Fixtures and Chattels, Mortgages, Easements, Non-Trust Interests, Leases, Restrictive Covenants, Covenants, Estate Contracts, Co-Ownership, Leases
Complete guide to land with tables explaining legal and equitable rights, Includes templates for practice questions
Table of Contents
Fixtures v chattels.....................................................................................................................3
LEGAL......................................................................................................................................5
Freehold....................................................................................................................................5
IT IS CAPABLE OF BEING LEGAL...........................................................................................6
S52 Law of property Act 1925 - DEED........................................................................................................6
S1 Law of Property (Miscellaneous provisions) Act 1989 – DEEDS CONDITIONS.................................6
unregistered.....................................................................................................................................6
Land Charges Act 1972..................................................................................................................................7
Equity’s darling...............................................................................................................................8
Three types of notice.......................................................................................................................................8
To qualify as equities darling:........................................................................................................................9
Overreaching and conditions..........................................................................................................................9
registered..........................................................................................................................................9
Leasehold.................................................................................................................................10
IT IS CAPABLE OF BEING LEGAL.........................................................................................11
Exclusive possession.....................................................................................................................................11
Rent...............................................................................................................................................................12
Consider also estate contract conditions.......................................................................................................12
formalities......................................................................................................................................12
S52 Law of property Act 1925 - DEED......................................................................................................12
S1 Law of Property (Miscellaneous provisions) Act 1989 – DEEDS CONDITIONS...............................12
S54(2) Law of property Act 1925 -PAROLE LEASE EXCEPTION.........................................................13
Parole lease conditions..................................................................................................................................13
unregistered...................................................................................................................................13
Not under LCA Legal = binds the world.....................................................................................................13
Registered.......................................................................................................................................14
More than 7 years = registrable disposition..................................................................................................14
7 years or less (including 3 years or less parole lease exception) = overriding interest...............................14
Legal mortgage........................................................................................................................14
IT IS CAPABLE OF BEING LEGAL (S1(2)(C)).......................................................................14
Formalities.....................................................................................................................................15
S52 Law of property Act 1925 - DEED......................................................................................................15
S1 Law of Property (Miscellaneous provisions) Act 1989 – DEEDS CONDITIONS...............................15
unregistered...................................................................................................................................15
Not in land charges register, It is legal, Binds the world..............................................................................15
Registered.......................................................................................................................................15
Registrable disposition..................................................................................................................................15
Legal easement........................................................................................................................16
IT IS CAPABLE OF BEING LEGAL (S1(2)(a))........................................................................16
formalities......................................................................................................................................16
S52 Law of property Act 1925 - DEED......................................................................................................16
S1 Law of Property (Miscellaneous provisions) Act 1989 – DEEDS CONDITIONS...............................16
, (also prescription, sale of part).....................................................................................................17
Conditions for overriding interest.................................................................................................................17
Unregistered...................................................................................................................................17
Not under s2 LCA, Old rules apply, Legal = binds the world......................................................................17
Registered.......................................................................................................................................17
Registrable disposition..................................................................................................................................17
EQUITABLE...........................................................................................................................18
Non-trust interests...................................................................................................................18
Equitable lease........................................................................................................................18
Formalities.....................................................................................................................................18
unregistered...................................................................................................................................18
Is it in s2, Enter against name of owner before the deed is dated.................................................................18
Registered.......................................................................................................................................18
IARE or Overriding interest.........................................................................................................................18
Equitable easement.................................................................................................................19
formalities......................................................................................................................................19
53 Instruments required to be in writing LPA 1925.....................................................................................19
Unregistered...................................................................................................................................20
Registered.......................................................................................................................................20
IARE.............................................................................................................................................................20
Restrictive covenant................................................................................................................20
formalities......................................................................................................................................20
53 Instruments required to be in writing LPA 1925.....................................................................................20
unregistered...................................................................................................................................21
Class D(ii) = enter against name of owner before the deed is dated............................................................21
Registered.......................................................................................................................................21
IARE.............................................................................................................................................................21
Covenant..................................................................................................................................21
Registered.......................................................................................................................................22
IARE.............................................................................................................................................................22
Estate contract.........................................................................................................................22
Formalities.....................................................................................................................................22
S2 Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1989..........................................................................22
Beneficial interests under trusts.............................................................................................23
Beneficial interest under a trust: implied trust...........................................................................23
Beneficial interest under a trust: express trust...........................................................................24
Statutory rights........................................................................................................................25
Home right.....................................................................................................................................25
Central Land Charges Department.............................................................................................27
Sch 3 paragraph 2 – conditions for actual occupation..........................................................33
Co-ownership..........................................................................................................................35
,Approach: TALATA (Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996)...................35
Outset - what kind of tenancy is it and has there been a severance?.........................................35
Legal estate: Joint tenancy............................................................................................................................35
How is it held in equity?................................................................................................................36
4 utilities.......................................................................................................................................................36
Unity of interest............................................................................................................................................36
Unity of title..................................................................................................................................................36
Unity of time.................................................................................................................................................36
Unity of possession.......................................................................................................................................37
Does the deed transferring the land to the co-owners contain an express declaration? (Express statement)
......................................................................................................................................................................37
Does the deed transferring the land to the co-owners contain words of severance? (words of severance)..37
Does equity presume a tenancy in common? (Presumption of tenancy in common)...................................37
Have there been any acts of severance?.......................................................................................38
Severance by notice......................................................................................................................................38
Alienation......................................................................................................................................................39
Mutual agreement.........................................................................................................................................39
Course of a dealing.......................................................................................................................................40
Homicide.......................................................................................................................................................40
Consider TOLATA and TA 1925 – whether sale can be prevented..........................................41
Any new trustees can be appointed...............................................................................................................41
Trustee powers..............................................................................................................................................41
Beneficiaries have right to occupy the land..................................................................................................42
Resolving disputes........................................................................................................................................43
Matters relevant in determining application.................................................................................................43
Approach sale by co-owners.........................................................................................................44
Implied co-ownership + implied trust.....................................................................................45
Leases......................................................................................................................................49
Landlord obligations to repair................................................................................................54
S11 Repairing obligations in short leases.....................................................................................................54
S13 Leases to which s. 11 applies: general rule...........................................................................................55
S11 Repairing obligations in short leases.....................................................................................................55
Exclusive possession...............................................................................................................57
Leasehold covenant question – old leases: tenant as client..................................................57
Leasehold covenant question – old leases: Landlord as client..............................................59
Leasehold covenant question – New leases: tenant as client................................................62
Leasehold covenant question – New leases: Landlord as client...........................................63
Freehold covenants.................................................................................................................67
Easement question..................................................................................................................72
Prescription.............................................................................................................................79
Legal mortgages......................................................................................................................80
Fixtures v chattels
Case determining fixtures v chattels:
1- Degree if annexation
2- Purpose of annexation
, CASE Berkley v Poulett [1977] 1 EGLR 86
The two tests you have to apply are:
(1) the method and degree of annexation;
The first test requires there to be some degree of physical annexation to land. The legal
maxim is whatever is attached to the soil becomes part of it (quicquid plantatur solo,
solo cedit). This raises a presumption that the chattel has become a fixture, although the
application of the second test may rebut the presumption. If an object has been affixed
to land in such a way that it cannot be removed without causing serious damage to the
realty, then it will be difficult for the person who alleges it is still a chattel to prove this.
On the other hand, if an object is easily removed, it is easier to argue that it remains a
chattel.
(2) the object and purpose of the annexation. (MOST IMPORTANT TEST)
The second test looks at the reason for annexing the chattel. Applying the second test it
is possible to argue that an object resting on the ground by its own weight alone can be a
fixture if the purpose of placing it there was to enhance the realty. Similarly an object
which is only lightly affixed and which can be removed without causing damage may be a
fixture if, for example, it was placed in a room to make the room more beautiful as a
whole. Alternatively, an object may be securely affixed such that it raises the presumption
that it is a fixture. However, the reason for annexing the chattel may be so that it can be
enjoyed better as a chattel. In this case, the object may be a chattel, despite the fact that
it is affixed to the land.
Fixture Item fixed to land
Chattel Item of movable property
Case Item Fixture/chattel Reasoning
D’Eyncourt v Freestanding items Fixtures Part of the overall architectural design of property
Gregory [1866] tapestries
LR 3 Eq 382 carved kneeling Although these items could be removed easily and
figures in the great without damage, it was held that they were
hall essentially a part of the building itself
sculptured marbles
vases
Leigh v Taylor tapestries Chattels Tapestries were displayed by being stretched over
[1902] AC 157 canvas and then tacked to a framework of wood
which was then nailed to the walls. Each tapestry was
surrounded by a moulding which was also fastened
firmly to the wall. The House of Lords considered that
the tapestries never lost their character as chattels.
The only way that they could be properly displayed
was for them to be fixed to the walls in this manner
If the pictures are hung merely to display them, they
will be chattels
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