LEGAL PRINCIPLE: EQUITY & TRUSTS – Estoppel – Tenancy by Estoppel – Representation by Public Authority
PRINCIPLE STATEMENT
Where a public authority through its statutory agent represents to a former lessee by written instrument that it has released the property to them, it cannot subsequently deny the efficacy of that release on the ground that the underlying lease had already expired; the authority is estopped from repudiating its own representation, and the former lessee's possession is protected.
RATIO DECIDENDI (SOURCE)
"Where a public authority, through its statutory agent (the Abandoned Property Authority), represents to a former lessee by a written instrument that it has released the property to him, it cannot subsequently be heard to deny the efficacy of that release on the ground that the underlying lease had already expired. The authority is estopped from repudiating its own representation, and the former lessee's possession is protected."
EXPLANATION / SCOPE
Estoppel by representation prevents parties from denying statements they made when others relied on those statements to their detriment. Here, the public authority (through its statutory agent) represented in writing that it released property to the former lessee. The lessee relied on this representation by taking possession. The authority cannot later claim the release was ineffective because the original lease had expired—this repudiates its own official representation. Estoppel applies even to public authorities when they make clear representations inducing reliance. The principle protects persons who reasonably rely on official communications from public bodies. Once the authority represented that property was released, it’s bound by that representation regardless of underlying legal technicalities about lease expiration