In Ramadour Industries Ltd v Bullen ([2017] HKEC 974, CA) L granted T a lease of a house on Lamma Island for a two year term. T fell into arrears with the rent but was granted relief from forfeiture. T quickly fell into arrears again and L brought new proceedings seeking possession. T sought relief from forfeiture a second time but this was refused.
The Court of Appeal (Yuen JA giving the court’s judgment) upheld this refusal. The court’s power to grant relief is now codified in section 21F of the High Court Ordinance. Section 21F(1A) provides that relief will only be granted to a tenant once during the term, ‘unless the Court is satisfied that there is good cause why this section should apply in favour of a lessee’.
The intention is clear: relief pursuant to section 21F will normally only be granted once to a tenant during a lease term. The onus is on the tenant trying to invoke section 21F for a second time during a term to show that there is good cause.
Michael Lower
