Property Flashcards
Estate Classification: Present Estates:
-fee simple absolute
divisible, descendible and alienable
fee tail
abolished and turns into a fee simple absolute
life estate
-requirements: life tenant limited by doctrine of waste (see below)
-future interest: reversion in grantor or remainder in 3rd party
-if life estate in 2 persons, contingent remainder in fee simple upon the death of the first
defeasible fees:
-fee simple determinable <–
-fee simple subject to condition subsequent
-fee simple subject to executory limitation
-fee simple determinable: requirements: clear and conditional language, violation of which leads to automatic forfeiture
-characteristics: divisible, descendible, alienable – BUT always subject to durational condition
-future interest: possibility of reverter
fee simple subject to condition subsequent
requirements: clear language that grantor has a right to re-enter
-characteristics: divisible, descendible, alienable, subject to condition.
-if violated, interest may terminate at grantor’s option
-future interest: right of entry
fee simple subject to executory limitation
-characteristics: divisible, descendible, alienable subject to condition
-future interest: shifting executory interest to 3rd party
future interests:
-to grantor
possibility of reverter; right of entry; reversion
Future interests:
-to a 3rd party: shifting executory interest
follows defeasible fee of some sort
-to a 3rd party: springing executory interest
occurrence of condition cuts short Grantor’s interest in property in favor of Grantee
-to a 3rd party: contingent remainder
unascertained person OR subject to condition precedent, or both. If condition precedent, conditional language appears before language creating the remainder.
-if satisfied, becomes an indefeasibly vested remainder
-to a 3rd party: vested remainder
ascertainable person AND NOT subject to condition precedent
-to a 3rd party: indefeasible vested remainder
3rd person certain to acquire future interest without condition
-to a 3rd party: vested remainder subject to complete defeasance / total divestment
3rd party’s future interest could get cut short by satisfaction of a condition subsequent
-to a 3rd party: vested remainder subject to open
remainder vested in group with at least one person qualified to take, but may add more class members
Certain Rules Affecting Future Interests: Rule Against Perpetuities (RAP): definition
voids future interest if there is any possibility that the given interest may vest more than 21 years after the death of a measuring life
RAP: Analysis
(1) last person mentioned by proper name; (2) next subsequent party not mentioned by proper name takes; (3) the rest is struck
RAP: reform
-wait and see / second look: majority of jurisdictions determine RAP at the end of the measuring life
-Uniform Statutory RAP: provides for 90 year vesting period instead of life + 21 years
suvivorship
all future interests are devisable and descendible UNLESS taking of interest is subject to express or implied survivorship contingency
class gifts
-if vested remainder subject to open, future interest of class members is subject to partial divestment from new members.
*the class closes once a member can demand possession
cy pres
if interest violates RAP. Court may amend to make it valid
waste
-life tenant must not do anything to harm future interest holders.
*Holders of vested remainder may sue for waste
The Doctrine of Waste: (Very Athletic Purple Aliens):
-voluntary or affirmative waste
-overt conduct causing a decrease in value or consume/exploit natural resource, except: PURGE
PURGE
Prior Use (if exploitation previously occurred, but limited to open mines doctrine)
-Reasonable repairs; Grant or Exploitation (land only suitable for this purpose)
permissive waste
-life T must pay all ordinary taxes and mortgage interest payments and protect the land from disrepair by conducting reasonable maintenance
ameliorative waste
acts that may enhance prop’s value not allowed unless future interest holders know + give consent
Concurrent Estates / Co-Ownership:
-joint tenancy
-creation: TTIPS: time; title; interest (equal); and possession of the whole. Grantor must clearly express survivorship rights
-characteristics: no devisable or descendible; alienable but this destroys JT
-severance: SPAM: Sale; Partition (voluntary agreement; partition in kind; forced sale); Mortgage (if title theory)
tenancy by the entirety
-material interest between H&W with right to survivorship
-creation: only H&W who take as one. Presumption when a couple takes
-descendible, divisible & alienable; no survivorship rights
rights of co-tenants
-possession
-rent from co-T
-rent from 3rd parties
-adverse possession
-possession: each has right to possess the whole; no ouster
-rent from co-T: none, absent ouster
-rent form 3rd parties: lease of premises must acct to co-T for fair share of income
-adverse possession: co-T can’t adversely posses without ouster
rights of co-Ts
-carrying costs
-repairs
-improvements
-waste
-partition
-carrying costs: each co-T must pay for portion of taxes & mortgage
-repairs: contribution from other co-T if co-Ts advised of reasonable & necessary repairs
-improvements: no contribution from co-Ts. But at partition, improver responsible for increase or decrease in value
-waste: no waste and liability if commits
-partition: any co-T can seek it
Landlord / Tenant:
-tenancy for years/term of years/estate for years
-lease of a fixed, determined period
-termination: no notice required
-requirements: more than 1 year must be in writing (SoF)
periodic tenancy
-definition
-termination
-express or implied
-successive or continuous intervals
-termination: notice required; must be at least equal to length of period with end at natural lease period
-express or implied: implied if: no duration specific but payment required a specific intervals; oral agreement of terms of years with payment at specific intervals, or if L elects to holdover T who wrongfully stays
tenancy at will: definition; termination
-no fixed period of duration.
-termination: at any time
tenancy at sufferance
-T wrongfully holds over expiration of lease
Tenant Duties:
-duty to 3rd parties
-keep premises in good repaid; liability for injuries sustained by invitees, even if L promised to repair
Tenant Duties:
-duty to repair: waste; fixtures; loss (CL and Modern)
-maintain premises and make ordinary repairs
-no waste
-fixtures: fixtures pass with ownership of land unless: private agreement OR T can remove without causing substantial harm to the premises
-loss: CL: T liable for any loss, including force of nature; Modern: if loss is without fault of T, then T may terminate the lease
Tenant Duties:
-duty to pay rent: CL; Mod; Breach with T in possession;
-CL: duty independent of Landlord’s obligations; Modern: duty is dependent on L’s covenants under the lease
-breach when T is on property: Commercial Ts may be held for new year-to-year lease if the original was more than 1 year
-Residential Ts held to nee month-to-month regardless of original term
-rent = new rent if Landlord advised T before the term of old lease OR old rent if L advised T after term
Tenant Duties: duty to pay rent:
Breach with T out of possession
-breach when T is out of possession: SIR:
-Surrender (L treats as ending the leasehold, but if more than 1 year left, writing may be required);
-Ignore: (hold T responsible for rent unpaid)
-Re-let: (hold T liable for deficiency but L must diligently try to re-let)
Landlord Duties:
-duty to deliver possession (majority and minority rule)
-majority (English Rule): put T in physical possession; if former T is on premises, L is liable for damages
-minority (American Rule): put T in possession; if former T is on premises, that is T’s issue
Landlord”s Duties:
-Implied Covenant of Quiet Enjoyment: total/partial, actual and constructive eviction
-breached by total/partial actual or constructive eviction
-total eviction: L excludes T from the entire premises; or actual or continual refusal to repair material damages that prevent habitability (which therefore terminates T’s obligation to pay rent)
-partial eviction: 3rd party retakes and physically excludes T from portion of leased premises (rent is proportionally reduced)
constructive eviction
-SING:
-Substantial Interference (chronic problem fundamentally incompatible with quiet enjoyment);
-Notice (T notifies L, who fails to respond);
-Get out (T must vacate within a reasonable time)
Other Ts
-L is not responsible for actions of other Ts, EXCEPT cannot permit nuisances and must control/police common areas
tort
-CLAPS:
-Common areas (must maintain);
-Latent Defect (warn of those be should be aware of);
-Assumption of Repairs (if you say you’ll fix, fix with reasonable care);
-Public Use Rule (defects if leasing public space);
-Short term lease of furnished apt (liable for any defects causing harm)
implied warranty of habitability (residential ONLY)
-requirements
-requirements: fit for basic human habitation as determined by housing code or independent judicial conclusion