Over one piece of land (the ST) for benefit of another (the DT)
Set out in Re Ellenbrough Park
Must be a DT and an ST, the owner of the
DT will have a right of way over ST
The right must accommodate the DT -
Must confer a benefit on the DT not a
personal advantage to its current owner
The DT & ST must be owned by different people
Easement must be capable of forming
the subject matter of a grant
Must be a capable grantor
Must be a capable grantee
The right must be sufficiently definite -
cannot be so wide or imprecise that it
excludes the reasonable use of the ST
Right must not amount to exclusive
use and no positive undertaking can
be required from ST
COPELAND v GREENHALF -
Virtually a claim to possession,
cannot be an easement
Although - cf with Wright v McAdam where s62
LPA converts a licence into an easement
Cannot have an easement
over your own land
Does it increase the value
and marketability of the land?
from HILL v TUPPER
Must be sufficiently
proximate with each other
Both must be defined at
time easement is acquired
CREATION can be by:
Expressly created by deed s52 LPA
For registered land must also be
registered under s27 LRA
Created by Implication
For necessity - ie if landlocked without
it.MANJANG v DRAMMAH
NB must be completely locked, if another
inconvenient route, no necessity
If there was - Common Intention - ie
Essential for the use of the land for a
purpose mutually intended. WONG v
BEAUMONT (restaurant in basement case)
Quasi Easements - The rule in WHEELDON v BURROWS
If land sold and owner uses a
shortcut over land retained to
get to the sold part, new
owner would assume they
could use the shortcut to.
Conditions are:
Continuous and apparent use -
must be able to see it on
inspection of the property
Must be necessary to the
enjoyment of the dominant land -
different to absolute necessity
The shortcut must be in use
immediately before the grant
is made
S62 LPA - applies to failed grants only
Can convert a licence into an easement -
WRIGHT v Macadam
Must be a conveyance
Prescription - need to show 20 years continuous
use as of right - ie no secrecy
Binding on third parties?
Unregistered land
If legal - created by deed
or by implication - binds
the world
If equitable - ie no deed, then must be
protected by land charge or won't bind a
BRP for Value Without Notice
Registered Land
If legal - binds the world. Express
creation needs a deed and registration.
Implied easements are legal and have over riding
status under sch3 LRA 02 (providing known to
purchaser/obvious on inspection/used within last year)
If equitable - ie no deed/not registered,
must be protected as a notice S32 LRA or
will not bind purchaser for value.
Equitable easements do not have over
riding status