Trustee Act 1925

A trustee for sale may sell land on terms of deferred payment or otherwise.

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.

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—

that part of the purchase money shall be paid on the execution of the contract of sale,

that the balance of the purchase money shall be payable in instalments, the first not later than three years from the date of the contract of sale and the others at intervals of not more than a year beginning from the date on which the first instalment is payable, and shall bear interest payable half-yearly or oftener on the amount from time to time unpaid. No instalment which is made payable during the first three years from the date of the contract of sale shall be of an amount less than five per centum of the purchase money, and all instalments which are made payable after the third year from the date of the contract of sale shall be equal in amount,

that the whole of the purchase money and interest shall be payable within a period not exceeding ten years from the date of the contract of sale,

that if any instalment or interest or part thereof is in arrear and unpaid for six months or for such less period as may be specified, the whole of the purchase money shall become due and payable.

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—

that part of the purchase money shall be paid on the execution of the contract of sale,

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,

that the mortgage shall contain covenants by the mortgagor to pay the principal money secured and the interest thereon, to maintain and protect the property, and to keep all buildings, if any, thereon insured against loss or damage by fire to the full insurable value thereof,

that notwithstanding section 106 of the Conveyancing Act 1919 the mortgagor shall not have power to make any lease of the property, unless the trustee consents in writing.

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 the provisions of 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.

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 the person’s own, have accepted in the circumstances in order to sell the land to the best advantage.

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 the person’s own, have considered as sufficient, provided that the trustee shall not convey the land and take a mortgage back until at least one-tenth part of the purchase money has been paid.

Notwithstanding that the purchase money is to be paid by instalments, the trustee may at any time after one-tenth 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 the person’s own, have been willing in the circumstances so to do, and in any such case the mortgage shall be in accordance with paragraphs (b) (c) and (d) of subsection (4), and the provisions of subsection (5) shall apply.

Any mortgage under this section may be for any period not exceeding ten years from the date of the contract of sale.

The trustee may, on such terms, if any, as the trustee 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.

Where the sale is made under the order of the Court, the provisions of this section shall apply, unless the Court shall otherwise direct.

This section applies only if and as far as a contrary intention is not expressed in the instrument, if any, creating the trust, and shall have effect subject to the terms of that instrument and to the provisions therein contained.

This section applies to trusts created either before or after the commencement of this Act.