Equitable estoppel

Equitable estoppel is a rule that keeps people from going back on their word if it would unfairly hurt someone else who trusted them. Imagine a person says, “You can buy this land in Jamaica someday,” and the other person then spends time and money fixing it up, believing they’ll eventually own it. If the landowner later changes their mind, saying, “I never really meant it,” equitable estoppel can stop them from breaking that promise. This rule makes sure that people are fair and don’t suddenly change things if others have acted in good faith based on their word. It’s a way for the law to keep things honest and help people follow through on their commitments, especially when someone else depends on those promises.