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Trustee Act 1925
28Deferred payment on sale of land
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28 Deferred payment on sale of land
(1) A trustee for sale may sell land on terms of deferred payment or
otherwise.
(2) The terms of deferred payment may provide either for the purchase
money being paid by instalments, or for the unpaid purchase money
being secured by mortgage.
(3) If the purchase money is to be paid by instalments, the terms upon
which the land is sold shall, in addition to such other provisions as
the trustee may deem proper, include provisions for giving effect to
the following:
(a) that part of the purchase money shall be paid on the execution
of the contract of sale;
(b) that the balance of the purchase money is payable in instalments,
the first not later than 3 years after the date of the contract of
sale and the others at intervals of not longer than 1 year
beginning on the day the first instalment is payable, and interest
is payable, at least every 6 months, on any unpaid amount;
(c) that the whole of the purchase money and interest shall be
payable within a period not exceeding 10 years from the date of
the contract of sale;
(d) that, if an instalment (or a part of an instalment) or interest is in
arrears for 6 months (or any shorter period provided in the
contract), all of the purchase money is payable immediately.
(4) For subsection (3) (b), an instalment must not be payable during the
first 3 years from the date of the contract of sale that is less than 5%
of the purchase money, and all instalments payable after then must be
equal in amount.
(5) If the unpaid purchase money is to be secured by mortgage, the terms
upon which the land is sold shall, in addition to such other provisions
as the trustee may deem proper, include provisions for giving effect
to the following:
(a) that part of the purchase money shall be paid on the execution
of the contract of sale;
(b) that the unpaid purchase money shall be secured by a registered
mortgage of the land sold, with or without the security of any
other property, and shall bear interest payable half-yearly or
oftener on the amount from time to time unpaid;
(c) that the mortgage must contain covenants by the mortgagor to
pay the principal and interest, to maintain and protect the
property, and insure all buildings (if any) on the land against loss
or damage by fire to their full insurable value;
(d) that the mortgagor shall not have power to make any lease of the
property, unless the trustee consents in writing.
(6) Whether the purchase money is to be paid by instalments or the
unpaid purchase money is to be secured by mortgage, the trustee shall
not be deemed to be lending money within the meaning of section 18
so as to be bound to act in accordance with that section, and shall not
be liable for any loss which may be incurred by reason only of the
security being insufficient at the date of the mortgage.
(7) The part of the purchase money to be paid on the execution of the
contract of sale shall not be less than the sum which a person acting
with prudence would, if the land were his or her own, have accepted
in the circumstances in order to sell the land to the best advantage.
(8) The trustee shall not be bound to require payment of any greater part
of the purchase money before letting the purchaser into possession,
or before conveying the land and taking a mortgage back, than a
person acting with prudence would, if the land were his or her own,
have considered as sufficient, provided that the trustee shall not
convey the land and take a mortgage back until at least 1/10 of the
purchase money has been paid.
(9) Notwithstanding that the purchase money is to be paid by instalments,
the trustee may at any time after 1/10 of the purchase money has been
paid convey the land and take a mortgage back in any case where a
person acting with prudence would, if the land were his or her own,
have been willing in the circumstances so to do, and in any such case
the mortgage shall be in accordance with subsection
(5) (b), (c) and (d), and subsection (6) applies.
(10) Any mortgage under this section may be for any period not exceeding
10 years from the date of the contract of sale.
(11) The trustee may, on such terms (if any) as he or she deems proper, by
writing waive or vary any right arising from failure to comply with
any term of the contract of sale or of any mortgage under this section
within the proper time.
(12) Where the sale is made under the order of the Supreme Court, the
provisions of this section shall apply, unless the court shall otherwise
direct.
(13) This section applies to a trust except so far as the contrary intention