Akrawe v Culjak

[2023] NSWCA 171

Court of Appeal

Supreme Court

New South Wales

• Summary available
• Amendment notes

Medium Neutral Citation:

Akrawe v Culjak [2023] NSWCA 171

Hearing dates:

28 March 2023

Date of orders:

27 July 2023

Decision date:

27 July 2023

Before:

Bell CJ; Leeming JA; Mitchelmore JA

Decision:

(1) Appeal dismissed with costs.

Catchwords:

EQUITY — equitable remedies — specific performance — land — contract for the sale of real property — multiple agreements — failure to complete when time is of the essence — whether valid termination of contract — whether applicant was ready and willing to complete

APPEALS — from exercise of discretion — whether failure to exercise discretion — no discretionary error of kind referred to in House v The King — relief against forfeiture of deposit — Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), s 55(2A)

Legislation Cited:

Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), s 55(2A)

Cases Cited:

Akins v National Australia Bank (1994) 34 NSWLR 155

Bahr v Nicolay (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 604; [1988] HCA 16

Culjak v Akrawe [2022] NSWSC 949

Havyn Pty Ltd v Webster [2005] NSWCA 182; (2005) 12 BPR 22,837

House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40

Lee v Lee (2019) 266 CLR 129; [2019] HCA 28

Lucas & Tait (Investments) Pty Ltd v Victoria Securities Ltd [1973] 2 NSWLR 268

Luu v Sovereign Developments Pty Ltd [2006] NSWCA 40; (2006) 12 BPR 23,629

Nassif v Caminer (2009) 74 NSWLR 276; [2009] NSWCA 45

Omar v El-Wakil [2001] EWCA Civ 1090; [2002] P & CR 36

Romanos v Pentagold Investments Pty Ltd (2003) 217 CLR 367; [2003] HCA 58

Searle v Commonwealth of Australia (2019) 100 NSWLR 55; [2019] NSWCA 127

Stokes v Toyne [2023] NSWCA 59

Tanwar Enterprises Pty Ltd v Cauchi (2003) 217 CLR 315; [2003] HCA 57

Category:

Principal judgment

Parties:

Behnam Said Akrawe (Appellant)
Margaret Marita Culjak (First Respondent)
Ante Culjak (Second Respondent)

Representation:

Counsel:
S Y Reuben (Appellant)
M Lozina (Respondents)

Solicitors:
Agostino & Co, Solicitors (Appellant)
Fitzpatrick Solicitors Pty Ltd (Respondents)

File Number(s):

2022/222755

Publication restriction:

Nil

 Decision under appeal 

Court or tribunal:

Supreme Court of New South Wales

Jurisdiction:

Equity Division

Citation:

[2022] NSWSC 949

Date of Decision:

19 July 2022

Before:

Darke J

File Number(s):

2021/182919

HEADNOTE

[This headnote is not to be read as part of the judgment]

The applicant entered into a contract with the respondents to purchase a property in Western Sydney for $1,550,000 with a 10% deposit. The settlement date for the contract was 25 January 2021 but was extended to 22 February 2021. On 22 February 2021, completion did not occur. Although the parties commenced the process of rescinding the original contract and entering into a new contract to substitute the applicant with his son as the purchaser, the new contract was never completed. On 3 March 2021, the respondents served a Notice to Complete calling for completion of the original contract to take place at 12:00pm on 18…