Law of Property (Amendment) Act 1924

PART II Provisions Facilitating Consolidation of the Law of Property and Conveyancing

Conveyances over-reaching certain equitable interests and powers.

1 The following section shall be substituted for section three of the principal Act:—

“(1) A conveyance to a purchaser of a legal estate in land overreaches any equitable interest or power affecting that estate, whether or not he has notice thereof, if—

(i) the conveyance is made under the powers conferred by the Settled Land Acts, or the powers conferred by a settlement, and the equitable interest or power is capable of being overreached thereby, and the statutory requirements respecting the payment of capital money arising under the settlement are complied with;

(ii) the conveyance is made by trustees for sale and the equitable interest or power is at the date of the conveyance capable of being overreached by such trustees under the provisions of subsection (2) of this section or independently of that subsection, and the statutory requirements respecting the payment of capital money arising under a disposition upon trust for sale are complied with;

(iii) the conveyance is made by a mortgagee or personal representative in the exercise of his paramount powers and the equitable interest or, power is capable of being overreached by such conveyance, and any capital money arising from the transaction is paid to the mortgagee or personal representative;

(iv) the conveyance is made under an order of the court and the equitable interest or power is bound by such order and any capital money arising from the transaction is paid into or in accordance with the order of the court.

(2) Where the legal estate affected is not, when the equitable interest or power is created, subject to a trust for sale or a settlement, then, if the estate owner, whether before or after the commencement of this Act, disposes of his estate to trustees upon trust for sale, and at the date of a conveyance made, after such commencement, under the disposition upon trust for sale the trustees (whether original or substituted) are either—

(a) two or more individuals or the successors in office of two or more individuals approved or appointed by the court; or

(b) a trust corporation ;

such equitable interest or power shall, notwithstanding any stipulation to the contrary, be overreached by the conveyance, and shall, according to its priority, take effect as if created or arising by means of a primary trust affecting the proceeds of sale and the income of the land until sale.

(3) The following equitable interests and powers are excepted from the operation of subsection (2) of this section, namely—

(i) Any equitable interest protected by a deposit of documents relating to the legal estate affected;

(ii) The benefit of any covenant or agreement restrictive of the user of land;

(iii) Any easement, liberty, or privilege over or affecting land and being merely an equitable interest (in this Act referred to as an “equitable easement ”);

(iv) The benefit of any contract (in this Act referred to as an ' estate contract') to convey or create a legal estate, including a contract conferring either expressly or by statutory implication a valid option to purchase, a right of pre-emption, or any other like right;

(v) Any equitable interest protected by registration under the Land Charges Acts, other than—

(a) an annuity within the meaning of the Judgments Act, 1855;

(b) a limited owner's charge or a general equitable charge within the meaning of the Land Charges Acts.

(4) Subject to the protection afforded by this section to the purchaser of a legal estate, nothing contained in this section shall deprive a person entitled to an equitable charge of any of his rights or remedies for enforcing the charge.

(5) (5) So far as regards the following interests, created before the commencement of this Act (which accordingly are not within the provisions of the Land Charges Acts), namely—

(a) the benefit of any covenant or agreement restrictive of the user of the land;

(b) any equitable easement;

(c) the interest under a puisne mortgage within the meaning of the Land Charges Acts, unless and until acquired under a transfer made after the commencement of this Act;

(d) the benefit of an estate contract, unless and until the same is acquired under a conveyance made after the commencement of this Act;

a purchaser of a legal estate only takes subject thereto if he has notice thereof, and the same are not overreached under the provisions contained or in the manner referred to in this section.”

Creation and disposition of equitable interests.

2 The following provisions shall have effect in relation to the creation and acquisition of equitable interests and any existing enactments relating thereto shall have effect accordingly:—

“(1) Interests in land validly created or arising after the commencement of the principal Act, which are not capable of subsisting as legal estates, shall take effect as equitable interests, and, save as otherwise expressly provided by statute, interests in land which under the Statute of Uses or otherwise could before the said date have been created as legal interests, shall be. capable of being created as equitable interests :

Provided that after the said date (and save as otherwise expressly enacted in the principal Act), an equitable interest in land shall only be capable of being validly created in any case in which an equivalent equitable interest in property real or personal could have been validly created before the said date.

(2) All rights and interests in land may be disposed of, including—

(a) a contingent, executory or future equitable interest in any land, or a possibility coupled with an interest in any land, whether or not the object of the gift or limitation of such interest or possibility be ascertained;

(b) a right of entry, into or upon land whether immediate or future, and whether vested or contingent.

(3) All rights of entry affecting a legal estate which are exercisable on condition broken or for any other reason may after the said date be made exercisable by any person and the persons deriving title under him, but in regard to an estate in fee simple (not being a rentcharge held for a legal estate) only within the period authorised by the rule relating to perpetuities.”

Satisfied terms.

3 The Satisfied Terms Act, 1845, as amended by the principal Act, is hereby repealed, and the following provisions shall have effect in lieu thereof :—

“(1) Where the purposes of a term of years created or limited at any time out of freehold land become satisfied either before or after the commencement of this Act (whether or not that term either by express declaration or by construction of law becomes attendant upon the freehold reversion) it shall merge in the reversion expectant thereon and shall cease accordingly.

(2) Where the purposes of a term of years created or limited, at any time, out of leasehold land, become satisfied after the commencement of this Act, that term shall merge in the reversion expectant thereon and shall cease accordingly.

(3) Where the purposes are satisfied only as respects part of the land comprised in a term, this section shall have effect as if a separate term had been created in regard to that part of the land.”

Saving of lessor's and lessee's covenants.

4 The following subsection shall be substituted for subsection (4) of section twenty-eight of the principal Act:—

“(4) Nothing in this Part of this Act shall affect prejudicially the right to enforce any lessor's or lessee's covenants, agreements or conditions (including a valid option to purchase or right of pre-emption over the reversion) contained in any such instrument as is in this section mentioned, the benefit of burden of which runs with the reversion or the term.

This subsection shall apply where the covenant, agreement or condition is contained in any instrument:—

(a) creating a term of years absolute; or

(b) varying the rights of the lessor or lessee under the instrument creating the term.”

Saving of certain legal estates and powers.

5 The following section shall be substituted for section twenty-nine of the principal Act:—

“29 (1) A fee simple which, by virtue of the Lands Clauses Acts, the School Sites Acts, or any similar statute, is liable to be divested, is for the purposes of this Act a fee simple absolute, and remains liable to be divested as if this Act had not been passed.

(2) A fee simple vested in a corporation which is liable to determine by reason of the dissolution of the corporation is, for the purposes of this Act, a fee simple absolute.

(3) The provisions of—

(a) the Forfeiture Act, 1870, in regard to the land of a convict;

(b) the Friendly Societies Act, 1896, in regard to land to which that Act applies;

(c) any other statutes conferring special facilities or prescribing special modes, whether by way of registered memorial or otherwise, for disposing of or acquiring land, or providing for the vesting, by conveyance or otherwise, of the land in trustees or any person or the holder for the time being of an office or any corporation sole or aggregate (including the Crown);

shall remain in full force.

Nothing in this subsection shall be deemed to authorise an entailed interest to take effect otherwise than as an equitable interest.

(4) Where any such power for disposing of or creating a legal estate is exercisable by a person who is not the estate owner, the power shall, when practicable, be exercised in the name and on behalf of the estate owner.”

Registration in Middlesex and Yorkshire.

6 The following section shall be substituted for section six of the principal Act:—

“6 (1) It shall not be necessary to register a memorial of any instrument made after the commencement of this Act in any local deeds registry unless the instrument operates to transfer or create a legal estate, or to create a charge thereon by way of legal mortgage; nor shall the registration of a memorial of any instrument not required to be registered affect any priority.

(2) Probates and letters of administration shall be treated as instruments capable of transferring a legal estate to personal representatives.

(3) Memorials of all instruments capable of transferring or creating a legal estate or charge by way of legal , mortgage, may, when so operating, be registered.”

Possession of documents.

7 Section thirty-two of the principal Act shall apply only to documents relating to a legal estate in land.

Conveyances to infants.

8 The provisions of the Sixth Schedule to the principal Act relating to conveyances of legal estates to infants shall have effect as follows:—

“(1) A conveyance of a legal estate in land to an infant alone or to two or more persons jointly, both or all of whom are infants, shall have such operation as is provided for in the Settled Land Acts.

(2) A conveyance of a legal estate in land to an infant, jointly with one or more other persons of full age shall operate to vest the legal estate in the other person or persons on the statutory trusts but not so as to sever any joint tenancy in the net proceeds of sale or in the rents and profits until sale, or affect the right of a tenant for life or statutory owner to require settled land to be vested in him.

(3) The foregoing provisions of this section do not apply to conveyances on trust or by way of mortgage.

(4) A conveyance of a legal estate to an infant alone or to two or more persons jointly, both or all of whom are infants, on any trusts, shall operate as a declaration of trust and shall not be effectual to pass any legal estate.

(5) A conveyance of a legal estate in land to an infant jointly with one or more other persons of full age on any trusts shall operate as if the infant had not been named therein, but without prejudice to any beneficial interest in the land intended to be thereby provided for the infant.

(6) A grant or transfer of a legal mortgage of land to an infant shall operate only as an agreement for valuable consideration to execute a proper conveyance when the infant attains full age, and in the meantime to hold any beneficial interest in the mortgage debt in trust for the persons for whose benefit the conveyance was intended to be made:

Provided that, if the conveyance is made to the infant and another person or other persons of full age, it shall operate as if the infant had not been named therein, but without prejudice to any beneficial interest in the mortgage debt intended to be thereby provided for the infant.”

Powers of management.

9 Land acquired under sub-paragraph (1) of paragraph 4 of the Fourth Schedule to the principal Act shall be conveyed to the trustees on trust for sale.

Joint tenancies.

10 The provisions of the Third Schedule to the principal Act relating to joint tenancies shall have effect as follows :—

“(1) Where a legal estate (not being settled land) is beneficially limited to or held in trust for any persons as joint tenants, it shall be held on trust for sale, in like manner as if the persons beneficially entitled were tenants in common, but not so as to sever their joint tenancy in equity.

(2) No severance of a joint tenancy of a legal estate, so as to create a tenancy in common in land, shall be permissible, whether by operation of law or otherwise; but this subsection does not affect the right of a joint tenant to release his interest to the other joint tenants, or the right to sever a joint tenancy in an equitable interest (whether or not the legal estate is vested in the joint tenants):

Provided that where a legal estate (not being settled land) is vested in joint tenants beneficially, and any tenant desires to sever the joint tenancy in equity, he shall give to the other joint tenants a notice in writing of such desire or do such other acts or things as would, in the case of personal estate, have been effectual to sever the tenancy in equity, and thereupon, under the trust for sale affecting the land, the net proceeds of sale, and the net rents and profits until sale, shall be held upon the trusts which would have been requisite for giving effect to the beneficial interests if there had been an actual severance.

(3) Without prejudice to the right of a joint tenant to release his interest to the other joint tenants no severance of a mortgage term or trust estate, so as to create a tenancy in common, shall be permissible.”

Application of insurance money.

11 The following section shall be substituted for section one hundred and five of the principal Act:—

“105 (1) Where after the date of any contract for sale or exchange of property, money becomes payable under any policy of insurance maintained by the vendor in respect of any damage to or destruction of property included in the contract, the money shall, on completion of the contract, be held or receivable by the vendor on behalf of the purchaser and paid by the vendor to the purchaser on completion of the sale or exchange, or so soon thereafter as the same shall be received by the vendor.

(2) This section applies only to contracts made after the commencement of this Act, and has effect subject to—

(a) any stipulation to the contrary contained in the contract;

(b) any requisite consents of the insurers ;

(c) the payment by the purchaser of the proportionate part of the premium from the date of the contract.

(3) This section applies to a sale or exchange by an order of the court, as if—

(a) for references to the ' vendor ' there were substituted references to the ' person bound by the order';

(b) for the reference to the completion of the contract there were substituted a reference to the payment of the purchase or equality money (if any) into court;

(c) for the reference to the date of the contract there were substituted a reference to the time when the contract becomes binding.”

Discharge of incumbrances.

12 Section five of the Conveyancing Act, 1881, shall apply to sales and exchanges made at any time and to incumbrances whether created by statute or otherwise.

Lands lie in grant.

13 Section two of the Real Property Act, 1845, and section forty-nine of the Conveyancing Act, 1881, are hereby repealed, and the following provisions shall have effect in lieu thereof:

“(1) All lands and all interests therein lie in grant and are incapable of being conveyed by livery or livery and seisin, or by feoffment, or by bargain and sale; and a conveyance of an interest in land may operate to pass the possession or right to possession thereof, without actual entry, but subject to all prior rights thereto.

(2) The use of the word “grant” is not necessary to convey land or to create any interest therein.”

Conveyances to be by deed.

14 (1) All conveyances of land or of any interest therein are void for the purpose of conveying or creating a legal estate unless made by deed.

(2) This section shall not apply to—

(a) Assents by a personal representative;

(b) Disclaimers made in accordance with section fifty-four of the Bankruptcy Act, 1914, or not required to be evidenced in writing;

(c) Surrenders by operation of law, including surrenders which may, by law, be effected without writing;

(d) Leases or tenancies or other assurances not required by law to be made in writing;

(e) Receipts not required by law to be under seal;

(f) Vesting orders of the court or other competent authority;

(g) Conveyances taking effect by operation of law.

(3) The foregoing provisions of this paragraph shall have effect in substitution for section three of the Real Property Act, 1845.

Amendment of ss. 1-3 and 7-9 of Statute of Frauds.

15 Sections one to three and seven to nine of the Statute of Frauds shall take effect as if inserted in the principal Act and be read as follows :—

“(1) Subject to the provisions hereinafter contained with respect to the creation of interests in land by parol—

(a) no interest in land can be created or disposed of except by writing signed by the person creating or conveying the same, or by his agent thereunto lawfully authorised in writing, or by will, or by operation of law;

(b) a declaration of trust respecting any land or any interest therein must be manifested and proved by some writing signed by some person who is able to declare such trust or by his will;

(c) a disposition of an equitable interest or trust subsisting at the time of the disposition, must be in writing signed by the person disposing of the same or by his agent thereunto lawfully authorised in writing or by will.

(2) This section does not affect the creation or operation of resulting, implied or constructive trusts.

(3) All interests in land created by parol and not put in writing and signed by the persons so creating the interest, or by their agents thereunto lawfully authorised in writing, have, notwithstanding any consideration having been given for the same, the force and effect of interests at will only.

(4) Nothing in the foregoing provisions shall affect the creation by parol of leases taking effect in possession for a term not exceeding three years, whether or not the lessee is given power to extend the term, at the best rent which can be reasonably obtained without taking a fine.

(5) Nothing in the foregoing provisions shall—

(a) invalidate dispositions by will; or

(b) affect any interest validly created before the commencement of this Act; or

(c) affect the right to acquire an interest in land by virtue of taking possession; or

(d) affect the operation of the law relating to part performance.”

Voluntary conveyance.

16 The following provision shall be inserted at the end of section seventy-two of the principal Act:—

“In a voluntary conveyance a resulting trust for the grantor shall not be implied merely by reason that the property is not expressed to be conveyed for the use or benefit of the grantee.”

General words.

17 In subsection (3) of section six of the Conveyancing Act, 1881, after the words “heriots fines ” there shall be inserted the words " or the right to compensation on the extinguishment of any subsisting quit rents, reliefs, heriots, fines and other manorial incidents. "

Confirmation of past transactions.

18 The power to confirm past transactions, conferred by section twenty-five of the principal Act, when exercised by any person other than an absolute owner, shall be exercisable only with the leave of the court.

Restrictive covenants.

19 (1) In subsection (4) of section ninety of the principal Act, for “Authority ” where that word first occurs there shall be substituted the words " Reference Committee mentioned in this section. "

(2) The words

“nor to restrictions created or imposed—

(a) for Naval, Military or Air Force purposes,

(b) for civil aviation purposes under the powers of the Air Navigation Act, 1920,”

shall be inserted at the end of subsection (10) of the said section ninety.

Realisation of mortgages.

20 (1) It is hereby declared that sub-paragraph (4) of paragraph 5, and sub-paragraph (4) of paragraph 6 of the Second Schedule to the principal Act have effect for the purpose of enabling the sub-mortgagee to convey the fee simple or the leasehold reversion, as the case may be, or to acquire it by foreclosure, enlargement, vesting or otherwise.

(2) After the words “if any ” in sub-paragraph (5) of paragraph 5 of the said Schedule, the words “not being merely equitable charges ” shall be inserted.

Realisation of equitable charges by the court.

21 The following paragraph shall be substituted for paragraph 7 of the Second Schedule to the principal Act:—

“7 (1) Where an order for sale is made by the court in relation to an equitable mortgage on land (not secured by a legal term of years absolute or by a charge by way of legal mortgage) the court may, in favour of a purchaser make a vesting order conveying the land or may appoint a person to convey the land or create and vest in the mortgagee a legal term of years absolute to enable him to carry out the sale, as the case may require, in like manner as if the mortgage had been created by deed by way of legal mortgage pursuant to this Act, but without prejudice to any incumbrance having priority to the equitable mortgage unless the incumbrancer consents to the sale.

(2) This paragraph shall apply to equitable mortgages made or arising before or after the commencement of this Act, but not to a mortgage which has been overreached under powers conferred by this Act or otherwise.”

Tacking and further advances.

22 The following sub-paragraphs shall be substituted for sub-paragraphs (2) to (5) of paragraph 8 of the Second Schedule to the principal Act:—

“(2) After the commencement of this Act, a prior mortgagee shall have a right to make further advances to rank in priority to subsequent mortgages (whether legal or equitable)—

(a) if an arrangement has been made to that effect with the subsequent mortgagees ; or

(b) if he had no notice of the subsequent mortgages at the time when the further advance was made by him; or

(c) if the mortgage imposes an obligation on the prior mortgagee to make such further advances whether or not he had such notice as aforesaid.

This sub-paragraph applies whether or not the prior mortgage was made expressly for securing further advances.

(3) In relation to the making of further advances after the commencement of this Act a mortgagee shall not be deemed to have notice of a mortgage merely by reason that it was registered as a land charge or in a local deeds registry, if it was not so registered at the date of the original advance or when the last search (if any) by or on behalf of the mortgagee was made, whichever last happened.

This sub-paragraph applies only where the prior mortgage was made expressly for securing a current account or other further advances.

(4) Save in regard to the making of further advances as aforesaid the right to tack is hereby abolished:

Provided that nothing in this Act shall affect any priority acquired before the commencement of this Act by tacking, or in respect of further advances made without notice of a subsequent incumbrance or by arrangement with the subsequent incumbrancer.

(5) This paragraph applies to mortgages of land made before or after the commencement of this Act, but not to charges registered under the Land Transfer Acts.”

Actions for possession.

23 Subsection (5) of section twenty-five of the Supreme Court of Judicature Act, 1873, does not prejudice the power of a mortgagor, independently of that subsection, to take proceedings in his own name only, either in right of any legal estate vested in him or otherwise.

Notice of trusts affecting mortgage debts.

24 The following section shall be substituted for section eighty-five of the principal Act:—

“85 (1) A person dealing in good faith with a mortgagee, or with the mortgagor if the mortgage has been wholly or partially discharged, released or postponed, shall not be concerned with any trust at any time affecting the mortgage money or the income thereof, whether or not he has notice of the trust, and may assume, unless the contrary is expressly stated in the instruments relating to the mortgage—

(a) that the mortgagees, if more than one, are or were entitled to the mortgage money on a joint account; and

(b) that the mortgagee has or had power to give valid receipts for the purchase money or mortgage money and the income thereof (including any arrears of interest) and to release or postpone the priority of the mortgage debt or any part thereof or to deal with the same or the mortgaged property or any part thereof;

without investigating the equitable title to the mortgage debt or the appointment or discharge of trustees in reference thereto.

(2) This section shall apply to mortgages made before or after the commencement of this Act, but only as respects dealings effected after that date.

(3) This section shall not affect the liability of any person in whom the mortgage debt is vested for the purposes of any trust to give effect to that trust.”

Forms of statutory mortgages.

25 In subsection (2) of section twenty-six of the Conveyancing Act, 1881, after the words “pay to the mortgagee ” where those words secondly occur, the words “as well after as before any judgment is obtained under the mortgage ” shall be inserted.

Attornments.

26 The following provisions shall have effect in relation to attornments, and any existing enactments relating thereto shall have effect accordingly :—

“(1) Where land is subject to a lease—

(a) the conveyance of a reversion in the land expectant on the determination of the lease; or " (b) the creation or conveyance of a rentcharge to issue or issuing out of the land ;

shall be valid without any attornment of the lessee:

Provided that nothing in this subsection—

(i) shall affect the validity of any payment of rent by the lessee to the person making the conveyance or grant before notice of the conveyance or grant is given to him by the person entitled thereunder; or

(ii) shall render the lessee liable for any breach of covenant to pay rent on account of his failure to pay rent to the person entitled under the conveyance or grant before such notice is given to the lessee.

(2) An attornment by the lessee in respect of any land to a person claiming to be entitled to the interest in the land of the lessor, if made without the consent of the lessor, shall be void.

This subsection shall not apply to an attornment—

(a) made pursuant to a judgment of a court of competent jurisdiction; or

(b) to a mortgagee, by a lessee holding under a lease from the mortgagor where the right of redemption is barred; or

(c) to any other person rightfully deriving title under the mortgagor.”

Enlargement of long terms.

27 The following paragraph shall be substituted for paragraph (i) of subsection (2) of section sixty-five of the Conveyancing Act, 1881 :—

“(i) Any person beneficially entitled in right of the term, whether subject to any incumbrance or not, to possession of any land comprised in the term, and in the case of a married woman without the concurrence of her husband, whether or not she is entitled for her separate use or as her separate property, or is subject to a restraint on anticipation.”

Accumulations.

28 (1) Nothing in the Accumulations Act, 1800, shall prevent accumulations being made for raising portions for any child, or remoter issue of any grantor, settlor or testator, or for any child or remoter issue of a person taking any interest under any settlement or other disposition directing the accumulations, or to whom any interest is thereby limited.

(2) Section one of the Accumulations Act, 1892, shall not apply to accumulations to be held as capital money for the purposes of the Settled Land Acts, whether or not the accumulations are primarily liable to be laid out in the purchase of land.

Disclaimer.

29 It shall not be necessary for a husband to be a party to any disclaimer by his wife under section seven of the Real Property Act, 1845, where—

(a) the wife, if there were no disclaimer, would have been entitled to the property for her separate use or as her separate property; or.

(b) the property consists of a trust estate.

Settlements on behalf of lunatics.

30 For the purposes of paragraph 8 of the Sixth Schedule to the principal Act “the court ” means the Judge in Lunacy, except that in such cases, as may be prescribed by rules of court it shall mean the High Court; and rules in lunacy or, as respects cases within the jurisdiction of the High Court, rules of court, may be made for giving effect to the provisions of that paragraph.

Voluntary conveyances to defend creditors.

31 The following provisions shall be substituted for the statute 13 Elizabeth c. 5 :—

“(1) Save as hereinafter provided, every conveyance of property made whether before or after the commencement of this Act, with intent to defraud creditors, is voidable, at the instance of any person thereby prejudiced. "

(2) This provision does not—

(a) affect the operation of a disentailing assurance, or the law of bankruptcy for the time being in force; or

(b) extend to any estate or interest in property conveyed for valuable consideration and in good faith, or upon good consideration and in good faith, to any person not having, at the time of the conveyance, notice of the intent to defraud creditors.”

Voluntary dispositions as respects purchasers.

32 The following provisions shall be substituted for the statute 27 Elizabeth c.4 as amended:—

“(1) Every voluntary disposition of land made with intent to defraud a subsequent purchaser is voidable at the instance of that purchaser.

(2) For the purposes of this provision no voluntary disposition, whenever made, shall be deemed to have been made with intent to defraud by reason only that a subsequent conveyance for valuable consideration was made, if such subsequent conveyance was made after the twenty-eighth day of June, eighteen hundred and ninety-three.”

Acquisitions of reversions.

33 The following provisions shall be substituted for the Sales of Reversions Act, 1867 :—

“(1) No acquisition made in good faith, without fraud or unfair dealing, of any reversionary interest in real or personal property, for money or money's worth, shall be liable to be opened or set aside merely on the ground of under value.

In this subsection ' reversionary interest' includes an expectancy or possibility.

(2) This provision shall not affect the jurisdiction of the court to set aside or modify unconscionable bargains.”

Corporations sole.

34 In subsection (7) of section seventy-three of the principal Act the expression “corporation sole ” includes the Crown.

Protection of solicitors and trustees &c

35 The provisions of section sixty-six of the Conveyancing Act, 1881, shall apply to matters enacted in the principal Act which are similar to those referred to in that section.

Registration of memorials.

36 The following provisions shall have effect in lieu of the provisions in section six of the principal Act as to notice and of sub-paragraph (4) of paragraph 8 of the Second Schedule to that Act:—

“(1) The registration in a local deeds registry of a memorial of any instrument transferring or creating a legal estate or charge by way of legal mortgage, shall be deemed to constitute actual notice of the transfer or creation of the legal estate or charge by way of legal mortgage, to all persons and for all purposes whatsoever, as from the date of registration or other prescribed date, and so long as the registration continues in force.

(2) The registration of a memorial of an instrument not required to be registered shall not operate so as to give notice of such instrument or of the contents thereof.

(3) This section operates without prejudice to the provisions of this Act respecting the making of further advances by a mortgagee, and shall apply only to land within the jurisdiction of the registry.”

Registration under Land Charges Acts.

37 The following sub-paragraph shall be inserted at the end of paragraph 1 of the Seventh Schedule to the principal Act:—.

“(8) The registration under the Land Charges Acts, of any instrument or matter in any register kept at the land registry or elsewhere, shall be deemed to constitute actual notice of such instrument or matter, and of the fact of the registration, to all persons and for all purposes connected with the land affected, as from the date of registration or other prescribed date and so long as the registration continues in force.

Nothing in this paragraph shall affect the provisions of this Act respecting the making of further advances by a mortgagee, and this paragraph shall apply only to instruments and matters required or authorised to be registered under the Land Charges Acts.”

TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS

Outstanding legal estates.

38 The following provisions shall be substituted for the provisions of Part I. of the First Schedule to the principal Act :—

“(1) Where the purposes of a term of years, created or limited out of leasehold land, are satisfied at the commencement of this Act, that term shall merge in the reversion expectant thereon and shall cease accordingly; but where the term was vested in the owner of the reversion, then without prejudice to any protection which would have been afforded to the owner for the time being of that reversion had the term remained subsisting. Where the purposes are satisfied only as respects part of the land comprised in a term, this provision has effect as if a separate term had been created in regard to that part of the land.

(2) Where immediately after the commencement of this Act any owner of a legal estate is entitled, subject or not to the payment of the costs of tracing the title and of conveyance, to require any other legal estate in the same land to be surrendered, released or conveyed to him so as to merge or be extinguished, the last-mentioned estate shall by virtue of this Part of this Schedule be extinguished, but without prejudice to any protection which would have been afforded to him had that estate remained subsisting.

(3) Where immediately after the commencement of this Act any person is entitled, subject or not to the payment of the cost of tracing the title and of conveyance, to require any legal estate (not vested in trustees for sale) to be conveyed to or otherwise vested in him, such legal estate shall, by virtue of this Part of this Schedule, vest in manner hereinafter provided.

This paragraph shall, without prejudice to any claim in respect of fines, fees, and other customary payments, apply to a person who, under a surrender or any disposition having the effect of a surrender, or under a covenant to surrender or otherwise, was, immediately before the commencement of this Act, entitled to require a legal customary estate of inheritance to be vested in him, or who, immediately after such commencement becomes entitled to enfranchised land.

(4) Any person who, immediately after the commencement of this Act, is entitled to an equitable interest capable of subsisting as a legal estate which has priority over any legal estate in the same land, shall be deemed to be entitled for the foregoing purposes to require a legal estate to be vested in him for an interest of a like nature not exceeding in extent or duration the equitable interest:

Provided that this paragraph shall not—

(a) apply where the equitable interest is capable of being over-reached by virtue of a subsisting trust for sale or a settlement;

(b) operate to prevent such person from acquiring any other legal estate under this Part of this Schedule to which he may be entitled.

(5) For the purposes of this Part of this Schedule a tenant for life, statutory owner or personal representative, shall be deemed to be entitled to require to be vested in him any legal estate in settled land (whether or not vested in the Crown) which he is, by the Settled Land Acts, given power to convey.

(6) Under the provisions of this Part of this Schedule the legal estate affected (namely, any estate which a person is entitled to require to be vested in him as aforesaid) shall vest as follows :—

(a) Where at the commencement of this Act land is subject to a mortgage (not being an equitable charge unsecured by any estate), the legal estate affected shall vest in accordance with the provisions relating to mortgages contained in this Act;

(b) Where the land is at the commencement or by virtue of this Act or any Act coming into operation at the same time subject or is by virtue of any statute made subject to a trust for sale, the legal estate affected shall vest in the trustees for sale (including personal representatives holding land on trust for sale) but subject to any mortgage term subsisting or created by this Act;

(c) Where at the commencement of this Act or by virtue of any statute coming into operation at the same time the land is settled land, the legal estate affected shall vest in the tenant for life or statutory owner entitled under the Settled Land Acts, to require a vesting deed to be executed in his favour or in the personal representative (if any) in whom the land may be vested or the Public Trustee, as the case may require, but subject to any mortgage term subsisting or created by this Act;

(d) In any case to which the foregoing sub-paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) do not apply the legal estate affected shall vest in the person of full age who, immediately after the commencement of this Act, is entitled (subject or not to the payment of costs and any customary payments) to require the legal estate to be vested in him, but subject to any mortgage term subsisting or created by this Act.

(7) Nothing in this Part of this Schedule shall operate—

(a) To vest in a mortgagee of a term of years absolute any nominal leasehold reversion, which is held in trust for him subject to redemption; or

(b) To vest in a mortgagee any legal estate except a term of years absolute; or

(c) To vest in a person entitled to a leasehold interest, as respects such interest, any legal estate except a term of years absolute; or

(d) To vest in a person entitled to a rentcharge (either perpetual or held for a term of years absolute) as respects such rentcharge any legal estate except a legal estate in the rentcharge; or

(e) To vest in a person entitled to an easement, right or privilege with reference thereto, any legal estate except a legal estate in the easement, right or privilege; or

(f) To vest any legal estate in a person for an undivided share; or

(g) To vest any legal estate in an infant; or

(h) To affect prejudicially the priority of any mortgage or other incumbrance or interest subsisting at the commencement of this Act; or

(i) To render invalid any limitation or trust which would have been capable of taking effect as an equitable limitation or trust; or

(j) To vest in a purchaser or his personal representatives any legal estate which he has contracted to acquire and in regard to which a contract (including an agreement to create a legal mortgage) is pending at the commencement of this Act, although the consideration may have been paid or satisfied and the title accepted, or to render unnecessary the conveyance of such estate.

(k) To vest in the managing trustees or committee of management of a charity any legal estate vested in the Official Trustee of Charity Lands.

(8) Any legal estate acquired by virtue of this Part of this Schedule shall be held upon the trusts and subject to the powers, provisions, rents, covenants, conditions, rights of redemption (as respects terms of years absolute) and other rights, burdens and obligations (if any) upon or subject to which the estate acquired ought to be held.

(9) No stamp duty shall become payable by reason only of any vesting, surrender or release effected by this Act.”

Legal estates of infants.

39 The following provisions shall be substituted for paragraph 2 of the Sixth Schedule to the principal Act :—

“(1) Where immediately before the commencement of this Act a legal estate in land is vested in one or more infants beneficially, or where immediately after the commencement of this Act a legal estate in land would by virtue of this Act have become vested in one or more infants beneficially if he or they had been of full age, the legal estate shall vest in the manner provided by the Settled Land Acts.

(2) Where immediately before the commencement of this Act a legal estate in land is vested in an infant jointly with one or more other persons of full age beneficially, the legal estate shall by virtue of this Act vest in that other person or those other persons on the statutory trusts, but not so as to sever any joint tenancy in the net proceeds of sale or in the rents and profits until sale:

Provided that if by virtue of this sub-paragraph the legal estate shall become vested in one person as trustee then if no other person is able and willing to do so the parents or parent or testamentary or other guardian of the infant, if respectively able and willing to act (in the order named), may and at the request of any person interested shall (subject to the costs being provided for) by writing appoint an additional trustee and thereupon by virtue of this Act the legal estate shall vest in the additional trustee and existing trustee as joint tenants.

(3) Where, immediately before the commencement of this Act, a legal estate in land is vested solely in an infant as a personal representative, or a trustee of a settlement, or on trust for sale or on any other trust, or by way of mortgage, or where immediately after the commencement of this Act a legal estate in land would by virtue of any provision of this Act or otherwise have been so vested if the infant were of full age, the legal estate and the mortgage debt (if any) and interest thereon shall, by virtue of this Act, vest in the Public Trustee, pending the appointment of trustees as hereinafter provided—

(a) as to the land, upon the trusts, and subject to the equities affecting the same (but in the case of a mortgage estate for a term of years absolute in accordance with this Act); and

(b) as to the mortgage debt and interest, upon such trusts as may be requisite for giving effect to the rights (if any) of the infant or other persons beneficially interested therein:

Provided that—

(i) The Public Trustee shall not be entitled to act in the trust, or charge any fee, or be liable in any manner unless and until requested in writing to act by or on behalf of the persons interested in the land or the income thereof, or in the mortgage debt or interest thereon (as the case may be), which request may be made on behalf of the infant by his parents or parent or testamentary or other guardian (in the order named), and those persons may, in the order aforesaid (if no other person is able and willing to do so) appoint new trustees in the place of the Public Trustee and thereupon by virtue of this Act the land or term and mortgage money shall vest in the trustees so appointed upon the trusts and subject to the equities aforesaid : Provided that the Public Trustee may, before he accepts the trust, but subject to the payment of his costs, convey to a person of full age who becomes entitled :

(ii) After the Public Trustee has been so requested to act and has accepted the trust, no trustee shall (except by an order of the court) be appointed in his place without his consent:

(iii) Any person interested in the land or the income thereof, or in the mortgage debt or in the interest thereon (as the case may be), may, at any time during the minority, apply to the court for the appointment of trustees of the trust, and the court may make such order as it thinks fit, and if thereby new trustees are appointed the legal estate (but in the case of a mortgage estate only for a term of years absolute as aforesaid) and the mortgage debt (if any) and interest shall, by virtue of this Act, vest in the trustees as joint tenants upon the trusts and subject to the equities aforesaid :

(iv) Neither a purchaser of the land nor a transferee for money or money's worth of the mortgage shall be concerned in any way with the trusts affecting the legal estate or the mortgage debt and interest thereon :

(v) The vesting in the Public Trustee of a legar estate or a mortgage debt by virtue of this Part of this Schedule shall not affect any directions previously given as to the payment of income or of interest on any mortgage money, but such instructions may, until he accepts the trust, continue to be acted on as if no such vesting had been effected.

(4) Where, immediately before the commencement of this Act, a legal estate in land is vested in two or more persons jointly as personal representatives, trustees, or mortgagees, and anyone of them is an infant, or where immediately after the commencement of this Act a legal estate in land would, by virtue of this Act, or otherwise have been so vested if the infant were of full age, the legal estate in the land with the mortgage debt (if any) and the interest thereon shall, by virtue of this Act, vest in the other person or persons of full age—

(a) as to the legal estate, upon the trusts and subject to the equities affecting the same (but in the case of a mortgage estate only for a term of years absolute as aforesaid), and

(b) as to the mortgage debt and interest, upon such trusts as may be requisite for giving effect to the rights (if any) of the infant or other persons beneficially interested therein;

but neither a purchaser of the land nor a transferee for money or money's worth of the mortgage shall be concerned in any way with the trusts affecting the legal estate or the mortgage debt and interest thereon :

Provided that if, by virtue of this sub-paragraph, the legal estate and mortgage debt (if any) become vested in a sole trustee, then, if no other person is able and willing to do so, the parents or parent, testamentary or other guardian of the infant (in the order named) may, and at the request of any person interested shall (subject to the costs being provided for) by writing appoint a new trustee in place of the infant, and thereupon by virtue of this Act the legal estate and mortgage money shall vest in the new and continuing trustees upon the trusts and subject to the equities aforesaid.

(5) The foregoing provisions shall not affect the estate or powers of an administrator durante minore aetate, nor, where there is a tenant for life of full age or a statutory owner of settled land, operate to vest the legal estate therein in the Public Trustee.”

Undivided shares.

40 (1) The vesting in the Public Trustee of a legal estate by virtue of the Third Schedule to the principal Act shall not affect any directions previously given as to the payment of income or of interest on any mortgage money, but such instructions may, until he accepts the trust, continue to be acted on as if no such vesting had been effected.

(2) The provisions of the principal Act respecting undivided shares and joint ownership shall bind the Crown.

Tenancies by entireties.

41 Sub-paragraph (4) of paragraph 3 of the Third Schedule to the principal Act shall have effect without prejudice to any beneficial interest.

Freehold and leasehold mortgages.

42 Paragraphs 1 and 2 of the Second Schedule to the principal Act shall not affect priorities.

FORMS

Conveyance on sale by mortgagees.

43 The Ninth Schedule to the principal Act shall have effect as if the following form were included therein :—

“CONVEYANCE ON SALE BY MORTGAGEES.

”