What is the ratio in Hughes v Metropolitan Railway?

Where a party's conduct leads another to believe certain rights will not be enforced, equity will prevent insistence on those strict legal rights if it would be unconscionable.

What did the court decide in Hughes v Metropolitan Railway?

The House of Lords held that the landlord could not enforce forfeiture as their conduct during negotiations had suspended the notice period.

Why is Hughes v Metropolitan Railway important for contract law?

It established the foundational principle of promissory estoppel, allowing equity to intervene where strict enforcement of contractual rights would be unconscionable.

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