Ugly family feud over Sydney real estate business

A daughter has taken her parents to court after claiming she was promised the family’s real estate agency in Sydney’s eastern suburbs in return for working there unpaid.

EXCLUSIVE

A bitter family feud over the ownership of a real estate business in Sydney’s eastern suburbs has broken out in the NSW Supreme Court, with the daughter claiming she worked unpaid at the agency on the promise she would be given the business when her father retired.

Paula-Marie Penya claimed her father Paul promised she would end up a “rich little girl” if she worked at Matra Real Estate without pay, and was promised both the business and their family home in Eastlakes once he retired.

The court heard how Matra Real Estate in Matraville had about 30 properties on the rent roll.

However, upon his retirement in 2018, Mr Penya ended up selling the business to Century 21 Real Estate and giving Paula-Marie $5000 from the sale.

The court action began after Mr Penya decided in 2022 that he needed more funds for his retirement and wanted to sell the Eastlakes home, which he owns with his ex-wife and Paula-Marie’s mother, Theresa.

Paula-Marie Penya and her partner Andrea.

The couple live at the Eastlakes property with their two sons. Picture: Facebook

Paula-Marie lives in the home with her partner and their two young sons, alongside Theresa.

Mr Penya said he would not move to sell the house if Paula-Marie could buy him out, however, was unable to take out a loan as she was not working.

“I always relied on the promises from Dad and Mum that the business and house were going to be mine,” the court heard.

“If this was not stated to me I would have worked somewhere else to receive a wage.”

Paula-Marie claimed she worked at the business unpaid for more than 20 years and that her father told her: “Always follow my instructions and you’ll be a rich little girl.”

“Paula-Marie sought legal advice in late April 2023 after she told Paul that she could not pay him, and he told her that if she wanted the Eastlakes property she would have to sue him and Therese,” the court decision stated.

The business was sold in 2018. Picture: Google Maps

Takeover of the business

Paula-Marie told the court that she had told her father in 2018 that she would take over the business in “a couple of years” when her two sons were in school.

“All I needed was another year or so then I would have been child-free during business hours and told Dad this over and over during 2018,’ she told the court.

Mr Penya denied this and said he had “repeatedly asked Paula-Marie to take over the business” and that she had “consistently declined” to do so.

The court heard how Theresa wanted Paula-Marie to have the home and sent Paul a text message in April 2023, accusing him of “hurting Paula and your grandsons for the rest of their lives”.

“Absolutely everybody is shocked at what you’re doing to Paula & me! You have a few days to do the right thing,” she wrote.

“You want to leave Paula & her family & me in the street. Open your heart & mind to what God would want you to do.”

On Wednesday, Justice Kate Williams dismissed Paula-Marie’s estoppel claim, finding she had failed to establish that a “clear and unequivocal promise” was made that she would be given the property and business after her father’s retirement.

Justice Williams said the evidence pointed towards Paula-Marie being promised the business and home ”by way of inheritance” after her parents’ deaths.

The home in Eastlakes. Picture: Google Maps

“[The evidence] provides no support for Paula-Marie’s claim to have been promised that she would be given the business or the Eastlakes property during Paul’s and Therese’s lifetime in return for her working in the business without a wage,” Justice Williams said in her decision.

Justice Williams also pointed out that Paula-Marie and her partner were able to buy multiple investment properties over the last two decades because they were living “rent-free” at the Eastlakes home.

Mr Penya’s application to sell the house was granted, meaning the family will now be forced to move out of the Eastlakes home.

Mr Penya changes his original will

The court heard how, due to the proceedings, Mr Penya had revoked his will giving everything to his daughter, and is now instead leaving his estate to his long-term partner Irene.

“I just got sick of it. It was all take, take, take,” Mr Penya told the court.

“When they need money, when I had money they could get it, but when I was out, no money, now I was the bad one. I made them millionaires; they were useless.”

Justice Williams dismissed the estoppel claim and granted Mr Penya’s application for the home to be sold.

Paula-Marie’s family and Therese were ordered to vacate the home no later than seven days before the sale date.