Nature of Land Flashcards
(132 cards)
SUMMARY OF EVERYTHING
Difference between real and personal property?
- Real property = land
- Personal property = other types of property e.g. cars, TVs, shares
Different rules apply to both
Why is it technically incorrect to say we ‘own’ a piece of land?
All land in E+W belongs to the Crown, we own a right in the land
Land law is the study of proprietary/property rights in the land and responsibilities/duties in land related relationships
What is the difference between a proprietary and a personal right in terms of remedies?
- Proprietary - use/possession of the land can be recovered (can be enforced by an action in rem)
- Personal - can only be enforced by a personal action for damages (use/occupation cannot be recovered)
What is the difference between a proprietary and a personal right in terms of enforcement?
Proprietary rights can be enforced against TP, personal rights only bind the original parties to the right
What rights are capable of being proprietary?
I.e. what are the proprietary rights?
- The freehold estate
- The leasehold estate
- An easement
- A mortgage
- A restrictive covenant
- An estate contract
- A beneficial interest in a trust of land
Holder of proprietary right in land has a right to occupy/use/restrict what can be done with the land in some way
If a particular use of the land is recognised as having proprietary status, does this mean that the actual right under consideration will have proprietary status?
No - must look at nature, creation ad protection of rights in land to determine whether they are proprietary or personal
E.g. right to park car in neighbour’s garage may be an easement (proprietary) but the ability to do so will not always be an easement; same use could be either proprietary or personal depending on circumstances
How can the creation of a right tell us whether it is proprietary?
If there are formalities - most proprietary rights subject to strict requirements re formalities for their creation
What is meant by ‘owning’ a piece of land, if not the physical land itself?
Owning a right to possess the land
Powerful proprietary right
Are legal estates and legal interests required to be created by deed?
Aka easements
Generally yes.
* Easement are capable of being legal as lonh as they are equivivalent of two legal estates (fixed period or forever).
* BUT, prescriptive easement: not created by way of express agr between parties.
What is a proprietary right of possession called?
An estate in the land
Either freehold or leasehold
What is the freehold estate?
AKA the fee simple absolute in possession
A right of possession which lasts until the owner for time being dies without heirs (without blood relatives and without disposing of it by will)
The highest possible estate in land
Holder of frehold in piece of land = owner
What is meant by fee simple absolute in possession?
- Fee = capable of being inherited
- Simple = can be inherited by heir and includes distant relatives
- Absolute = not liable to end prematurely (not determinable or subject to a condition)
- In possession = fee simple owner has current right to use and enjoyment of property (physical possession not necessary; can receive rent if let)
Is the owner of the freehold free to sell it or give it away?
Yes - alternatively may grant away a lesser estate for a shorter period of possesion than their own (lease)
What is the leasehold estate?
Where a freehold owner grants a lesser estate of a certain duration
Estate granted in term of years absolute (leasehold)
Can be weekly, monthly, yearly, or centuries long
How is lease created?
Lease must be created by deed unless it falls within parol lease exception.
What does lease require?
Exlusive possesion for a fixed period of time.
Ability to control land and exclude everyone, including landlord
What is parol lease exception?
Short-term lease requires no formalities and can be created orally. To be legal, must meet criteria:
* 3 years or less
* immediate right to possession
* market rent
* not charge a fine or permium (one-off payment at the start)
How can equitable lease arise?
Doctorine of Walsh v Lonsdale
Court recognises equitable lease based on existence of contract and availibility of specific performance.
For equity to recongise equitable lease there must be:
1. contract;
2. complying with s.2 LPMPA: in writting and signed; and
3. clean hands
Equity regards as done that which ought to be done
Must have signed writting
Coastworth - valid contract for lease of farm but lease was not comleted by deed therefore could not be legal. C took possesion but breached term. Held: court would not recognise equitable lease as C breached contract - no clean hands.
What if there is a valid contract in existence but no deed?
For equity to recongise/intervene in an arrangement there must be:
1. written contract;
2. incorporates all agreed terms
3. complying with s.2 LPMPA: in writting and signed by all parties;
4. clean hands of person seeking
Aka no deed
- Contract to create lease = will create an equitable lease;
- Contract to create legal easment = will create equitable easement
What if there is a contract to create legal lease but it fails to comply with all formalities of a deed?
- It cannot be legal lease as it was not created by deed.
- But if contract/document complies with s.2 LP(MP)An1989: in writting, signed by both parties and contains all terms = it is equitable -> equitable lease is an Estate Contract
How is a sub-lease created?
Leaseholder (tenant) grants a lease of a lesser duration out of their own leasehold while retaining the original lease
What is the difference between the freehold reversion and the leasehold reversion?
- Freehold reversion = residue of the estate after the granting of a lease
- Leasehold reversion = what the residue is known as if grantor holds a leasehold estate (when lease ends the right to physical possession of land automatically reverts back to landlord)
What is meant by a hierarchy of rights of possession?
Same piece of land may simultaneously be subject to a freehold, a lease and a sub-lease - holder of each owning not the land but right to possession of land subject to the lesser rights they have granted for their particular ‘slice of time’