In Pang Ketian Sally v Tam Yak Hung Annie ([2013] HKEC 990, CFI) P, D and F entered into an agreement whereby each of them was to contribute to the deposit for the purchase of a flat and have a proportionate beneficial interest. D was named as the sole purchaser in the sale and purchase agreement. Completion of the purchase was expected to take place some 18 months later. The parties intended to achieve a sub-sale at a profit before the completion date. The property market deteriorated in the period before completion so that even if a sale had been possible it would have been at a loss rather than a profit. The parties had a second meeting at which P agreed to surrender her interest in the property in return for being released from any obligation to fund the purchase and any other costs associated with it. There was exceptionally clear evidence as to the terms of the original and of the second agreements.
P claimed to be entitled to a 5% share in the property in accordance with the original agreement. This failed since it was found as a fact that she had surrendered her interest as part of the second agreement. The case was expressly dealt with as one of a common intention constructive trust rather than resulting trust ([61]).
The court relied on the first instance judgment in Chan Chui Mee v Mak Chi Choi and the House of Lords decision in Stack v Dowden for statements of the relevant legal principles ([57] – [59]).
Michael Lower
