Property: Changing intentions

Mark Pawlowski looks at how a beneficial joint tenancy can be severed after the parties purchase their family home in joint names Where the parties’ common intention manifests a clear desire to deviate from equality of shares, there is no reason, at least in principle, why severance should not operate so as to separate the …
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Ralph v Ralph WTLR(w) 2021-04

Wills & Trusts Law Reports | Web Only

A house was purchased in the joint names of the defendant and his son, the claimant. At least part of the reason for the claimant’s inclusion was that it allowed the defendant to benefit from a mortgage needed to finance the purchase. The TR1 bore an ‘X’ in Box 11 which appeared next to the words ‘the transferees are to hold the property on trust for themselves as tenants in common in equal shares’. The claimant sought a declaration that the property was held as described by Box 11 and an order for sale. The defendant maintained in a number of witness statements that the ticking of Box 1...

Cohabitation: Fair shares in the family home?

Mark Pawlowski highlights some far-reaching implications arising out of the case law on beneficial ownership ‘The size of the parties’ respective shares upon acquisition will be determined according to the terms of their express trust regardless of their actual contributions to the purchase of the property.’ Let us begin with the following example. Suppose Mr …
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Financial provison: Behind the scenes

Amy Harris analyses a case involving the consideration of a resulting trust, inheritance prospects and whether support from a third party could be inferred ‘The husband did not have a beneficial interest in the former matrimonial home as it was subject to a resulting trust and therefore not a matrimonial resource available for distribution.’ In …
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Trusts And Property: Declarations of trust in the family home

Mark Pawlowski considers the Court of Appeal’s decision in Pankhania v Chandegra, which discusses whether express declarations of trust are conclusive The Law Commission endorsed the conclusive nature of the declaration of trust in the context of transfers of title to joint owners, stating that, ‘it is essential that courts strictly enforce declarations of trust …
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Trusts And Property: Declarations of trust in the family home

Mark Pawlowski considers the Court of Appeal’s decision in Pankhania v Chandegra, which discusses whether express declarations of trust are conclusive An express trust may only be challenged on specific grounds that permit rescission or rectification of the formal document. It is accepted as established law that, where the parties execute a trust expressly declaring …
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