• Home
• Study
• Study Information
• Modules
• Module Information

Land Law

Module description

Land Law covers matters of fundamental importance to our society: the ownership of land and property, property rights and related obligations. In this module you will study in depth the fundamental principles of English Land Law, focussing in particular on key rights which exist in relation to land. You will scrutinise the content of these rights, and consider the way in which the content requirements of each right have been developed through judicial decision.  In addition, you will study the formal and informal methods of acquiring rights over land, and the circumstances in which the burden of such rights will impact a third party purchaser.

This module is one of the seven foundations of legal knowledge required by the JASB of the Law Society and Bar Council and it is therefore compulsory for all of you who wish to progress onto the Vocational Stage of Training to become a Solicitor or Barrister.

Module aims - intentions of the module

This module aims to provide you with an in depth understanding of the definition, acquisition and transfer of rights over land. In this module you will be required to study primary legal sources, in particular statutes, and will be encouraged to think critically about the law with reference to the views of academic commentators.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Identify and define the various property rights that exist in relation to Land, and compare and classify estates and interests existing in registered land systems, their priorities, and dealings with third parties;
• 2. Evaluate the present principles of English Land Law, be aware of areas where reform is needed and take account of the Law Commission's recommendations in discussing such reforms;
• 3. Demonstrate knowledge of the detailed provisions of property law statutes and use them to support your application and analysis of land law;

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a range of complex and technical legal concepts and principles;
• 5. Identify key elements of legal problems, identify their relative significance and select appropriate methods for investigating and evaluating them;
• 6. Select and present in a coherent way, orally and in writing, relevant law and legal / theoretical arguments;

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 7. Demonstrate effective and accurate written and/or oral communication skills in a manner appropriate to the discipline / different contexts;
• 8. Identify, retrieve and use efficiently a range of library-based and electronic resources with some guidance;
• 9. Interact effectively within a team / learning group and to share information and ideas.
• 10. Work independently, within a limited time frame, to complete a specified task.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

• Registered land system 

• Lease

• Covenant

• Easement

• Mortgage

• Beneficial interest under trust

• Proprietary estoppel

• Adverse possession

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Gardner, S. An Introduction to Land Law (3^rd   ed. July 2015)   
Dixon, M. Modern Land Law (10^th   ed. June 2016) 

Blackstone's Statutes on Property Law 2017-2018 (25^th ed. edited by Meryl Thomas)

Key words search

Land law, property law