Harvard Nominees Pty Ltd v Tiller (No 2)

• Jurisdiction: Australia Federal only
• Court: Federal Court
• Judge: JACKSON J
• Judgment Date: 11 May 2020
• Neutral Citation: [2020] FCA 604
• Date: 11 May 2020

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Harvard Nominees Pty Ltd v Tiller (No 2) [2020] FCA 604

File number:	WAD 250 of 2019
Judge:	JACKSON J
Date of judgment:	11 May 2020
Catchwords:	CONSUMER LAW - misleading or deceptive conduct - express oral representations regarding involvement of party in proposed leases - certain representations found to have been made - reliance on representations - whether representations misleading or deceptive - involvement in misleading or deceptive conduct - causation of loss or damage - applicant not pursuing 'no transaction' or 'different transaction' case - whether detriment or disadvantage required - whether counterfactual required to establish causation - whether entry into contractual relations amounts to loss or damage - whether misleading or deceptive conduct had continuing operative effect - no loss or damage caused by misleading or deceptive conduct ; CONSUMER LAW - misleading or deceptive conduct - non-disclosure of deeds of assignment - terms of deeds falsified letter - whether omission to disclose deeds misleading or deceptive - whether applicant would have been able to terminate leases if the deeds had been disclosed - whether respondents engaged in misleading conduct involving non-disclosure ; LANDLORD AND TENANT - equitable leases - assignment of equitable interest in equitable lease - requirement of delivery of deeds - whether deeds implemented - deeds held to be legally effective - whether clause in leases prohibiting assignment applies to equitable assignment - construction of leases - clause held to prohibit assignment in equity ; CONTRACT - prohibition on assignment - whether fundamental breach or repudiation - application of general contractual principles to leases - privity of estate between lessor and lessees not displaced by equitable assignment - breach not going to root of contract - fundamental breach or repudiation not established - application dismissed
Legislation:	Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) s 15AC Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) sch 2 (Australian Consumer Law) ss 2, 13, 14, 18, 236, 237, 243 Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) s 139B Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) ss 50, 59, 81, 87, 135, 140, 142 Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) ss 52, 75B, 82, 87 Fair Trading Act 2010 (WA) s 111 Land Act 1933 (WA) ss 143, 151 Property Law Act 1969 (WA) s 9 Transfer of Land Act 1893 (WA) ss 58, 68, 82 Second Explanatory Memorandum, Trade Practices Amendment (Australian Consumer Law) Bill (No 2) 2010 (Cth)
Cases cited:	Abigroup Contractors Pty Ltd v Sydney Catchment Authority (No 3) [2006] NSWCA 282; (2006) 67 NSWLR 341 ACE Insurance Limited v Trifunovski [2013] FCAFC 3; (2013) 209 FCR 146 Addenbrooke Pty Limited v Duncan (No 2) [2017] FCAFC 76; (2017) 348 ALR 1 Air Great Lakes Pty Ltd v KS Easter (Holdings) Pty Ltd (1985) 2 NSWLR 309 Akron Securities Ltd v Iliffe (1997) 41 NSWLR 353 Amaca Pty Ltd v Booth [2011] HCA 53; (2011) 246 CLR 36 Associated Newspapers Ltd v Bancks (1951) 83 CLR 322 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Cornerstone Investment Aust Pty Ltd (in liq) (No 4) [2018] FCA 1408 Battik Pty Ltd v Hawkesbury Nominees Pty Ltd [1999] ACTSC 55; [2000] ANZ ConvR 182 Bennett v Minister of Community Welfare (1992) 176 CLR 408 Browne v Dunn (1893) 6 R 67 Butcher v Lachlan Elder Realty Pty Limited [2004] HCA 60; (2004) 218 CLR 592 Caffey v Leatt‑Hayter (No 3) [2013] WASC 348 Campbell v Backoffice Investments Pty Ltd [2009] HCA 25; (2009) 238 CLR 304 Canberra International Airport Pty Ltd v Ansett Australia Ltd [2002] FCA 329; (2002) 41 ACSR 309 CGM Investments Pty Ltd v Chelliah [2003] FCA 79; (2003) 196 ALR 548 Chappel v Hart (1998) 195 CLR 232 Commonwealth Life (Amalgamated) Assurance Ltd v Anderson (1945) 46 SR (NSW) 47 Corporation of Bristol v Westcott (1879) 12 Ch D 461 Cummins Generator Technologies Germany GmbH v Johnson Controls Australia Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCA 264; (2015) 326 ALR 556 Daventry Holdings Pty Ltd v Bacalakis Hotels Pty Ltd [1986] 1 Qd R 406 David Blackstone Ltd v Burnetts (West End) Ltd [1973] 1 WLR 1487 Demagogue Pty Ltd v Ramensky (1992) 39 FCR 31 Dominelli Ford (Hurstville) Pty Ltd v Karmot Auto Spares Pty Ltd (1992) 38 FCR 471 Donut King Australia Pty Ltd v Wayne Gardner Racing Pty Ltd [2001] NSWCA 275 DTR Nominees Pty Ltd v Mona Homes Pty Ltd (1978) 138 CLR 423 Ermogenous v Greek Orthodox Community of SA Inc [2002] HCA 8; (2002) 209 CLR 95 Fabcot Pty Ltd v Port Macquarie-Hastings Council [2011] NSWCA 167 Fitzgerald v Masters (1956) 95 CLR 420 Flogineering Pty Ltd v Blu Logistics SA Pty Ltd (No 3) [2019] FCA 1258; (2019) 138 ACSR 172 Gentle v Faulkiner [1900] 2 QB 267 Girgis v Poliwka (No 6) [2019] WASC 230 Global Sportsman Pty Ltd v Mirror Newspapers Ltd (1984) 2 FCR 82 Graham & Linda Huddy Nominees Pty Ltd v Byrne [2016] QSC 221 Hall v Bainbridge (1848) 12 QB 699 Harvard Nominees Pty Ltd v Tiller [2019] FCA 1672 Hely Hutchinson v Brayhead Ltd [1968] 1 QB 549 Henville v Walker [2001] HCA 52; (2001) 206 CLR 459 Hooker Industrial Developments v Trustees of the Christian Brothers [1977] 2 NSWLR 109 I & L Securities Pty Ltd v HTW Valuers (Brisbane) Pty Ltd [2002] HCA 41; (2002) 210 CLR 109 Ingot Capital Investments Pty Ltd v Macquarie Equity Capital Markets Ltd [No 4] [2006] NSWSC 90 Jackson v TCN Channel 9 Pty Ltd [2002] NSWSC 1229 Johnson Tiles Pty Ltd v Esso Australia Ltd [2000] FCA 1572; (2000) 104 FCR 564 Keller v LED Technologies Pty Ltd [2010] FCAFC 55; (2010) 185 FCR 449 Kenny & Good Pty Ltd v MGICA (1992) Ltd [1999] HCA 25; (1999) 199 CLR 413 Ladies Sanctuary Pty Ltd v Parramatta Property Investment Ltd (1997) 7 BPR 15,156 Langley v Foster (1906) 4 CLR 167 MacDonald v Robins (1954) 90 CLR 515 March v E & MH Stramare Pty Ltd (1991) 171 CLR 506 Marks v GIO Australia Holdings Ltd (1998) 196 CLR 494 McEacharn v Colton [1902] AC 104 Miller & Associates Insurance Broking Pty Ltd v BMW Australia Finance Ltd [2010] HCA 31; (2010) 241 CLR 357 Murphy v Overton Investments Pty Ltd [2001] FCA 500; (2001) 112 FCR 182 Murphy v Overton Investments Pty Ltd [2004] HCA 3; (2004) 216 CLR 388 Northside Developments Pty Ltd v Registrar‑General (1990) 170 CLR 146 Old Grovebury Manor Farm Ltd v W Seymour Plant Sales & Hire Ltd (No 2) (1979) 1 WLR 1397 Old Papa's Franchise Systems Pty Ltd v Camisa Nominees Pty Ltd [2003] WASCA 11 Owston Nominees No 2 Pty Ltd v Clambake Pty Ltd [2011] WASCA 76; (2011) 248 FLR 193 Progressive Mailing House Pty Ltd v Tabali Pty Ltd (1985) 157 CLR 17 Putland v Royans Wagga Pty Limited [2017] FCA 910 Rafferty v Madgwicks [2012] FCAFC 37; (2012) 203 FCR 1 Re Turner Corporation (in liq) (1995) 17 ACSR 761 Richardson v Somas [1967] WAR 109 Scala House & District Property Co Ltd v Forbes [1974] QB 575 Scook v Premier Building Solutions Pty Ltd [2003] WASCA 263; (2003) 28 WAR 124 Secure Parking (WA) Pty Ltd v Wilson [2005] WASC 264 Secure Parking (WA) Pty Ltd v Wilson [2008] WASCA 268; (2008) 38 WAR 350 Segboer v AJ Richardson Properties Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 253; (2012) 16 BPR 31,235 Shevill v Builders Licensing Board (1982) 149 CLR 620 Suisse Atlantique Societe d'Armement Maritime SA v NV Rotterdamsche Kolen Centrale [1966] 2 All ER 61 Swanson v Forton [1949] Ch 143 Taco Co of Australia Inc v Taco Bell Pty Ltd (1982) 42 ALR 177 Tramways...