KY Enterprises Pty Ltd v Darby

Do Not Send for Reporting
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA		Not Restricted

AT MELBOURNE

COMMON LAW DIVISION

S CI  2012 3261

KY ENTERPRISES PTY LTD (ACN 006 236 022)	Plaintiff
v
KERRY DARBY	Defendant

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JUDGE:	LANSDOWNE As J
WHERE HELD:	Melbourne
DATE OF HEARING:	21-23, 28 May and 3 June 2013; further submissions 4 and 7 June 2013 and 23 August 2013
DATE OF JUDGMENT:	6 September 2013
CASE MAY BE CITED AS:	KY Enterprises Pty Ltd v Darby
MEDIUM NEUTRAL CITATION:	[2013] VSC 484

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REAL PROPERTY – adverse possession – land between two shops – land enclosed with adverse possessor’s land by locked gates – consideration of access to the land by registered owner from a door in the registered owner’s shop – whether adverse possessor abandoned possession by absence of one year – whether use of land by registered proprietor amounted to retaking of possession – significance of adverse possessor granting permission to registered proprietor to use land - Limitation of Actions Act 1958 (Vic) ss 8,9,14, 16 and 18.

REAL PROPERTY – trespass -  whether defendant liable for the trespass of his agent or his tenant.

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APPEARANCES:	Counsel	Solicitors
For the Plaintiff	Mr J. Warren	Lim Whalen & Co, Lawyers
For the Defendant	Mr M. Black	Bullards

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction........................................................................................................................................ 2

Outline of the facts............................................................................................................................ 3

Legal principles: adverse possession............................................................................................. 6

The parties contentions in relation to adverse possession...................................................... 11

Defendant’s case for adverse possession................................................................................. 11
Plaintiff’s case against adverse possession.............................................................................. 12

Summary of conclusions................................................................................................................ 14

Issues: adverse possession............................................................................................................. 15

Identification of the disputed land.............................................................................................. 16

When did the defendant commence his occupation of no. 10 Eames Avenue?................... 17

Factual possession prior to 1987.................................................................................................... 23

Discussion and conclusion......................................................................................................... 27

Gates......................................................................................................................................... 28
Access through the rear door of no.8........................................................................................ 30

Intention to possess prior to 1987................................................................................................. 32

Abandonment of possession by travel around Australia?....................................................... 37

Authorities................................................................................................................................... 39
Discussion and conclusion......................................................................................................... 44

Summary and conclusion as to possession prior to the plaintiff’s purchase....................... 46

Start date; no abandonment..................................................................................................... 46
Boundary: possession of the whole?......................................................................................... 47
End date................................................................................................................................... 48

Possession of the disputed land October 1987-March 2011..................................................... 49

Issues and submissions.............................................................................................................. 49
October 1987 –March 1988......................................................................................................... 53
March 1988 to February 1991.................................................................................................... 59
February 1991 to May 1996........................................................................................................ 60
May 1996-March 2011................................................................................................................. 67

Significance of this period and overview.................................................................................. 67
Entry through the gates without a key.................................................................................... 69
Plaintiff’s 2001 survey and  letter dated 25 July 2001............................................................ 73
Conversations about the driveway........................................................................................... 77
Internal fencing........................................................................................................................ 78
Plaintiff’s letter dated September 2010.................................................................................... 84

Conclusion as to possession 1987 - March 2011...................................................................... 86

Trespass.............................................................................................................................................. 89

Attempt to erect a fence in March 2011 and subsequent events.......................................... 89
Plaintiff’s claims of trespass...................................................................................................... 92
Relevant law of trespass............................................................................................................. 93
Findings and conclusions in relation to trespass.................................................................... 96

Car and shipping container..................................................................................................... 96
Barrier across the rear door to shop 8...................................................................................... 96

Orders................................................................................................................................................. 98

HER HONOUR:

Introduction

1. These proceedings concern a portion of land between two commercial premises in Brooklyn, being the land known as 8 Eames Avenue Brooklyn, which…