Greasley v Cooke 3 All ER 710 is an English land law case concerning proprietary estoppel.

Facts Kenneth and Hedley Greasley owned a house on 32 George Street, Riddings in Derbyshire. Doris Cooke moved in DURING 1938 as a maid for Hedley, and became Kenneth’s partner, and both had assured her she would have a 'home for life'. When Kenneth died, he left nothing. Cooke stayed there after 1975, and had received no payment since 1948. The new owners of the house wanted to remove her. She did not look for another job, and stayed in the house looking after Kenneth and his mentally ill sister, Clarice.Cooke claimed proprietary estoppel, and to stay in the house. The claimants did not show for the proceedings.

Judgment Lord Denning MR held that Ms Cooke did not have to prove reliance, and would assume she had acted to her detriment. His decision went as follows. 1 WLR 1306, 1311-1312

See also

English contract law English land law Inwards v Baker 2 QB 29. Willmott v Barber (1880) 15 Ch D 96, Fry J said proprietary estoppel requires a mistake about rights, reliance, defendant has knowledge of his own right, know of the claimant's mistaken belief and have encouraged reliance

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