Joint Ownership of Land
The chapter examines the law that manages joint ownership using the structure known as the ‘trust of land’. It begins by introducing the different circumstances in which joint ownership can arise (family, business, or succession), and the distinction between joint tenancy and tenancy in common, and how to tell them apart. It then looks at the ways in which a joint tenancy can be severed. The chapter explains the provisions of the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (TLATA) which governs the operation of the trust of land. Dispute resolution and bankruptcy are considered. The chapter concludes with a look at the conflict of static versus dynamic security in land law, and discusses the use of restrictions to protect unregistered ownership interests in land.