Irish Land Law

Front 1

Introduction to Land Law

Back 1

Distinction between real property and personal property.

The notion of title :
- absolute ownership
- relativity of title

Derivative title contrasted with possessory title arising by virtue of the Statue of LImitations 1957

Front 2

Estates

Back 2

Ownership of land :

Abolition of feudal tenure : LCLRA 2009 s 9(2)

Freehold estates :

- Fee simple : LCLRA 2009 s11(2)
-- emergence of the fee simple estate
-- rights of the state : Succession Act 1965 s73(1); LCLRA 2009 s9(3)(a)
-- freedom of alienation : LCLRA 2009 s9(4)
-- fee simple absolute
-- modified estates
--- determinable fee : LCLRA 2009 s11(2)(a)
--- conditional fee : LCLRA 2009 s11(2)(b)

- Fee farm grant : LCLRA s12
-- the creation of these is banned : LCLRA 2009 s12(1)
-- not retrospective : LCLRA 2009 s12(5),(6)
--- feudal
--- conversion grants
--- deasy's act grants
--- rentcharges

- Hybrid Interests : LCLRA 2009 s12
-- ban on creation
-- lease for lives renewable forever
-- lease for life or lives
-- lease for lives combined with a term of years

- Fee tail : LCLRA 2009 s13
-- ban on creation
-- will be seen as a fee simple

-Life estate : LCLRA 2009, s11(6)
-- exists in equity only

Leasehold estates :

LCLRA 2009 s11(1)

Traditional definition :
- term certain
- periodic tenancy
- tenancy at will
- tenancy at sufferance

Modern definition
- LCLRA 2009 s11(3)

Front 3

Equity

Back 3

The Union of Judicature
The Fusion Fallacy

Estates in equity :
- bare trust
- special trust

Nature of equitable interests :
- proprietary rights v personal rights
- discretionary
- "equity will not assist a volunteer"
- equity's darling (BFPLEFVWN)

The doctrine of notice :
- LCLRA 2009 s86
- actual notice
- constructive notice
- imputed notice

Overreaching of equitable interests :
- LCLRA 2009, s21

Equitable interests and mere equities

Registration
- Registration of title
-- Registration of Title Act 1964
- Registration of deeds
-- Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006 s38

Front 4

Registration of Title

Back 4

Registration of Title Act 1964
Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006

1964 Act
- compulsory registration : s23-25
-- land purchase acts
-- acquisition of statutory authority
-- designated as a compulsory registration area
- registers : s8 (types), 31 (conclusive nature), 32 (restification)
-- register of ownership of freehold land
-- register of ownership of leasehold interests
- register of land comprising incorporeal hereditaments held in gross

Folio :
- land
- proprietorship
- incumberances

Maps :
- s 84-89

Co-ownership :
- s 91

Trusts :
- s92 - kept off the register
- s37(4) and s44(4) - registration as owner does not affect the duties of the trustee

Settled land :
- registration : s27
- collective vesting : s37(2), 44(2)
- entry of names of trustees : s99(1)

Classes of freehold title
- s33
- absolute : s37
- qualified : s39
- possessory : s38

Classes of leasehold title :
-s 40
- absolute : s44
- qualified : s47
- possessory : s46
- good leasehold : s45

Elevation of classification : s50

Adverse possession : s49

Transmission of registered land : s51, 52, 55, 123 (no need for words of limitation)

Registered burdnes :
- s69
- priority : s74

Overriding interests : s72

Cautions and inhibitions : s97, 98

Unregistered rights in registered land : s68

Front 5

Co-ownership

Back 5

Joint Tenancy
- Succession Act 1965 s4(c)

Tenancy in Common

Creation of a joint tenancy / tenancy in common
- common law favours joint tenancies while equity likes tenancies in common

Severance of a joint tenancy
- At common law :
-- LCLRA 2009 s30(1), (2)
- At equity :
-- LCLRA 2009 s30(4)
- cannot be severed by a judgement mortgage : LCLRA 2009 s30(3)

Determination of a joint tenancy / tenancy in common
- LCLRA 2009 s31

Front 6

Incorporeal heriditaments

Back 6

Easements
Profits à prendre

Easements must satisfy four tests

Rights are distinct form easements

Acquisition :
- by statute
- express grant
- implied reservation
- implied grant : LCLRA 2009 s40(2)
- presumed grant / prescription : LCLRA 2009 s33-38
- estoppel

Extinguishment :
- statute
- release
- abandonment
- unity of possession
- LCLRA 2009 s39(1)

Front 7

Covenants

Back 7

Freehold covenants
- enforceability : LCLRA 2009 s49(2)
- discharge :
-- express power of the court : LCLRA 2009 s50
-- refusal to award an injunction
-- acquisition of fee simple
-- registered land : Registration of Title Act 1964 s69(3)

Leasehold Covenants

Front 8

Licences

Back 8

Bare licence
Liecnce coupled with an interest
Contractual licence
Contractual licences and third parties
Licence by estoppel
Rights of residence

Registration of Title Act 1964 s81

Front 9

Adverse Possession

Back 9

Parliamentary conveyance theory
Animus possidendi
Limitation periods
Leasehold
Co-owners
Acknowledgement
Extinguishment of title

Statute of limitations 1957

Front 10

Succession

Back 10

Wills and intestacy and Interference with the freedom os testation

Wills
- Succession Act 1965, part 7
- ambulatory effect : s89, 95
- predeceasing beneficiaries : s91, 97, 98
- capacity to make a will : s77
- formalities : s78
-- writting
-- signature of testator
-- witnesses : s81
-- gifts to witnesses : s82
-- alteration : s86
-- revocation : s85
-- revival : s87
- disinheritance : s121

Intestacy :
- Succession Act 1965, part 6
- s67 - spouse / issue
- s67A - civil partner / issue
- section 68 - parents
- s69 - brothers / sisters / their children
- s70 - next of kin
- s73 - state

Interference with freedom of testation :
- Succession Act 1965
- legal rights of surviving spouse : s111-116
- legal right of surviving civil partner : ss111A
- rights of appropriation : s55-57
- proper provision for children : s117
- provisions for divorced spouses : Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996, s18
- unworthiness to succeed : s120
- extinguishment of spouse's succession rights : Family Law (Divorce) Act 1996, s14

Front 11

Mortgages

Back 11

LCLRA 2009, chapter 10

Mortgages :
- LCLRA 2009 section 3
- origin
- equity's influence
- statutory intervention
- mortgagees right to possession : LCLRA 2009 s99
- the equity of redemption
- inviolability of the right of redemption : LCLRA 2009 s92
- options to purchase
- postponing the right to redeem
- collateral advantages
- undue influence
- restraint of trade

Creation of mortgages :
- legal mortgage : LCLRA 2009 s89
- equitable mortgage : LCLRA 2009 s51
- mortgages of unregistered land : legal - Registration of Title Act 1964 s 62-67 ; equitable - Registration of Title Act 1964 s68, 105(5) and Registration of Deeds and Title Act 2006 s73

Remedies of the mortgage :
- court order for possession : LCLRA 2009 s97(2)
- express power of sale
- statutory power of sale by the mortgagee : LCLRA 2009 s100, 104, 105, 106
- appointment of a receiver by the mortgagee : LCLRA 2009 s108
- statutory power to grant lease of mortgages property : LCLRA s112-113
- NAMA's powers : National Asset Management Agency Act 2009 part 9 ; foreclosure abolished by LCLRA 2009 s96(2)

Mortgagee's duties on sale :
- LCLRA 2009 s103(1)
- LCLRA 2009 s100(5)