Chapter One: The Nature of Land Flashcards
What is an estate in land?
A person with an estate in land has the right to enjoy, possess, control and dispose of it and receive any income produced form the land.
What is an interest in land?
A person with an interest inland has a right against land owned by another person. For example, a right of way.
What is a freehold?
This is the freehold estate which lasts indefinitely. Its full legal name is ‘fee simple absolute in possession’.
What is a leasehold?
This is the leasehold estate which lasts for a fixed period. Its full legal name is ‘term of years absolute’. It is also described as a lease or tenancy. A freehold estate owner can grant a lease for any duration. A leasehold estate owner can only grant a sub-lease for a shorter duration than their own lease.
What is a mortgage?
An interest over land granted by the borrower to the lender as security for a loan. If the borrower fails to repay the loan, the lender can enforce its security.
What is a restrictive covenant?
A promise by one landowner in favour of another landowner that they will not do certain things on the land. For example, not to use the land for any use other than private home.
What is an easement?
A right for one landowner to make use of another parcel of land for the benefit of their own land. For example, a right of way.
What is a profit-a-prendre?
A right to go onto somebody else’s land and remove from land something which exists naturally. Eg, a right to catch and take fish or a right to graze animals.
What is a resulting trust?
A person, who is not the legal owner, contributes directly to the purchase price of the property. The person acquires an interest proportionate to their contribution.
What is a constructive trust?
An interest in land is created when a person, who is not the legal owner of the property, makes a contribution to the property other than direct financial contribution at the time of the purchase. This can include contributing to the mortgage payments or making substantial improvements to the property.
What is an estate contract?
The sale and purchase of land normally has two stages.
The first stage is when the seller and the buyer enter into a contract in which it is agreed that the estate in land should be sold.
Contracts are exchanged and the buyer holds an equitable interest.
The second stage involves the seller transferring the property to the buyer. The sale is completed and the legal estate is transferred to the buyer. There is usually a short interval between the two stages.During that interval the buyer owns an estate contract, (which is an equitable interest).
What is an option?
An option enables the owner of option to insist that the land is sold to them at any time during the fixed period of the option (the period must not exceed 21 years). An option fee is usually payable, but the full purchase price only becomes payable if the option is exercised.
What is a home right?
This is a statutory right for a non-owning spouse or civil partner to occupy the matrimonial home under the Family Law Act 1996. It does not create an interest in the land.
What is alienation?
The sale or underletting of leasehold land.
What is an assignment?
The transfer (or sale) of a lease between the tenant/ lessee (an assignor) and a purchaser (an assignee).
What is a beneficial interest?
The interest of a beneficiary under the trust (express, resulting or constructive).
What is a charge?
An alternative word for a mortgage also expressed as a charge by way of legal mortgage.
What is dominant land?
The land that benefits from a restrictive covenant or easement.
What is a fine?
A sum of money paid to the landlord in return for granting a lease. Usually paid in addition to rent.
What is a fixed term lease?
A fixed term lease may be for a period of time as long s the maximum period is fixed.
What is a lessee/ tenant?
The owner of the leasehold estate.
What is a mortgagee?
This is the lender who owns the mortgage interest in land.
What is a mortgagor?
This is the borrower, the person who owns the legal estate in land and grants the mortgage to the mortgagee as security for the loan.
What is a periodic lease?
A lease for one period, which extends automatically until either the landlord or tenant give notice to quit. The period is usually a week., month or a year.
What is personal property?
Rights in property except for land (goods and chattels).
What is a positive covenant?
An obligation which requires effort or expenditure in order to perform the obligation.
What is a puisne mortgage?
A legal mortgage over unregistered land which is not protected by the deposit of title deeds.
What is real property?
All property rights relating to land (estates and interests, i.e mortgages and easements).
What is servient land?
The land which is subject to or burdened by the covenant or easement. The easements are exercised over this land. The servant land is bound by the restrictive covenant.
What is a tenancy?
This is the leasehold estate which lasts for a fixed period of time. Its full legal name is ‘term of years absolute’. it is also described as a lease or a leasehold. A freehold estate owner can grant a lease for any duration. A leasehold estate owner can only grant a sub-lease.