
THE NEW LAW OF LAND REGISTRATION
This book is an examination of the law of land registration in England and Wales, in the light of the Land Registration Act 2002, and in particular the way land registration is influenced by, and in turn influences, the evolution of land law as a whole. It examines the legal problems that have arisen in connection with land registration and considers the effect of the 2002 statute, drawing extensively upon the law in other jurisdictions and considering possibilities for future development.
This is a book which will be essential reading for students, their teachers, and practitioners who will have to grapple with the intricacies of the new Act when it comes into force.

The New Law of
Land Registration
Elizabeth Cooke
Professor of Law,
The University of Reading
OXFORD AND PORTLAND, OREGON 2003
Hart Publishing
Oxford and Portland, Oregon
Published in North America (US and Canada) by Hart Publishing c/o
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© Elizabeth J Cooke 2003
The Author has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, to be identified as the author of this work
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ISBN 1–84113–350–7 (hardback)
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Preface
The Land Registration Act 2002 is both a continuation of and an exciting new beginning for title registration in England and Wales. This book is intended, not as a commentary on the new Act, and certainly not as a practitioner’s guide to its operation, but as an academic companion to it. It is quite selective in its scope, and there are a number of important aspects of the new statute that it does not address; I have endeavoured to concentrate on the nature of land ownership and the protection of the purchaser. I have tried to place the English legislation in its international context, and to highlight some issues that arise when it is considered in that context.
I hope that what I have written will be of use to quite a wide readership; advanced readers are asked to forgive some of the explanations of general land law concepts. Reference has been made to standard land law works where necessary.
Inevitably in writing about a recently enacted statute I have had to comment on the work of the individuals responsible for it, some of whom I have met, all of whom I admire very much. I hope that they will be forgive me for disagreeing with them in some respects.
I have had a great deal of help in writing this book. The most conspicuous thanks should go to Pamela O’Connor, of Monash University. Many yards of email have passed between the two of us over the last year or so, and she has taught me a great deal; if the book has succeeded in having a Torrensy flavour, it is thanks to her help. It will be seen from the notes that I have benefited greatly from what I have learnt at two conferences in particular; one at Reading in 2002, and the conference in Auckland in March 2003, ‘Taking Torrens into the 21st century’, organised by David Grinlinton. Chapter 9, which discusses European registration systems, is actually co-authored. Magdalena Habdas of the Silesian University of Technology, Matti Niemi of the Lappeenranta University of Technology and Lars van Vliet of the University of Maastricht, have written about registration in their own systems for me, and the sections on Scots and German law have been read and improved respectively by Jan-Bertram Hillig and by Stewart Brymer. Michael Croker, District Land Registrar at Stevenage, answered my queries and provided the sample land registers found in this book. Richard Hart has been a source of encouragement and constructive comment throughout the writing process. My colleagues in the School of Law at the University of Reading have been unfailingly patient and helpful to me in my ramblings.
It would have been impossible to write this book in time for publication in October 2003 without research leave funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Board; it is a pleasure to be able to thank them for a second time for enabling me to bring a book to completion.
vi Preface
My husband, John, has read the book in draft, made numerous corrections of style, typography and content and excised the worst jokes; I thank him for his patience with two rather intense book completions in the last year, and I thank him, and Gillian and Dominic, for filling my life with joy.
Lizzie Cooke
University of Reading, May 2003
Table of Contents
Table of Cases |
xi |
|
Table of Statutory Instruments |
xv |
|
Table of Statutes |
xvii |
|
Abbreviations |
xxvii |
|
1. Modern Land Registration |
1 |
|
|
Land Registration: The Options |
2 |
|
Land Registration: The Ethical Dimension |
12 |
2. The Road to Title Registration in England and Wales |
15 |
|
|
Early Registration Systems |
16 |
|
Deeds Registration: A System for the Consumer |
18 |
|
The Nineteenth Century and the Law of Property Act 1925 |
20 |
|
The Land Charges Act 1925: Interest Recording |
25 |
|
The Land Registration Act 1925: Title Registration |
27 |
3. |
The Registrable Estates |
33 |
|
The 1925 Hierarchy of Property Rights in Land |
33 |
|
The Registration Hierarchy |
35 |
|
The Scope of Title Registration |
36 |
|
The Registration of Registrable Estates |
39 |
|
The Classes of Title |
41 |
|
The Individual Register |
43 |
|
The Register of Cautions |
44 |
|
Example 1 |
46 |
|
Example 2 |
47 |
|
Filed plan for Examples 1 and 2 |
51 |
4. |
The Effect of Registration I: Vesting, Powers and Dispositions |
53 |
|
The Vesting Effect |
53 |
|
The Powers of the Registered Proprietor: (a) Legal Abilities |
55 |
|
The Powers of the Registered Proprietor: (b) Authority in Equity |
58 |
|
Registrable Dispositions |
60 |
|
Restrictions |
63 |
|
Postlude: The Powers of the Registered Proprietor and the |
|
|
Purchaser’s Protection under the Land Registration Act 1925 |
65 |
viii Table of Contents |
|
|
5. |
The Effect of Registration II: Burdens on the Registered Estate |
69 |
|
The Mirror of Title: What the Purchaser Sees |
69 |
|
Rights Excepted from the Effects of Registration |
71 |
|
Interests Seen on the Charges Register |
72 |
|
Recorded Interests |
72 |
|
Overriding Interests: Schedule 3 |
76 |
|
What the Purchaser Sees: Summary |
83 |
|
The Mirror of Title: What the Proprietor Sees |
86 |
|
What the Registered Proprietor Sees: Summary |
90 |
|
The Mirror of Title: What the Volunteer Sees |
90 |
|
Priorities of Interests inter se |
91 |
|
Overriding and Overreaching |
92 |
6. |
Indefeasibility—the English Version |
99 |
|
Indefeasibility: The Issues |
101 |
|
The English Version of Indefeasibility |
105 |
|
Indefeasibility under the 1925 Act: The Statutory Route |
105 |
|
Evaluation of the Statutory Route |
115 |
|
Indefeasibility by the Other Route: The Trust Analysis |
116 |
|
Rectification under the Land Registration Act 1925: Summary |
121 |
|
The Land Registration Act 2002 |
122 |
|
Rectification/Alteration under the Land Registration Act 2002: |
|
|
Summary |
128 |
|
Further Provisions |
129 |
7. |
Adverse Possession |
133 |
|
Adverse Possession in Unregistered Land |
133 |
|
Adverse Possession in Registered Land |
135 |
|
The 1925 Solution |
136 |
|
The Land Registration Act 2002 |
138 |
|
Substantive Changes in the 2002 Act |
140 |
|
Formal Changes in the 2002 Act |
145 |
|
Special Cases in the 2002 Act |
146 |
|
Transitions and the Interface with Unregistered Land |
149 |
|
Conclusion |
154 |
8. After 2002: The Road Ahead |
155 |
|
|
The Disappearance of Unregistered Conveyancing |
155 |
|
Electronic Conveyancing |
157 |
|
The Disappearance of the Feudal System |
165 |
9. After 2002: The Road to Europe? |
167 |
|
|
Ireland and Northern Ireland |
168 |
Table of Contents |
ix |
Scotland |
170 |
Continental Europe |
173 |
Germany |
174 |
Poland |
178 |
Finland |
183 |
The Netherlands |
187 |
Conclusions |
193 |
The Land Registration Act 2002 |
195 |
Index |
281 |
Table of Cases |
|
|
139 Deptford High Street, Re [1951] Ch 884 ....................................... |
|
107, 112, 117 |
Abbey National BS v Cann [1991] 1 AC 56.......................................................... |
|
160 |
Actionstrength Ltd v International Glass Engineering IN.GLEN.SpA [2003] |
||
UKHL 17; [2003] All ER (D) 69........................................................................ |
|
163 |
Agra Bank Ltd v Barry (1859) 9 Ir Ch R 512; (1874) LR 7 HL 135 ..................... |
168 |
|
Ahmed v Kendrick and Ahmed [1988] 2 FLR 22................................................. |
|
113 |
Argyle Building Society v Hammond (1984) 49 P & CR 148.............................. |
114 |
|
Ashburn Anstalt v Arnold [1989] Ch 1 22 ............................................................. |
|
85 |
Asher v Whitlock (1865) 1 LR QB 1 ..................................................................... |
|
133 |
Aston Cantlow PCC v Wallbank [2002] Ch 51...................................................... |
|
77 |
Bahr v Nicolay (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 604 ................................................... |
|
85, 103 |
Baker v Baker [1993] 2 FLR 247............................................................................ |
|
142 |
Barclays Bank Plc v O’Brien [1994] 1 AC 180........................................ |
|
96, 103, 114 |
Berkeley Leisure Group Ltd v Williamson [1996] EGCS 18 ............................... |
121 |
|
Birmingham Midshires Mortgage Services Ltd v Sabherwal [2000] |
|
|
Conveyancer 267................................................................................................... |
|
67 |
Blacklocks v JB Developments (Godalming) Ltd [1982] Ch 183........ |
118, 120, 127 |
|
Blades v Blades (1727) 1 Eq Cas Abr 358................................................................ |
|
20 |
Bogdanovich v Koteff (1988) 12 NSWLR 472........................................................ |
|
90 |
Boyle’s Claim, Re [1961] 1 WLR 339.................................................................... |
|
117 |
BP Properties Ltd v Buckler (1987) 55 P & CR 337 ............................................. |
|
141 |
Breskvar v Wall (1971) 126 CLR 376 ........................................ |
1, 102, 118, 129, 140 |
|
Bridges v Mees [1957] 2 All ER 577 ........................................................ |
|
79, 136, 143 |
Buckinghamshire County Council v Moran [1990] Ch 623 ............................... |
134 |
|
Bull v Bull [1955] 1 QB 234, CA ....................................................................... |
|
24, 93 |
Celsteel Ltd v Alton House Holdings Ltd [1985] 1 WLR 204 ......................... |
35, 82 |
|
Central London Commercial Estates Ltd v Kato Kagaku Ltd (Axa Equity and |
||
Law Life Assurance Society plc, Third Party) [1998] 4 All ER 948 ......... |
136, 137 |
|
Chambers v Donaldson (81809) 11 East 65 ......................................................... |
|
133 |
Chancery Plc v Ketteringham [1994] Ch 370......................................................... |
|
74 |
Chowood’s Registered Land, Re [1933] Ch 574................................... |
|
107, 119, 123 |
City of London BS v Flegg [1988] AC 73............................ |
24, 67, 68, 80, 93, 96, 97 |
|
City Permanent BS v Miller [1952] Ch 840............................................................ |
|
77 |
Clark v Chief Land Registrar [1994] Ch 370 .......................................................... |
|
74 |
Clarke v Palmer (1882) 21 Ch D 124 ...................................................................... |
|
19 |
Crabb v Arun DC [1976] Ch 179 .................................................................... |
|
75, 142 |
Craddock Brothers v Hunt [1923] 2 Ch 136 ........................................................ |
|
118 |
Cullen v Cullen [1962] IR 268 .............................................................................. |
|
143 |
xii Table of Cases |
|
|
|
Doe d Jukes v Sumner (1845) 14 M&W 39 .......................................................... |
|
|
137 |
Elitestone v Morris (1995) FSR 497 ...................................................................... |
|
|
142 |
Epps v Esso Petroleum Co Ltd [1973] |
|
|
|
1 WLR 1071 ........................................................ |
116, 119, 120, 123, 126, 127, 128 |
||
Fairweather v St Marylebone Property Co Ltd [1963] AC 510 |
........................... |
134 |
|
Ferrishurst Ltd v Wallcite Ltd [1999] Ch 355 ........................................................ |
|
|
81 |
Foster v Warblington Urban Council [1906] 1 KB 648....................................... |
|
133 |
|
Frazer v Walker [1967] 1 AC 569.......................................................... |
|
102, 165, 172 |
|
Freer v Unwins [1976] 1 Ch 288 ................................................... |
|
107, 113, 125, 130 |
|
Gissing v Gissing [1970] AC 886............................................................................. |
|
|
94 |
Godden v Merthyr Tydfil Housing Association 15 Jan 1997, |
|
|
|
CA (unreported) ................................................................................................ |
|
|
163 |
Goodger v Willis [1999] EGCS 32 ........................................................................ |
|
|
119 |
Hounslow LBC v Hare (1990) 24 HLR 9........................................................ |
|
|
57, 119 |
IDC Group v Clark [1992] EGLR 187 .................................................................... |
|
|
85 |
JA Pye (Oxford) Ltd v Graham [2002] UKHL 30 ........................ |
|
134, 135, 141, 144 |
|
Jarman v Hale [1898] 1 QB 994 ............................................................................ |
|
|
138 |
Jon Richardson Computers Ltd v Flanders [1993] FSR 497 ............................... |
|
142 |
|
King v Smail [1958] VR 273 .................................................................................... |
|
|
90 |
King v Smith [1950] 1 All ER 553 ......................................................................... |
|
|
138 |
Kingsalton Ltd v Thames Water Developments Ltd [2001] |
|
|
|
EWCA Civ 20 ............................................................................................. |
|
112, 119 |
|
Kingsnorth Finance Ltd v Tizard [1986] 1 WLR 783 ............................................ |
|
81 |
|
Kok Hoong v Leong Cheong Kweng Mines Ltd [1964] AC 993, ..................PC |
163 |
||
Le Neve v Le Neve (1747) Amb 436........................................................................ |
|
|
20 |
Leach v Jay (1878) 9 Ch D 42 ................................................................................ |
|
|
133 |
Leigh v Jack (1879) 5 Ex D 264 ............................................................................. |
|
|
134 |
Lester v Burgess (1973) 26 P & CR 536 ................................................................ |
|
|
107 |
Leuty v Hillas (1858) 2 De G & J 110.................................................................... |
|
|
118 |
Littledale v Liverpool College [1900] 1 ChD 268................................................. |
|
|
134 |
Lloyd’s Bank v Rosset [1989] Ch 350.................................................................... |
|
|
160 |
Lyus v Prowsa Developments Ltd [1982] 1 WLR 1044 ................................. |
|
85, 118 |
|
Malory Enterprises Ltd v Cheshire Homes (UK) Ltd [2002] EWCA |
|
||
Civ 151; [2002] Ch 216.............................................. |
112, 116, 120, 121, 127, 128 |
||
Midland Bank Trust Co Ltd v Green [1981] AC 513........................... |
26, 70, 84, 85 |
||
Morelle Ltd v Wakeling [1955] 2 WLR 672............................................................ |
|
|
54 |
Mount Carmel Investments Ltd v Peter Thurlow Ltd [1988] 1 .......WLR 1078 |
148 |
||
Nicholls v Ely Sugar Beet Factory [1931] 2 Ch 84................................................ |
|
|
133 |
Norwich & Peterborough Building Society v Steed [1993] |
|
|
|
Ch 116......................................................................................... |
|
107, 113, 115, 128 |
|
Odell, Re [1906] 2 Ch 47 ......................................................................... |
|
94, 106, 128 |
|
Peffer v Rigg [1971] 1 WLR 285.................................................................. |
|
59, 83, 84 |
|
Perrot v Cohen [1951] 1 KB 705........................................................................... |
|
|
138 |
Perry v Clissold [1907] AC 73 ............................................................................... |
|
|
133 |
Pettitt v Pettitt [1970] AC 777................................................................................. |
|
|
91 |
|
Table of Cases |
xiii |
|
Powell v MacFarlane (1977) 38 P & CR 452 ........................................................ |
|
|
134 |
Pritchard v Briggs [1980] Ch 338............................................................................ |
|
|
75 |
Prudential Assurance Co Ltd v London Residuary Body [1992] |
|
|
|
2 AC 386, HL........................................................................................................ |
|
|
56 |
Pyramid Building Society v Scorpion Hotels [1988] VR 188 .............................. |
|
103 |
|
Saunders v Anglia Building Society [1971] AC 1004 ........................................... |
|
|
107 |
Saunders v Vautier (1841) Beav 115 ..................................................... |
|
118, 121, 136 |
|
Sea View Gardens, Re [1967] 1 WLR 134............................................. |
|
107, 112, 117 |
|
Shirlaw v Southern Foundries Ltd [1939] 2 KB 206 .............................................. |
|
|
67 |
Short’s Trustee v Chung (1998) SC 105 (OH); (1999) SLT 7 (IH)..................... |
|
172 |
|
Short’s Trustee v Keeper of the Registers of Scotland (1996) SC (HL) 14 ......... |
172 |
||
Sledmore v Dalby (1996) 72 P & CR 196.............................................................. |
|
|
142 |
Spectrum Investment Co v Holmes [1981] 1 WLR 221 ........................ |
|
30, 137, 138 |
|
Spiro v Glencrown Properties Ltd [1991] 64 P & CR 527 ................................... |
|
|
162 |
State Bank of India v Sood [1997] Ch 276.................................................. |
|
24, 60, 65 |
|
Strand Securities Ltd v Caswell [1965] Ch 958 ...................................................... |
|
|
77 |
Taylor Fashions Ltd v Liverpool Victoria Trustee Co Ltd [1982] 2 QB 133 ...... |
142 |
||
Taylor v Taylor....................................................................................................... |
|
|
172 |
Tichbourne v Weir (1892) 67 LT 735 ................................................................... |
|
|
137 |
Wallis’ Cayton Bay Holiday Camp Ltd v Shell-Mex and BP Ltd |
|
|
|
[1975] QB 94...................................................................................................... |
|
|
134 |
Wayling v Jones (1993) 69 P & CR 170 ................................................................ |
|
|
164 |
Webb v Polmount [1966] Ch 584........................................................................... |
|
|
72 |
Williams & Glyn’s Bank Ltd v Boland [1981] AC 487 ....... |
22, 30, 79, 81, 95, 96, 97 |
||
Yaxley v Gotts [2000] Ch 162................................................................................ |
|
|
163 |
Young v Laith (1847) 9 D 932 ............................................................................... |
|
|
171 |