Central London Property Trust Ltd v High Trees House Ltd
Central London Property Trust Ltd v High Trees House Ltd is a landmark legal case in English contract law from 1947. It established the principle of 'promissory estoppel,' which means that if one party makes a promise that another party relies on, the first party cannot later go back on that promise if it would be unfair to do so. In this case, a landlord agreed to reduce rent during World War II, and when the war ended, he attempted to reclaim the full rent retroactively. The court ruled against him, reinforcing the importance of fair dealing in contracts.
Additional Insights
-
Central London Property Trust Ltd v. High Trees House Ltd is a landmark case in contract law, specifically concerning promissory estoppel. During World War II, a landlord agreed to reduce rent for a tenant struggling due to the war's impact. Later, the landlord sought to collect the full rent for the entire period. The court ruled that, although the original contract allowed for full rent, the landlord could not enforce this against the tenant, as they had relied on the landlord's promise to accept the reduced rent. This case established that sometimes, promises can be binding even without formal consideration.