Mortgages Flashcards
Santley v Wilde [1899]
Mortgage is a conveyance of land as security for payment of debt or discharge of another obligation
Today’s Definition of a Mortgage
Loan of cash secured by the mortgagee being given rights over the property offered as security by the mortgagor
Formalities
Legal Mortgages
- Capable of being a legal interest
- S.1(2) LPA 1925
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Must be created by deed to be legal
- Ss. 52, 85, 86 & 87 LPA 1925
- S.1 LP(MP)A 1989 – clear on its face it’s a deed, signed by mortgagor, witnessed properly, and delivered
- And must be substantively registered
- S.27(2)(f) and s.4 LRA 2002
- If not created properly, then may be equitable
Formalities
Equitable Mortgages
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Failed legal mortgages because don’t follow formalities but only if comply with:
- S. 2 LP(MP)A 1989 – in writing, containing terms, and signed by both parties
- United Bank of Kuwait plc v Sahib [1996] – equity won’t recognise the deposit of deeds as an equitable mortgage any longer
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Mortgages of equitable interests – very important in commercial transactions as avoids formalities and cost of legal mortgage
- S.53(1)(c) LPA 1925 minimum but usually s2 – in writing and signed by the grantor but usually in accordance with S. 2 LP(MP)A 1989
- Registered land: s32 Notice /s29
- Unregistered Land: C(iii) Land Charge /s4(5) LCA 1972
CONTRACTUAL RIGHT TO REDEEM
Paying back all of the money in return for lender giving up propriertal rights – often 20-25 years in residential
Legal Date for redemption
Mortgages
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Date on which the borrower is due to repay – normally 1-6 months from the date the borrower borrowed the money. Only valid for 24 hours.
- If doesn’t repay, loan cannot be repaid until the end of the term
- Very few borrowers will be in a position to take advantage of this so it’s of very limited value
- Equity stepped in to give the borrower more protection
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Equitable Right to Redeem
Mortgages
- Equitable Right to Redeem: arises AFTER the contractual date for redemption has passed
- Much more generous than legal contractual right; equity says a borrower can redeem at any time after the legal date for redemption has passed until the end of the mortgage term
Delaying the Legal Date for Redemption
Mortgages
- If the legal date is pushed back so is the equitable right to redeem.
- Lenders don’t want you to pay money back early as they will only earn interest if you delay paying back the loan.
- In domestic mortgages, courts are more generous to borrowers, but this may be okay in commercial transactions as long as the right to redeem remains real
Knightsbridge Estates v Byrne [1939]
Delaying the Legal Date for Redemption
Mortgages
If borrower knows what they’re getting into, enters of own free will, and gets back unencumbered free will land, courts are unlikely to bring forward the legal date for redemption
Commercial mortgage of freehold property (pub) – legal date for redemption 40 years after loan so equitable right to redeem didn’t kick in until 40 years and 1 day; borrower wanted to redeem early and wanted the court to declare the clause was invalid.
Borrower was also getting a very low interest rate in return so wasn’t unconscionable or oppressive.
Fairclough v Swan Breweries [1912]
Delaying the Legal Date for Redemption
Mortgages
If borrower does not get back unencumbered or seriously less encumbered free will of land, courts likely to allow legal date of redemption to be brought forward.
Commercial mortgage of leashold property (pub) mortgaged to brewery – At time mortgage was granted, lease of pub only had 17 years to run, legal date of redemption said couldn’t be redeemed until 6 weeks before the end of the lease. Borrower wanted to redeem earlier and went to court to get the court struck out.
Court agreed and said if they upheld this clause, borrower wouldn’t get what they put in as would have a lease with 6 weeks to run as opposed to 17 years. Borrower was allowed to redeem early.
Options to Purchase
Mortgages
Can’t have a clause in a mortgage that the lender has an option to purchase the property because if they exercise that option, the property goes to the lender and prevents the borrower from repaying the loan and getting the property back unencumbered
Samuel v Jarrah [1904]
Options to Purchase
Mortgages
Options to purchase granted to lenders in mortgage deeds will be void
Reeve v Lisle [1902]
Options to Purchase
Mortgages
Option to purchase may be valid if given by a subsequent independent transaction – lender has to show option granted was completely independent and separate
Warnborough v Garmite [2003]
Options to Purchase
Mortgages
Court must look at the substance of the transaction – mortgage and option granted on same day, but part of a separate sale and purchase deal and so allowed to stand
Collateral Advantages
Mortgages
- Collateral advantages e.g. admin fee, taking out insurance so get commission etc:
- Not allowed in residential transactions, but may be allowed in commercial transactions (breweries loan money to individuals to open pubs but have to buy beer from brewery or oil companies to petrol stations but have to buy petrol from them – solus ties
Advantage to lender must stop when mortgage is repaid
Noakes v Rice [1901]
Collateral Advantages
Mortgages
Advantage to lender must stop when mortgage is repaid
Pub tenant entered into a mortgage arrangement where they agreed to only sell the lenders wine and spirits for length of lease (26 years) even after mortgage had been repaid. Court didn’t allow it as devalued equity of redemption – at beginning of mortgage, pub was a freehouse, but now was a tied house
Biggs v Hoddinott [1898]
Collateral Advantages
Mortgages
Provided the collateral advantage stops within the mortgage term, it may be allowed.
Kreglinger v New Patagonia Meat Company [1913]
Collateral Advantages
Mortgages
Collateral advantages may be allowed if genuinely independent of mortgage transaction
Esso Petroleum Co Ltd v Harper’s Garage (Stourport) Ltd [1968]
Collateral Advantages
Mortgages
Collateral advantages may be allowed if genuinely independent of mortgage transaction
- A collateral tie, even if wholly independent, also risks being invalidated on public policy grounds if it is in restraint of trade. 21 year collateral tie struck down by 5 year upheld.
- Must not be unconscionable