UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, JAMAICA

FACULTY OF LAW
COURSE OUTLINE
MODULE TITLE: Real Propert !
MODULE CODE: LLB1010
PROGRAMME: Bachelors of Laws
STAGE"YEAR: Year 2, Semester 1
DURATION: 45 Hours
CREDIT VALUE: 3 Credits
PRE#RE$UISTES: None
MODULE DESCRIPTION
his module e!amines the fundamental "rinci"les #o$ernin# the holdin#, use and dis"osition of
land% Conse&uentl', students will learn to a""reciate not onl' the historical si#nificance of the
de$elo"ment of land law, (ut ac&uire the )nowled#e of the ri#hts and lia(ilities attached to
interests in land% *nherent in this module is the fundamental (ac)#round of real "ro"ert' law that
hin#es on the "rinci"les and "ractices of con$e'ance of "ro"ert'% +dditionall', students will
understand the doctrine of tenure and the manner in which the state allows a "erson to hold land%
he module allows students the o""ortunit' to e$aluate the a""lications of the doctrines of
common law and e&uit' on issues related real "ro"ert'% his module also addresses the issue of
le#al re&uirements for ,e#istration of itles and ,e#istration of -eed, +d$erse .ossession,
Settlement and rust for sale and Co/ownershi" of real "ro"ert'%
1
UNIT !
HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
Historical de$elo"ment0 1ormulation of "rinci"les, e&uit', statutes and statutor' reforms%
Social theorists2 "erce"tion of "ro"ert' ri#hts%
-efinition of land0 cor"oreal and incor"oreal 3or hereditaments4 com"onents
Common law classification of "ro"ert'
Ci$il law classification of "ro"ert'
UNIT %
DOCTRINES OF TENURES AND ESTATES
Historical de$elo"ment and demise of the doctrine of land tenures
Land interests0 fee sim"le, fee tail 3entail interest4, life estates, terms of a(solute 'ears%
Conce"t and attri(utes of ownershi", "owers of mana#ement, dis"osition (' will and
inter $i$os, transmission on death
-octrine of 5aste0 amelioratin#, "ermissi$e, $oluntar' and e&uita(le
1i!tures and chattels0 Holland v Hodgson
6m(lements and fructus naturales
*m"ortance of words of limitation
UNIT &
E$UITA'LE AND LEGAL INTERESTS
6$olution and nature of e&uita(le interest in land
Le#al and e&uita(le ri#hts0 ri#hts in rem, ri#hts in "ersonam
6&uita(le interests0 use and trust, estate contracts, licence, "ro"rietar' esto""el, "art
"erformance etc%
2
UNIT (
PRIORITIES AND LICENCES
Basic rule of "riorit' and the e!em"tions0 Land ,e#istration +ct 2002
,i#hts of "re/em"tion and e!/em"tion and e!ercisa(ilit'
.riorit' rule for re#istered dis"osition0 re$ersal of "riorit' for un"rotected interest,
conse&uences of un"rotected "riorit', relationshi" created durin# the 7re#istration #a"2
.rotection of "riorit' (' entr' of a notice in the re#ister0 rationali8ation of the "rocess of
re#istration, (urdens entered on the initiati$e of the re#istrar, entr' in com"liance with
statutor' 7re#istration re&uirements2, entr' in com"liance with re#istration, entr' for the
"ur"ose of u"datin# the Land ,e#ister, $oluntar' entr' of other minor interests, statutor'
ri#hts "rotecta(le (' 7notice2
*nterest ineli#i(le for "rotection (' 7notice2
Cate#ories of licence0 (are licence, contractual licence, e&uita(le or irreco$era(le
lincences, licences su""orted (' "ro"riet' esto""el, licence cou"le with the #rant of an
interest
UNIT )
REGISTRATION OF TITLE AND REGISTRATION OF DEEDS
,e#istered and unre#istered titles0 9fficial recordation of "ro"rietar' estates at Land
,e#istr', "ra#matic fact of "ossession
+im of title re#istration
he or#ani8ation of re#istered entitlements0 he )e' strate#' of the Land
,e#istration +ct 2002, the 7mirror2 "rinci"le, the 7crac) in the mirror, the e$entual
aim of demateriali8ed con$e'ancin#
Structured of unre#istered titles0 in$esti#ation of unre#istered titles, deficiencies of
unre#istered con$e'ancin#
,e#istration of deeds
3
UNIT *
ADVERSE POSESSION AND LIMITATION
-octrine of +d$erse .ossession0 ,elati$e title and a(solute title, seisin,
:ustification for ad$erse "ossession0 mista)e, )ee"in# land in use, facilitatin#
in$esti#ation of title
6sta(lishin# ad$erse "ossession0 :%+%.'e 3 9!ford4 Ltd $ ;raham320034
6ssential elements of "ossession0 fact of "ossession < Red House Farms (Thornden) Ltd
v Catchpole(1977), the intention to "ossess 37animus "ossidendi24 Powell v cFarlane
(1979), the prudent!al "ssurance Co# Ltd v $aterloo Real %state &nc# (1999)
.ro$in# the necessar' intention0 Buc)in#hamshire Count' Council $ =oran, Lodge v
$a'e(!eld C!t) Counc!l (199*), Hughes v Coo' (199+)
he owner2s state of mind0 Powell v cFarlane (1979), Topplan %states Ltd v Townle)
(,--+)
6ffect of the Limitation +ct 1>?0 on re#istered and unre#istered land
UNIT +
SETTLED LAND AND TRUSTS FOR SALE
Historical (ac)#round to strict settlements
.ur"ose of and "ro$ision of strict settlement0 creation of life estate, fee tail
.ower of the trustees of land0 "owers of an a(solute owner, fiduciar', sale, lease and
mort#a#e, ac&uisition of freehold or leasehold land, "artition of trust land, com"ulsor'
con$e'ance to sui iuris (eneficiaries who are a(solutel' entitled
-ele#ation functions0 *ndi$idual dele#ation, collecti$e dele#ation
-ut' of care in res"ect of the dele#ation0 "ower of inter$ention
,i#hts of (eneficiaries0 ri#ht to occu"' the trust land/ C!t) o( London .u!ld!ng /oc!et) v
Flegg
,e#ulation of the ri#ht to occu"' trust land0 1actors rele$ant to trustees2 e!ercise of
discretion im"osition of conditions, a""lication to court
4
UNIT ,
CO#OWNERSHIP OF LAND
'"es of co/ownershi"0 @oint tenanc', tenanc' in common, ri#ht of sur$i$orshi"
Anities of @oint tenanc'0 unit' of "ossession, unit' of interest, unit' of title, unit' of time
9"eration of sur$i$orshi" "rinci"le0 .ro#ressi$e concentration of ownershi"
Commorientes rule
Sur$i$orshi" "rinci"le0 a$oidance of "ro(ate difficulties, facilit' of dealin# with title,
indestructi(ilit' of sur$i$orshi", utilit' as estate "lannin# de$ice, safet' from unsecured
creditors
.rinci"al characteristics of tenanc' in common0 no ri#ht of sur$i$orshi", unit' of
"ossession
res"ass and ouster0 e!clusi$e use and e!clusor' (eha$iour
.rofit deri$ed from the industr' of one co/tenant0 le#itimate "rofit, lia(ilit' to account
,ent o(li#ation (etween co/tenant0 the #eneral common law "rinci"le, the "roliferation of
e!em"tions, rule of fairness, &uantification of rent lia(ilit'
.reser$ation or enhancement of the $alue of co/owned land0 the #eneral rule/Le!gh v
0!c'eson, "assi$e e&uit' of reim(ursement, measure of reim(ursement, e&uita(le
counterclaims, im"act of the e&uit' on third "arties%
Re-./re0 Te1t2:
1% Charles Har"um, Stuart Brid#e B =artin -i!onC egarr) 1 $ade2 The Law o( Real
Propert)C Sweet B =a!well
2% Ni#el .% ;ra$ellsC Land Law 2 Te3t and ater!alsC Sweet B =a!wellC Latest 6dition
3% 9wusu, Sam"son < Commonwealth Car!44ean Land Law
Re3o44e50e0 Te1t2:
1% Nicola :ac)son, :ohn Ste$ens B ,o(ert .earceC Land Law5 Te3t4oo' ser!es6 Sweet B
=a!wellC Latest 6dition%
2% 5 =ur"h', Simon ,o(erts B atiana 1lessasC 7nderstand!ng Propert) law6 Sweet B
=a!wellC Latest 6dition%
5