being an alleged constructive trust.
  • On 15 August 2012 the Federal Magistrates’ Court made final consent orders in a proceeding commenced by the defendant including providing three alternatives for disposal of the property.  The first alternative (in paragraph 2 of the orders) was that the defendant pay the plaintiff $110,000 by 15 November 2012 in exchange for a transfer of her interest in the land with him discharging the mortgage and performing certain other obligations.  Failing this alternative being taken, the second alternative gave her an election to retain the property and to pay him $50,000 in exchange for withdrawal of the caveat.  Failing both the foregoing alternatives the property was to be sold and proceeds distributed in a particular manner.  Other orders included (in paragraph 5.2) that the parties would hold their respective interests in the land on trust pursuant to these orders.  The orders concluded that pursuant to s. 81 of the Family Law Act the parties intended them to, as far as practicable, finally determine their financial relationship and avoid further proceedings.
  • Due, the defendant alleged, to the plaintiff’s non-co-operation with his pursuit of the first alternative, he filed an application returnable on 31 October 2012 to enforce the final orders (the enforcement application) chiefly to require the plaintiff to give effect to the first alternative.  The case was not reached, but on that day the plaintiff’s solicitor deposed to holding the required completed Transfer document and that his client was ready, willing and able to settle the sale in accordance with the first alternative on 15 November.
  • Although the orders of 15 August required payment by 15 November the parties agreed to extend the time for settlement to 11.30am on 16 November.  The enforcement application was relisted at 10am on 16 November and stood down pending settlement of the transfer.  However, the transaction did not settle at 11.30am due to a discrepancy between the Transfer and a mortgage, the defendant’s lender Westpac requiring the parties to execute a new Transfer to conform with the terms upon which it had agreed to advance finance.  The defendant and his solicitors then took steps to remedy this and planned to be able to settle at 3:30pm.  However, at about 1.40pm the plaintiff elected to take the second alternative.  When the hearing resumed at around 2.30pm counsel for the defendant sought orders compelling the parties to attend settlement at 3:30pm.  The Federal Magistrate dismissed both this application and the enforcement application on the basis that both parties had complied with their obligations but the bank had prevented settlement, and that to order the parties to attend settlement at 3.30pm would conflict with the orders of 15 August.
  • In December 2012 and February 2014 the defendant refused the plaintiff’s tender of $50,000.
  • In January 2014 an application for leave to appeal against the dismissal of the enforcement application was itself dismissed but the judge commented in substance that instead of appealing the defendant should have commenced proceedings under s. 90SN(1)(c) of the Family Law Act which provided that if, on application by a person affected by an order in property settlement proceedings, the court was satisfied that a person had defaulted in carrying out an obligation imposed by the order and it was just and equitable, the court had a discretion to vary or set aside the order and if appropriate substitute another order.  An application to the High Court for special leave to appeal against the judge’s decision failed.
  • In February 2014 the defendant filed a contravention application in the Federal Circuit Court directed at the plaintiff and her solicitors.  This was dismissed in September 2014, and an application to the Family Court for leave to appeal against this dismissal was itself dismissed except as to a question of possession of chattels which was remitted to the Federal Circuit Court, and an application to the High Court for special leave to appeal against the Family Court decision was itself dismissed.  On the remitted question the defendant failed as did an appeal against this dismissal.
  • The plaintiff applied for removal of the caveat under the Transfer of Land Act s. 90(3), for an injunction restraining the defendant from further caveating, and for compensation under s. 118.  The defendant argued that he had an equitable interest in the land by reason of being the beneficiary of a trust created by the final orders dated 15 August 2012 and having the potential to bring an application to have the orders dismissing the enforcement application and/or the contravention application varied or set aside for fraud.  He also contended that failure of the transaction to settle at 11.30am on 16 November 2012 was not attributable to the action of his bank but to the plaintiff’s actions.

Daly AsJ ordered removal of the caveat on condition that on any sale or refinancing $50,000 be set aside to meet the defendant’s entitlements under the final orders, holding –

  1. An estate or interest in land required to support a caveat must be an interest in respect of which equity would give specific relief against the land itself, either by way of requiring the provision of a registrable instrument or in some other way, for example, ordering a sale to enable a charge to be satisfied out of the proceeds. [67]
  2. The allegation that there was fraud arising from the solicitor for the plaintiff’s affidavit sworn on 31 October 2012, or by counsel’s statements during the hearing on 16 November, was untenable. However, any claim to set aside an order for fraud, which in the case of the orders in the enforcement and contravention applications was accordingly very weak (the strength of the caveator’s claim being relevant to whether the caveat should be maintained), was a mere equity, not a proprietary interest, and so did not found a caveatable interest. [72]-[74], [86]-[90]
  3. Section 91(1) of the Evidence Act 2008 provided that evidence of a decision, or a finding of fact in another proceeding was inadmissible to prove the existence of a fact that was in issue in that proceeding. However, it was doubtful that s. 91(1) excluded evidence contained in reasons for judgment of admissions or concessions made by a party in the course of the other proceeding. The defendant had made such admissions or concessions to the effect that the plaintiff’s bank could discharge its mortgage by the scheduled date.  And the defendant or his counsel had in previous proceedings repeatedly acknowledged that the defendant’s bank was responsible for the failure to settle on 16 November 2012. [82]-[84]
  4. Any claim under the Family Law Act s. 90SN(1) was a statutory claim incapable of giving rise to an equitable interest. [90]
  5. The interpretation of the final orders and of the plaintiff’s entitlement to elect to take the second alternative had been litigated extensively. The defendant was estopped from further litigating either his entitlements under the final orders or the validity of this election.  Even if the question of the alleged fraud had not yet been expressly raised in previous court proceedings, then they should have been so raised having regard to the principles of Port of Melbourne Authority v Anshun (1981) 147 CLR 589.  It was unreasonable for the defendant not to have raised allegations of fraud in the actual enforcement and contravention applications. [90], [93]
  6. The court had considered whether the defendant had any caveatable interest, not just that claimed in the caveat (a claim to the constructive trust having been subsumed in the final orders). And, although in the final orders of 15 August 2012 paragraph 2 gave the defendant an equitable interest in the property akin to that of a purchaser (which alternative had not however been taken) and paragraph 5.2 created a trust, that trust did not survive one of the alternatives in the orders being taken. [71], [94]-[96], [99]
  7. The balance of convenience overwhelmingly favoured removal of the caveat because of the plaintiff’s financial circumstances. [100]
  8. Given the history of litigation and circumstances of the case the defendant was restrained from lodging any further caveats over the land. [103]

Philip H. Barton

          Owen Dixon Chambers West

        Wednesday, August 30, 2023

Blog 44. Indemnity costs and injunction against caveating.

BCA Asset Management Group Pty Ltd v Sand Solutions (Vic) Pty Ltd & Ors [2021] VSC 177, Derham AsJ, 13 April 2021.

Before 2009 William Attwood, married to Jane Attwood, became sole registered proprietor of approximately 29 ha. at Devenish (the AustLII report says this occurred on 17 April 2013 but this seems incorrect).  The subsequent chronology was –

16 February 2009        Broken Creek Developments Pty Ltd  (‘BCD’)  incorporated with the second defendant (‘Colling’) its sole director and member.

20 August 2009              223 Coopers Road Devenish (‘the Land’) now comprised the 29 ha. plus land in Certificates of Title Volume 11153 Folios 541 and 542.

1 February 2010           Colling and BCD lodge caveats over the Land claiming an interest as a beneficiary under a constructive trust of which the Attwoods were the constructive trustees (‘First Caveats’).

25 June 2010                 Sand Extraction Agreement between Jane Attwood and Devenish Sands Pty Ltd.  This agreement: was conditional on the grant of an Extractive Industry Work Authority and approval of the company’s Work Plan within 180 days (clause 2.1); had an initial term of 10 years (clause 11.1); and could be terminated by Ms Attwood on the happening of a Default Event, which was defined to include an Insolvency Event (clauses 12.1 and 13.1).  It was unclear whether Ms Attwood waived compliance with the conditions precedent or when this agreement commenced.

12 January 2011              First Caveats withdrawn.

26 May 2011                   Ms Attwood registered as the sole proprietor of the Land.

29 July 2011                    Work Authority issued to Devenish Sands Pty Ltd.

23 November 2011       Colling lodges caveat over the Land claiming an interest as beneficiary under a constructive trust between himself and Ms Attwood (‘Second Caveat’).

14 January 2013             First defendant (‘Sand Solutions’) incorporated.

9 July 2014                  Work Authority transferred from Devenish Sands Pty Ltd to Sand Sol­utions.

8 August 2014               Devenish Sands Pty Ltd wound up in insolvency.

17 April 2015                Devenish Sands Pty Ltd by its liquidator disclaims any interest in the Land under the Sand Extraction Agreement.

13/14 September 2016     Second Caveat withdrawn. 

July 2017 on                    Sand Solutions seeks access to the Land for the purposes of remediation. At all times, Sand Solutions proceeds on the basis it had no right of access.

10 November 2017       Contract of sale whereby Ms Attwood agrees to sell the Land to BCA Civil Pty Ltd.

20 March 2018            Caveat by Sand Solutions over the land in Certificates of Title Volume 11153 Folios 541 and 542 claiming an interest as the grantee of a profit à prendre pursuant to an agreement entered into 16 June 2010 (‘Third Caveat’).  Sand Solutions was not at this time in existence and the only agreement known that might support a profit à prendre was the Sand Extraction Agreement with Devenish Sands Pty Ltd.

23 March 2018              Ms Attwood commences proceeding seeking an order for the removal of the Third Caveat.  

Undated                            Caveat withdrawn before hearing.

28 March 2018              Zammit J. orders Sand Solutions to pay Ms Attwood’s standard costs and otherwise dismisses the proceeding stating that the Court would take a ‘very dim view’ if Sand Solutions again caveated.

4 May 2018                      Plaintiff registered as the sole proprietor of the Land.

1 August 2020                  Colling appointed sole director of Sand Solutions.

26 February 2021          Sand Solutions, by a solicitor, lodges caveat (‘Fourth Caveat’) claiming an interest as grantee of an easement pursuant to the Sand Extraction Agreement.

18 March                          Plaintiff writes requesting withdrawal of caveat. 

22 March                          Plaintiff email foreshadowing urgent application for caveat removal.

24 March                      Email by caveator’s solicitor saying he was to confer with his client.  No further response. 

31 March                          Plaintiff commences proceeding under Transfer of Land Act s. 90(3) returnable on 13 April.

6 April                        Email from caveator’s solicitor stating: his client maintained that it had rights to go upon the land and extract the sand, in accordance with a (cancelled) planning permit and a Licence granted by Earth Resources; it was anticipated that VCAT would reinstate the permit; if his client succeeded at VCAT then his client would, if necessary, commence court proceedings seeking a declaration that it had the rights it claimed; but to avoid costs the caveat would be withdrawn.

8 April                            Caveat not yet withdrawn, plaintiff’s solicitor writes with draft order for caveat removal and payment of indemnity costs. 

Undated                            Caveat withdrawn after service of Originating Motion and Summons. 

13 April                            Hearing.


An affidavit was filed on behalf of the plaintiff deposing that: no grant of easement by Ms Attwood to Sand Solutions had ever been drafted; the plaintiff intended to use the Land as a commercial water park with caravan facilities; to undertake this development other investors were required, one of whom withdrew on learning of the possible easement, others of whom would not proceed until the caveat issue was resolved, and one of whom was seeking return of her investment unless the caveat was removed within 30 days but would also seek immediate refund of her investment if Sand Solutions and Colling further caveated; delay put at risk necessary support by the Benalla Rural City. 

Derham AsJ ordered –

1.     Sand Solutions and Colling to pay indemnity costs because –

(a)      the claim to an easement (or to any other proprietary interest) lacked any basis;

(b)     the plaintiff sought withdrawal of the caveat before the proceeding was commenced, which did not occur;

(c)   before the proceeding was commenced Sand Solutions was warned that the plaintiffs would suffer damage from the Fourth Caveat, and after commencement of the proceeding an award of indemnity costs against Sand Solutions and Colling was foreshadowed;

(d)     the caveat was lodged as a bargaining chip;

(e)   it was impermissible for the innocent registered proprietor to bear any differ­ential between standard and indemnity costs, occasioned by the delinquent conduct of Sand Solutions and Colling. [27]-[28]

2.   That Sand Solutions and Colling be restrained, until further order, from lodging for regis­tration any caveat in reliance on a profit à prendre or an easement.  As to the power to grant an injunction –

(a)   Normally the injunction would be in the nature of a final or permanent injunction: as an injunction restraining Sand Solutions and Colling from lodging any further caveat on the basis of the Sand Extraction Agreement, or on the basis of an alleged profit à prendre or easement, would be an order in aid of the plaintiff’s proprietary right to quiet and peaceful enjoyment of the Land as registered proprietor; [15]

(b)  However because Sand Solutions and Colling had not appeared in court, and there may be some other basis for their belief that a subsisting proprietary right existed surviving the indefeasibility provisions of the Transfer of Land Act, it was appropriate to apply principles applicable to the grant of interlocutory injunctions by analogy; [16]

(c)         An interlocutory injunction would go because –

(i)    The plaintiff had demonstrated a prima facie case that there was a high proba­bility, approaching a certainty, on the evidence, that its proprietary interest in the Land was free from any proprietary interest of the kind claimed in the Third and Fourth Caveats.   There was also a prima facie case that if not restrained Sand Solutions and Colling would continue to lodge caveats as bargaining chips in pursuit of asserted rights under the Sand Extraction Agreement; [29]-[30]

(ii)      The injury which the plaintiff was likely to suffer was one for which dam­ages would not provide an adequate remedy.  In cases concerning the ‘quieting of title’, meaning the seeking of the assistance of the Court to protect and preserve the title to land against unwarranted challenges or claims, damages were not considered an adequate remedy; [31]

(iii)  The balance of convenience favoured the plaintiff.  The strength of the plaintiff’s claim, the weakness of the claims raised by the Third and Fourth Caveats, and the evidence of actual and potential injury to the plaintiff occasioned by the caveat entailed that the course carrying the lower risk of injustice (if it should turn out to have been wrong) was to restrain Sand Solutions and Colling, but, because they had not appeared, to give them liberty to apply to discharge the injunction. [32]

                                                                                     Philip. H. Barton
Owen Dixon Chambers West
Tuesday, May 25, 2021

41. Indemnity costs – Injunction against caveating – Mercury Draught Cider drinking caveator attracts both injunction and indemnity costs.

The two cases in this Blog are, but for one point, mundane cases of removal of hopeless caveats, indemnity costs and in the second case an injunction against caveating.  The one point is that in the second case the case for an injunction was so strong that the Associate Justice did not require an undertaking as to damages.  The mundaneness of the cases is also enlivened by some remarks by the caveator in the second case.

In Devine v Bernstone [2020] VSC 507, (17 August 2020), Croucher J, the facts were –
  • The plaintiff and defendant were involved in litigation pending before the County Court relating to monies which the defendant alleged were owed to him by a company of which the plaintiff is or was a director.
  • In 2018 the defendant caveated over a property owned by the plaintiff to protect his alleged interest under the agreements the subject of the County Court proceedings. His solicitors advised him that he had no caveatable interest and the caveat was withdrawn.
  • The plaintiff subsequently entered a contract to sell this property. Settlement was due on 28 November 2019 but was postponed because the defendant caveated again, this time on the ground of an alleged agreement dated 18 November 2019.
  • The plaintiff’s solicitors wrote to the defendant seeking details regarding the alleged agreement without response. They also requested that he remove the caveat to which he responded that he would do so in exchange for payment of $240,000.
  • The plaintiff commenced proceedings under the Transfer of Land Act s. 90(3) to remove the caveat. At the hearing in December 2019 the defendant (who was self-represented) said that the reference in the caveat to an agreement dated 18 November 2019 was erroneous, stated that he instead relied on an alleged conversation with the plaintiff and on a term in a loan agreement, but ultimately accepted that the caveat had no proper basis and withdrew his opposition to removal.

His Honour ordered the defendant to pay costs on an indemnity basis because of special circumstances, being –

  1. The ground stated in the caveat did not exist. [31]
  2. The alternative justifications for the caveat raised at the hearing were unmeritorious and the alleged conversation with the plaintiff was unsupported by evidence. [32]-[34]
  3. The caveat was lodged in wilful disregard of repeated advice to the defendant (including from his solicitors) that he had no caveatable interest. [35]
  4. The caveat was lodged with the ulterior motive of exerting pressure on the plaintiff to repay monies allegedly owed. [36]
  5. Because the defendant refused to withdraw the caveat the plaintiff had to commence this proceeding and so incur costs. [37]
  6. The plaintiff’s solicitors warned that indemnity costs would be sought. [38]

Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology v Galloway & Anor [2020] VSC 575, (9 September 2020), Derham AsJ.

RMIT owned the Oxford Scholar Hotel.  It entered a contract with Schiavello Construction (Vic) Pty Ltd (Schiavello) to redevelop and refurbish the hotel.  Schiavello engaged the first defendant as a subcontractor for the works.  He claimed that Schiavello owed him money.  RMIT called for expressions of interest, closing on 26 August, for the purchase of other land (“the land”) owned by it.  After this call the first defendant on 18 August lodged a caveat on the title to the land claiming a freehold estate pursuant to an agreement with the registered proprietor dated 3 August 2020.  Various expressions of interest were lodged and RMIT desired to advance the sale.

The first defendant had no legal relationship with RMIT, whose solicitors wrote to him twice seeking withdrawal of the caveat and warning that failing this proceedings would be issued and indemnity costs and compensation for loss suffered by RMIT would be sought.  He replied derisively including inviting the writer to “feel free to drop a slab around sometime”, stating that he drank Mercury Draught Cider, stating “see you in Court honey”, and accusing RMIT of behaving like foolish little children.

He also emailed RMIT: threatening to dump a truckload of rubbish outside the hotel and to put up posters at RMIT making allegations against RMIT; making personal threats against RMIT personnel; and demonstrating that he was aware of the baseless nature of the caveat and that he intended by it to inflict legal cost and media attention on RMIT.

RMIT applied for removal of the caveat under the Transfer of Land Act s. 90(3).  The first defendant acknowledged that the caveat was a desperate attempt to induce RMIT to intervene in his dispute with Schiavello.  Derham AsJ:

  • stated the criteria for caveat removal under s. 90(3) in conventional terms (eg see Blogs under Category “Caveat – Test for maintenance on s. 90(3) application”); [16]-[18]
  • removed the caveat on the ground of no prima facie interest in the land and (if necessary) balance of convenience; [20]-[22]
  • enjoined the first defendant against further caveating on the title of any land of which RMIT was registered proprietor.  Although an undertaking as to damages was offered by RMIT his Honour stated that the legal right to an injunction was so clear and the balance of convenience so weighted that an undertaking was neither necessary nor appropriate [24]; and
  • as the caveat was lodged for an ulterior motive and being used as a bargaining chip, ordered him to pay indemnity costs. [23], [25]

Philip H. Barton

Owen Dixon Chambers West

29 September 2020

26. Four disparate cases – (1) Injunction against caveat – (2) Residuary beneficiary and prospective testator's family maintenance claimant with no caveatable interest – (3) Offer of caveat not sufficient security for costs – (4) Failure to remove caveat as breach of mortgage.

This blog deals with 4 cases not warranting a blog in their own right, at times however dealing with arcane points. They are –
R.G. Murch Nominees Pty Ltd v Paul David Annesley & Ors [2019] VSC 107 (26 February 2019) Sloss J. – A further contribution by Mr Annesley, the subject of Blog 4, to the law on injunctions against caveats, he succeeding in this instance.
In the matter of the Will of Dorothea Agnes Baird [2019] VSC 59 (13 February 2019) Keogh J. – A reminder that a residuary beneficiary of an estate does not have a proprietary interest in a specific asset during administration, nor does a prospective testator’s family maintenance claimant have an interest in land in the estate.
Brooklyn Landfill & Waste Recycling Pty Ltd v Commonwealth Golf Club Inc [2019] VSC 52 (6 February 2019) Hetyey JR. – which in short held that the offer by the plaintiff’s director to consent to lodgment of a caveat over her property was insufficient security for costs. [40], [42]
S Pty Ltd v B V [2019] VSC 125 (4 March 2019) Lansdowne AsJ. – which in short, in the course of a much wider dispute, noted that a registered proprietor, who commenced a proceeding for caveat removal but by orders agreed that the proceeding be stayed, was in breach of his obligation under a mortgage to cause a caveat lodged without the consent of the mortgagee to be removed. [34]

R.G. Murch Nominees Pty Ltd v Paul David Annesley & Ors [2019] VSC 107 (26 February 2019) Sloss J.
The facts were:

  • The first defendant (Annesley) was director of a company which owned a rural property mortgaged to a bank. There had been lengthy litigation between the bank and the company.  In August 2018 the bank conducted a mortgagee’s sale at which the plaintiff, whose sole director was Mr Murch (Murch), entered a contract to purchase the property. The contract was settled, the plaintiff became registered proprietor and a mortgage by it was registered.
  • After settlement of the sale there were altercations between Murch and Annesley, allegations of violence by Murch, intervention orders, and the execution by the defendants of a document whereby certain defendants were purportedly appointed to take control of property of the plaintiff for the purpose of enforcing a security interest.
  • The plaintiff brought this proceeding in substance to prevent the defendants interfering with the plaintiff or what it purchased, including seeking an injunction against registering or attempting to register any caveat over the land and certain other land of which the plaintiff was registered proprietor. It relied on the body of past conduct of Annesley in the improperly lodging caveats and similar documents, recorded in judgments of various courts, as manifesting his modus operandi.

As to caveats her Honour found or held –

1.    The plaintiff was in substance applying for a quia timet injunction and so was required to demonstrate a threatened infringement of the plaintiff’s rights sufficiently clearly to justify the court’s intervention.  This application did not arise from previous caveat lodgment over the land but from the defendants’ history. [79]  

2.     Authorities related to quia timet injunctive relief established the following principles –

(a)  the plaintiff must show that what the defendant intended or was likely to do would cause immediate (or imminent) and substantial damage to its property or business.  However, no fixed or absolute standard of proof was required;

(b)  the court would have regard to the degree of probability of apprehended injury, the degree of the seriousness of the injury, and the requirements of justice between the parties. [79]

3.     There being no evidence of the relevant defendants threatening or intending to lodge caveats over the plaintiff’s land, the plaintiff’s apprehension that they may do so did not qualify as an ‘imminent’ threat, and accordingly no injunction would issue. [87]

In the matter of the Will of Dorothea Agnes Baird [2019] VSC 59 (13 February 2019) Keogh J.

The facts were –

·     Dorothea Baird, who had two sons Peter and Michael, was registered proprietor of a property at Rhyll and was also registered as a one third proprietor of a property at Wonthaggi. 

·     On her death Peter obtained probate of her will under which she left her interest in the Wonthaggi property to him, made dispositions of property other than of land, and left the net residue of her estate to both sons equally as tenants in common. 

·    Michael foreshadowed a testator’s family maintenance proceeding.  He also lodged caveats against both properties stating as the grounds of his claim
that he was a beneficiary under the will.

·      Peter brought this proceeding inter alia under the TLA s. 90(3) to remove the caveats.

His Honour held –

1.    That the caveator had not raised a serious question to be tried that he had an interest in the properties.  In particular –

(a) as a residuary beneficiary he did not have a legal or equitable interest in a specific asset of the estate during the course of administration, only a chose in action, or personal right, to compel proper administration of the estate by the executor.  Further, the residue did not come into existence until administration of the estate was complete;

(b) the proposed testator’s family maintenance gave him no interest in the property. [21]-[22]

2.   The balance of convenience also favoured caveat removal. [23]

21. Options – Indemnity costs – Injunction against caveating

Pollard v Pollard [2019] VSC 21 (8 February 2019) Daly AsJ. 

Kuipers v Harrington (No 2) [2019] VSC 190 (25 March 2019) Derham AsJ.

 

These two cases are in contrast.  Pollard illustrates that a well drawn option to purchase creates a caveatable interest.  Kuipers illustrates a badly drawn option clause, no caveatable interest, and consequential award of indemnity costs and enjoining of the caveator. 

Pollard v Pollard [2019] VSC 21 (8 February 2019) Daly AsJ.  This was not a case under the TLA s. 90(3) but was a trial in which, if the defendant succeeded (as she did), she would have a caveatable interest.  The facts were –

·       In 2004 the parties entered into a deed inter alia concerning a property owned by a company and later by the plaintiff which included (cl. 5.7) that if the plaintiff wished to sell it he must first give the defendant the option to purchase it: at a value calculated by multiplying the annual gross rent paid by the tenants at such time by 10 times; but if it was untenanted, then at current market value established by sworn valuation; and the defendant was to be given at least 30 days’ prior notice in writing of such intention to sell, with her then to exercise her option to purchase within 21 days of receipt of such notice;

·    In 2009 the defendant lodged a caveat on the grounds of “As beneficiary of an option to purchase pursuant to a written agreement” then describing the agreement;

·    In February 2018 the plaintiff informed the defendant that the property was going on the market, stated its market value according to a real estate agent, and asked her intentions.  At that time the property was leased to a tenant;

·      Initially the defendant stated that she was not interested in purchasing the property and that the caveat would only be lifted at settlement of a sale.  Subsequently she confirmed that she wished to exercise her right to purchase at 10 times the current annual rent; 

·       The plaintiff commenced proceedings seeking removal of the caveat.   

Daly AsJ found or held –

1.    The plaintiff was obliged to give the defendant the option to purchase the property at the price calculated in accordance with the Deed, ie to give 30 days’ notice of intention to sell and concurrently to give the option to purchase the property at ten times the annual rental receivable at the time of the notice.  The obligation to offer the property to the defendant for sale at market value only arose if the property was untenanted. [32]

2.    The defendant was only obliged to respond to an offer made in accordance with the Deed.  No such offer was ever made.  She was not required to enquire whether the property was tenanted. [35]

3. The defendant was entitled to an order for specific performance of the plaintiff’s obligations. [34], [37]-[46]

 

Kuipers v Harrington (No 2) [2019] VSC 190 (25 March 2019) Derham AsJ.

The chronology was –

·         The plaintiffs owned a 38.38 ha. property at West Rosebud.  On 4 April 2014 they and the first defendant executed a “Heads of Agreement” and a “Deed of Agreement”.  Under the Deed the first defendant was to facilitate development of the property by subdividing it into ten acre lots, in return for transfer to him of one such lot.  Clause 7 of the Deed purported to give the first defendant the plaintiffs’ consent to the lodgement of a caveat over the land to ‘better secure the opportunity’ for the first defendant to develop it;

·         The Heads, described by his Honour as “an ill drawn document” ([14]) –

·         Recited that:

·    the seller has agreed to grant to the option holder a three-year call option for “the properties” to either purchase the properties, source a joint venture partner or investor, source a funder to develop them or to source an ultimate buyer/buyers.  This was the only reference in the document to a period of three years for exercise of the call option;

·     if the option holder exercised the call option, the seller and the ultimate buyer and/or their nominees must enter into an unconditional contract of sale;

·     the option holder was entitled to earn the profit margin between the seller and buyer less any relevant costs, fees, and commissions due to third parties.

·         Defined:

·    “Expiry Date” of the Heads as “three years from the commencement date” (but the term “Expiry Date” was not subsequently used in the document);

·      “Option Call” as an irrevocable offer to enter into a REIV sale contract with an ultimate buyer.

·      Provided, in a “Payment Agreement”, that for facilitating the subdivision the first defendant would receive a ten acre parcel;

·         Provided that “the seller grants to the option holder an irrevocable right and option: (a) to require the seller to enter into a contract of sale with either the option holder or the ultimate buyer (cl. 2.1(a)); (b) to nominate a person or entity as selected buy (sic) the option holder to enter into a contract as the ultimate buyer, to purchase the property or properties listed on this agreement and on the terms contained in this agreement”; (cl. 2.1(b));

·   Provided: that the “call option” may be exercised during the term of the agreement by notice (cl. 2.2); the option holder, the first defendant, must pay the seller (the plaintiffs) $1 which is “deemed to be a holding deposit towards the purchase of the properties” (cl. 2.8); “This agreement can only be terminated by either of; the expiry of this agreement, or by mutual consent of both parties” (cl 2.11);

·       Provided that (cl. 4):

“The seller consents and grants to the option holder and the ultimate buyer, an interest in the property for the purpose of securing the development approval, and when a Contract is offered, the option holder and/or the ultimate buyer are authorised to lodge a caveat on the title of the property, a) but the caveat shall be discharged in favour of mortgages to be lodged for a contract of purchase, b) the caveat will protect any equitable interest of the option holders until settlement of the contract by the ultimate buyer; c) cost of removal will be paid by the lodger of the caveat”.

·     Nothing then occurred until 2018 when, after the plaintiffs had entered into a contract to sell the land to someone else, the first defendant lodged a caveat claiming a freehold estate in the land pursuant to an agreement dated 4 April 2014;

·     On an application by the plaintiffs to remove this caveat Daly AsJ found that the caveator’s prospects of maintaining a claim for an interest in the land were modest at best and on the  balance of convenience the caveat should be removed;

·       A month after this removal the first defendant lodged a second caveat claiming an interest as chargee apparently on the ground that the Heads created a charge;

·    The plaintiffs applied under the Transfer of Land Act s. 90(3) to remove the caveat.  Before filing the summons the plaintiffs’ solicitors wrote foreshadowing an application for indemnity costs. 

Derham AsJ held –

1.    On its proper construction, the option right, if any, conferred by the Heads was limited to three years from the date of the agreement. [20]

2.    However the Heads were uncertain, and therefore void and unenforceable, because 

(a)    it was unclear who was responsible to pay the option holder the ‘profit margin’, how it was to be calculated or what if any costs were to be taken into account;

(b)     the price at which the land was to be sold was to be determined by later agreement;

(c)     many terms of the subsequent REIV sale contract were unknown;

(d)     the nomination provision was uncertain in its reference to “on the terms contained in this agreement” which were unidentified; and

(e)   it was unclear whether the contract of sale to be entered into was to be between the plaintiffs, the option holder and the ultimate buyer under which the option holder was to be paid some unidentified profit margin. [21]

3.    The wording of clause 4 (consent to caveat) was unclear as to what interest in the property was purportedly granted and it appeared that the right to lodge a caveat did not arise until a contract was offered to the sellers. [23]

4.    There was accordingly no serious question to be tried that the Heads gave the caveator a caveatable interest because:

(f)      there was no charging clause;

(g)     the call option was void for uncertainty;

(h)     the time for exercise of the call option had expired; and

(i)   the sellers’ consent to caveat was little better than a contractual consent to lodge a caveat in certain circumstances, which had not arisen and, if they had, would not give rise to an interest in the land. [24] 

5.    The balance of convenience also favoured removal of the caveat. [26]

6.    Indemnity costs were awarded against the caveator.  His Honour comprehensively recited the principles governing an award of indemnity costs.  An order for indemnity costs warranted by: the nominated basis for lodging the caveat, ie a charge, was untenable; the pre-summons warning; the caveator was attempting to use the caveat as a bargaining chip. [33]-[35]

7.    The first defendant would be enjoined against lodging any further caveat on the basis of the Heads or the Deed because the lodgement of the second caveat was frivolous, vexatious and an abuse of process.  The caveator had shown a profound disregard of the absence of any underlying basis for the second caveat and displayed that he was ready, willing and able to continue to disrupt any sale.  There was accordingly a prima facie case that he would continue to lodge caveats if not restrained. The balance of convenience also favoured the grant of an injunction. [36]-[37]

16. Injunction against future caveating

Lendlease Communities (Australia) Ltd v Juric & Anor [2018] VSC 107

 

(8 March 2018)  T Forrest J.

The Registrar was directed to remove a caveat lodged by the first defendant who had no possible interest in or connection with the land, but claimed an interest as “adverse possession by exclusive occupation” – he had lodged the caveat because of a long-standing grudge against the plaintiff and others.  In 2015 a court had ordered that a previous caveat lodged by him over land owned by entities in the Lendlease group, on the same untenable ground as the current caveat, be removed.  The plaintiff also obtained an injunction restraining the defendant for 5 years from lodging any further caveat over the land, over any titles derived from its titles and over any other land of the plaintiff.  The Judge observed that “the impugned caveat was lodged as some type of pre-emptive bargaining strike in his claim for one trillion dollars plus prime city real estate”.

4. Antidotes to repeat caveats: enjoining the caveator and Registrar of Titles.

Andrews Family Holdings Pty Ltd v Yellow Tractor Pty Ltd [2017] VSC 682 (8 November 2017); Andrews Family Holdings Pty Ltd v Yellow Tractor Pty Ltd (No 2) [2017] VSC 695 (14 November 2017).  Ginnane J.  

Mr Annesley entered a contract to purchase land from the plaintiff (“Andrews”).  In purported payment of the balance of price he tendered a document entitled ‘Promissory Note’ which was neither a permitted method of payment nor indeed in law a promissory note.  Andrews rescinded the contract.  The defendant (“the company”), of which Annesley was a director and which he had intended to nominate as purchaser, subsequently caveated, the caveatable interest being based on the rescinded contract.  The company was subsequently deregistered.  Andrews applied to remove this caveat under the TLA s. 90(3).  Ginnane J:

  1. Found no serious question to be tried that the company, even if still registered, had a caveatable interest: it was not a party to the contract and had no legal or equitable interest in the property.
  2. Also enjoined Annesley from lodging further caveats in respect of the land without leave. He noted that there was both authority for this course in the caveat context, ie Maryvell Investments Pty Ltd v Velissaris [2008] VSC 19, and the general curial power to grant injunctions given by the Supreme Court Act 1986 s. 37.  This case merited an injunction because Annesley had already lodged two caveats and did not foreswear lodging more.

Undaunted, on the day after this decision Annesley caveated in his own name claiming a purchaser’s lien.   The Titles Office had a copy of the court order but accepted the caveat albeit apparently issuing a requisition requiring Annesley to establish within 14 days that he had the court’s leave.   On an application for removal if this caveat Land Use Victoria argued that it had justifiably given Annesley ‘the benefit of the doubt’, the Registrar having a duty to accept a caveat for lodgment.   Ginnane J:

  1. Held this practice of giving the benefit of the doubt inappropriate for caveators whose previous caveats had been removed or had lapsed or were now subject to injunction. The Registrar’s statutory obligations included giving effect to directions of the Supreme Court (TLA s. 103).
  2. Permanently enjoined Annesley from lodging caveats in respect of the property, with indemnity costs.
  3. Enjoined the Registrar of Titles so that must forthwith reject and not record any caveat by Annesley over the property.

Commentary: This case is a rare case of the Registrar registering a caveat after an injunction was granted.  Otherwise, it succeeds previous cases such as where: the court orders the Registrar not to register any caveat without its leave or further order (Westpac Banking Corporation v Chilver [2008] VSC 587), or any caveat by any person other than a purchaser from the successful plaintiff without its leave for a certain period (Lettieri v Gajic [2008] VSC 378) or enjoins the lodging of further caveats (Marchesi v Vasiliou [2009] VSC 213; Wells v Rouse & Ors [2015] VSC 533).

3. Principles applicable to application to remove caveat under s. 90(3) of TLA

  • Absolute prohibition

  • Circumstances in which entitlement to payment for work on land caveatable

  • Injunction against future caveat

  • Amendment of caveat

  • Costs

  • Interest claimed being “implied, resulting or constructive trust”

  • Commentary

Yamine v Mazloum [2017] VSC 601 (3 October 2017) John Dixon J.

The timeline was –

Undated                         Plaintiff registered proprietor asks caveator to assist him to prepare property for sale.  Caveator subsequently alleges that in substance: the plaintiff asked him to work to finish his house and prepare it for auction; the caveator replied that a tremendous amount of work was involved which he could not even put a figure on, asked how he would be paid, and said that he would not help unless assured he could be paid; the plaintiff replied that he would be paid for his work from the proceeds of sale. 

March – 23 June 2017  Caveator moves into the property and allegedly fixes it for sale. 

8 July                               Property sold, settlement date 6 September, rescission notice served in September. 

26 July                             Caveat lodged, grounds of claim “implied, resulting or constructive trust”, estate or

interest claimed is a “freehold estate”, all dealings prohibited.

18 September                Following provision of information by caveator’s solicitors and inconclusive negotiations plaintiff foreshadows application to remove caveat, caveator offers withdrawal in return for $45,000 to be held in caveator’s solicitor’s trust account pending resolution of the dispute.

The plaintiff applied for removal of the caveat under the Transfer of Land Act 1958 s. 90(3). John Dixon J ordered removal of the caveat with costs. His Honour reasoned –

1. His Honour first recited certain standard principles, namely –

(1) The power under s. 90(3) was discretionary.

(2) Section 90(3) was in the nature of a summary procedure and analogous to the determination of interlocutory injunctions.

(3) The caveator bore the onus of establishing a serious question to be tried that the caveator had the estate or interest claimed. The caveator must show at least some probability on the evidence of being found to have the equitable rights or interest asserted in the caveat.

(4) The caveator must further establish that the balance of convenience favoured maintenance of the caveat until trial.

(5) As to the balance of convenience generally the court should take the course appearing to carry the lower risk of injustice if the court should turn out to have been wrong in the sense of declining to order summary removal where the caveator fails to establish its right at trial or in failing to order summary removal where the registered proprietor succeeds at trial.

(6) The stronger the case that there was a serious question to be tried, the more readily the balance of convenience might be satisfied. It was sufficient that the caveator showed a sufficient likelihood of success that in the circumstances justified the practical effect of the caveat on the registered proprietor’s ability to exercise normal proprietary rights. [15]

2. His Honour also noted authority for the proposition that “a caveat may only be lodged in a form commensurate to the interest it is designed to protect”. [16]

3. The argument that the caveator’s entitlement to be paid for his work on a quantum meruit was enforceable in equity by a constructive trust was invalid. The plaintiff did not accept any intention to charge or secure the land with the obligation to repay the cost of the work or to create any beneficial interest in it. The concept of salvage, deriving from Re Universal Distributing Co Ltd (1933) 48 CLR 171 at 174 – 5 per Dixon J, was inapplicable: the current case concerned property rights, not rights in insolvency and the property was preexisting and not converted into a fund for the benefit of claimants. There was only an oral agreement for services on a quantum meruit. [19], [24], [26] – [32]

4. If the caveator now evinced an intention to lodge a further caveat claiming an interest as chargee, an injunction would likely lie. [33]

5. No application to amend the caveat was made, and the discretion to amend would not have been exercised because:

(1) The application would have been to amend the interest claimed ie to chargee or equitable lienee, an amendment of interest claimed “not usually be[ing] permitted”, not merely to amend the grounds of claim or scope of protection. [35]

(2) The circumstances the grounds or interest claimed were erroneously stated was were relevant: the caveat was lodged not by an unrepresented person but by a solicitor certifying that he had taken reasonable steps to verify the identity of the caveator and had retained the evidence supporting the claim. [36]

(3) The court should not encourage the belief that caveats could be imprecisely formulated and then fixed up later: a caveat was in effect an interlocutory injunction by administrative act with possible serious consequences. Wrongly formulated caveats should not easily be tolerated. Caveats should not be used as bargaining chips. [37]-[38]

(4) The court should have regard to all of the considerations that arise on applying for removal of the caveat in the terms of the amendment sought. If this caveat was amended the caveatable interest claimed would still lack merit because even if the caveator’s version of the oral agreement was proved it would not create a charge or an equitable lien. [39] – [40]

6. His Honour not merely awarded costs but also reserved liberty to the plaintiff to make any application pursuant to r 63.23 as it may be advised against the first defendant’s solicitors. [44]

7. His Honour noted in passing that use of the phrase “implied, resulting or constructive trust”, which identified three different forms of trust, was “usually evidence of a degree of loose thinking”. [20]

Commentary –

1. His Honour deals with the principles applicable to s. 90(3) and amendment of caveats at length and touches on other interesting points now expanded on.

2. The stress on a caveat not imposing an absolute prohibition if inappropriate is expanded on in Lawrence & Hanson Group Pty Ltd v Young [2017] VSCA 172 to be the subject of a future Blog.

3. Other cases related to whether works on land will create a caveatable interest are –

• Walter v Registrar of Titles [2003] VSCA 122 at [18] – mere work and labour done not caveatable;

• Depas Pty Ltd v Dimitriou [2006] VSC 281 – a builder was found to have at most a contractual right to, and perhaps even an equitable interest in, half a joint venture’s net profit, but not a half interest in the land;

• An equitable lien will give rise to a proprietary and so caveatable interest, a foundational statement on equitable liens being that of Deane J in Hewett v Court (1983) 149 CLR 639 at 668. Caveat cases where no lien was established are: Western Pacific Developments Pty Ltd (in liq) v Murray [2000] VSC 436 and HG & R Nominees Pty Ltd v Caulson Pty Ltd [2000] VSC 126;

• In Popescu v A & B Castle Pty Ltd [2016] VSC 175 Ginnane J held that the only Romalpa clause conferring an equitable interest in land was one entitling the holder to enter upon the land to sever and remove the fixtures, and accordingly removed a caveat based on a clause simply providing that all materials used in a contract remained the supplier’s property until paid in full.

4. As to injunctions against future caveats, or the similar order that the Registrar not register any caveat without its leave or further order see also Westpac Banking Corporation v Chilver [2008] VSC 587, Lettieri v Gajic [2008] VSC 378, Marchesi v Vasiliou [2009] VSC 213; Wells v Rouse & Ors [2015] VSC 533.

  1. 5. The reservation of liberty to apply for costs against the solicitors ties in with an increasing judicial tendency to so order, eg Gatto Corporate Solutions Pty Ltd v Mountney [2016] VSC 752.