Court Opinion

ID: 9756047
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-28 21:05:00.719491+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:28:14.224148
License: Public Domain

CAVANAUGH, Judge,
concurring:
I join in the majority opinion and add the following. Whether the agreement, if any, under which appellant claims his right to possess the premises is an oral lease or some other interest in land, the statute of fraud applies. 33 P.S. § 1; 68 P.S § 250.202. However, in certain circumstances the statute of frauds will not bar enforcement of a oral agreement creating an interest in land. Ridley Park Shopping Center, Inc. v. Sun Ray Drug Co., 407 Pa. 230, 233, 180 A.2d 1, 3 (1962) (lease and substantial improvements); Whiting and Co. v. Pittsburgh Opera House Co., 88 Pa. 100, 103 (1878) (lease); Bratsch v. McCarthy, 141 Pa.Super. 490, 494, 15 A.2d 404, 406 (1940) (estate pur autre vie and possession pursuant to alleged contract, exclusive possession, and performance which could not be compensated by damages and *543such as would make rescission inequitable and unjust); Walter v. Transue, 17 Pa.Super. 94, 98 (1901) (lease and part performance which could not be compensated by damages).
Since the present record contains genuine issues as to whether the appellant made substantial improvements, whether his performance of the agreement can be adequately compensated by damages, or whether the application of the statute of frauds would be inequitable and unjust, summary judgment is improper.
SPAETH, J., joins in this concurring opinion.