Durkin v Pioneer Permanent Building Society Limited
[2003] FCA 419
At a glance
Source factsCourt
Federal Court of Australia
Decision date
2003-05-09
Before
Dowsett J
Source
Original judgment source is linked above.
Judgment (15 paragraphs)
The motion 1 The first respondent moves for dismissal of the proceedings against it pursuant to O 20 r 2 or alternatively, for an order pursuant to O 11 r 16 that the statement of claim be struck out as against it. The latter application must be determined having regard to the case as pleaded. In determining the former application, I may have regard to uncontradicted evidence.
Background 2 At all material times the first and second applicants carried on a farming business on property known as "Tori", owned by the first applicant. Prior to 23 April 2001 they were indebted to the first respondent in an amount in excess of $600,000 and had numerous other debts. On that date a Mr D B Quinlan, trading as "Quinlans", applied to the first respondent on their behalf for additional accommodation in the amount of $150,000. This accommodation was to meet replanting costs and to provide "carry on" finance. Mr Quinlan is a valuer. He submitted his valuation of "Tori", dated 11 and 12 March 2001, in which he valued the property at $1.6 million. In the letter of application he indicated that the amount already secured on the property (including moneys owed to the first respondent) was $820,000. He opined that the "fire sale value" of the property was $1.12 million, that is 70 per cent of its fair market value. This showed a net excess of "fire sale value" over secured debts of $300,000. At some stage, the amount of additional accommodation being sought was increased to $240,500, of which $160,500 was to be applied to clear other debts and $71,500, to meet interest payments until winter harvest funds became available, together with fees and charges. Such an advance would have increased the applicants' total indebtedness to the first respondent to $900,000. 3 On 23 May 2001 the first respondent wrote to the applicants, offering to increase their accommodation to a total of $900,000 upon the terms contained in an enclosed document. The offer was open for acceptance until 4.00 pm on 6 June 2001. Repayment was to be secured by a first mortgage over "Tori" and an existing crop lien. The terms of the loan were specified. The offer was subject to certain special conditions, including the following: Appraisals from two (2) rural real estate agents confirming the value advised by consultant. Should this value not be supported an independent (sic) valuation by a registered valuer will be required. 4 This condition is hereafter referred to as the "valuation condition". The "value advised by consultant" was that of Mr Quinlan. After the special conditions, the following words appeared: Please note that this is not a binding commitment by the Society until all special conditions have been satisfied. There were also certain riders described as "Outstanding Requirements". The first respondent's "commitment" was also conditional upon such requirements being satisfied. The conditional nature of the first respondent's commitment was stressed, both in the letter of 23 May and on the execution page of the enclosed document. It seems that the applicants signed the execution page on 25 May 2001. At some stage the first respondent indicated that the reason for requiring "arms length support" of Mr Quinlan's valuation was that "… the last two applications have been from you as the consultant and as valuer." 5 On 1 June 2001 the first respondent advised Quinlans: I refer to our recent conversation and advise that on receipt of sufficient funds to bring the account into order and on receipt of two property appraisals supporting the valuation supplied, as per our written terms and conditions, the Society should be in a position to fund the application within 14 - 21 days. 6 Thereafter funds were advanced by way of "carry on finance". It was contemplated that such finance "… will be repaid on settlement of the settlement of the additional funding approved". 7 As to the two appraisals, Mr R H Leonard of Leonard & Devine, a firm of real estate agents trading under the name "Raine & Horne", advised by letter dated 7 June 2001 that: If the blocks are sold individually a price of $380 per acre is achievable. This is based on recent sale price(s) of properties adjoining and in the area. 'Tori' is a quality piece of cultivation country having excellent soil types. 8 Mr G B Gunning, a registered valuer, by letter dated 12 June 2001, said: 'TORI', is one of the better properties in the Bungunya district, being predominantly cultivation land and of good soft soil. … I consider that the property, if offered today, would attract a sale price of between $380 and $400 per acre. 9 Mr Leonard's valuation showed a total value of about $1,456,540 ($380 x 3833) and Mr Gunning's, a value between that figure and about $1,533,200 ($400 x 3833). Other evidence suggests that the former's appraisal included improvements and that the latter's did not. 10 On 26 June 2001 the first respondent wrote to the applicants as follows: We refer to the appraisals of the value of your property that have been supplied to the Society and advise that these values have fallen short of that advised in the valuation supplied by Quinlan's of $1,600,000. The Society has determined that as per the conditions listed in the letter of Terms and Conditions a fresh valuation is required. We have instructed a valuer based in Toowoomba, Doug Knight, to contact you (to) arrange a suitable time to call and inspect the property. He advises that he should be able to call next week commencing 2nd July 2001. 11 Similar information was conveyed to Quinlans by a letter bearing the same date. In its instructions to Mr Knight, the first respondent asked him to value: Ÿ the "Current Local Market Value"; Ÿ the "Forced Sale Value"; and Ÿ the "Land & Buildings". The purpose of the valuation was said to be "Mortgage Security Purposes". 12 It seems that Mr Quinlan and/or the applicants became concerned at the possible delay inherent in this process. Mr Quinlan informed the first respondent that the applicants had an immediate need for funds. The first respondent agreed to advance $44,100 to pay identified creditors. Mr Quinlan said that this was not sufficient to meet the applicants' immediate needs. On 3 July 2001 Mr Knight valued the property with improvements at $1.35 million and for "forced sale", at $1.15 million. The valuation was forwarded to Mr Quinlan on 13 July 2001. On 24 July the first respondent wrote to the applicants, withdrawing the offer of finance. In that letter Mr McIntosh, the first respondent's Business/Rural Loans Officer, observed: Specifically, the valuation obtained as a condition of the offer, did not attain a sufficient level that would allow the Society to lend the funds requested under its lending guidelines. 13 It is the applicants' case that these guidelines permitted lending of up to 60 per cent of valuation. They claim that Mr Quinlan had previously been told that the first respondent would lend up to 65 or 70 per cent of the value of a rural property. The applicants now sue the first respondent, Jeffrey David Dodds (the principal of the firm of valuers which employed Mr Knight) and Mr Knight. I am presently concerned only with the proceedings against the first respondent. The applicants seek damages for breach of contract, negligence and for misleading or deceptive conduct and/or unconscionable conduct contrary to the Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) (the "Trade Practices Act").