The degree is awarded on the basis of nine final examinations at the end of the three-year course (or four years in the case of Law with Law Studies in Europe) and (for students who began the course in October 2011 or later) an essay in Jurisprudence written over the summer vacation at the end of the second year. Note: the Jurisprudence exam at the end of the third year is correspondingly shorter. This phase of the Final Honour School includes the third term of the first year, and all three terms of the second year.

The focus of attention within the course is on interests in land: interests which do not merely operate not merely between the parties to a particular transaction involving the land, but can also affect third parties - other people coming into contact with it, such as later purchasers. Examples of such interests are the fee simple (virtually equivalent to ownership of the land), leases, easements and mortgages. The course concerns itself with questions such as: What interests count as interests in land? How are they created? Exactly when will they affect third parties?

Land Law has a well established set of principles, often regulated by statute, to govern it. In part this is because people dealing with land need to know with certainty what the result of a particular transaction will be. Even so, there are many areas of the subject which are currently being developed by case law.

The course is not about conveyancing, the buying and selling of land. It is true, however, that in Land Law we are conscious of the needs of purchasers. Thus, for example, the circumstances in which purchasers will be bound by interests are inextricably tied in with the way land is bought and sold.Land Law covers material in the “foundations of legal knowledge” and so must be taken by those seeking a professional qualification in England and Wales. Candidates in the FHS examination must offer both Land Law and Trusts.

The subject is taught in tutorials by your college tutor. For an introduction to the subject see Simon Gardner with Emily MacKenzie, An Introduction to Land Law (Hart Publishing, 3rd edn, 2012).

The degree is awarded on the basis of nine final examinations at the end of the three-year course (or four years in the case of Law with Law Studies in Europe) and (for students who began the course in October 2011 or later) an essay in Jurisprudence written over the summer vacation at the end of the second year. Note: the Jurisprudence exam at the end of the third year is correspondingly shorter. This phase of the Final Honour School includes the first and second term of the final year; the Final Examinations are taken in the third term of the final year.

A majority of commercial property (shops, offices, and industrial units) is rented property. Leasehold commercial property is therefore very important to the UK economy and to legal practice. This course will provide an understanding of the legal relationship of landlord and tenant in the context of the letting of commercial property. It will encourage students to think about the lease as a contractual arrangement, a proprietary estate and as a regulated instrument, and what the appropriate way is to regulate the division of interest between landlord and tenant. It should appeal to students who have enjoyed contract law, but also builds on aspects of the land law course.

For tenants, flexibility is important. If the business is successful, and its location important, it will want to stay put, even after the lease ends. If the business grows or shrinks it may need to be able to get out of the lease, by selling it or surrendering it. For many landlords, the lease is an investment and they will focus on the lease as a tool for guaranteed, low risk, but rising income. Both parties will want a property that is well maintained, but who should pay for this? The course will look at how leases balance these interests through the contract, but also at when the government has stepped in to regulate.

There are three main stages in the leasehold relationship: entering into the lease, management issues, and ending the relationship. The major influence upon the legal relationship of landlord and tenant is the lease contract negotiated between the parties. The course will therefore look at how leases are distinguishable from other occupancy relationships, and the main terms that appear in leases. In doing so, it will consider the range of factors that influence the content of the lease, such as the type and location of property, the relative negotiating strength of the parties, and wider economic and social policies. The course will also explore how leases provide for management of the property during the lease: allocating responsibility and liability for repair, how the property can be used, reviewing the rent, and servicing the property. As estates, leases can be ‘sold’ or assigned: the course will look at the ability of landlords to control the disposition of leasehold interests, and the impact that this has upon the enforcement of the leasehold covenants between both the original landlord and tenant, and between the current landlord and tenant. It will also look at rights that the tenant has to renew the lease at the end of the term. Leases usually contain ‘forfeiture’ provisions, enabling the landlord to end the lease early in the event of tenant default and the course will look at how this right has been regulated by common law and statute.

Exploring the legal relationship will, therefore, involve looking at the application of principles of land law and contract law that law students will already have encountered (such as the distinction between leases and licences, and principles of contractual interpretation) as well as the law (both statutory and common law) specific to commercial leases.

A one-year sample of courses from our BA programmes, aimed only at students visiting from our partner universities.

The focus of attention within the course is on interests in land: interests which do not merely operate not merely between the parties to a particular transaction involving the land, but can also affect third parties - other people coming into contact with it, such as later purchasers. Examples of such interests are the fee simple (virtually equivalent to ownership of the land), leases, easements and mortgages. The course concerns itself with questions such as: What interests count as interests in land? How are they created? Exactly when will they affect third parties?

Land Law has a well established set of principles, often regulated by statute, to govern it. In part this is because people dealing with land need to know with certainty what the result of a particular transaction will be. Even so, there are many areas of the subject which are currently being developed by case law.

The course is not about conveyancing, the buying and selling of land. It is true, however, that in Land Law we are conscious of the needs of purchasers. Thus, for example, the circumstances in which purchasers will be bound by interests are inextricably tied in with the way land is bought and sold.Land Law covers material in the “foundations of legal knowledge” and so must be taken by those seeking a professional qualification in England and Wales. Candidates in the FHS examination must offer both Land Law and Trusts.

The subject is taught in tutorials by your college tutor. For an introduction to the subject see Simon Gardner with Emily MacKenzie, An Introduction to Land Law (Hart Publishing, 3rd edn, 2012).

Our taught postgraduate programme, designed to serve outstanding law students from civil law backgrounds.

The focus of attention within the course is on interests in land: interests which do not merely operate not merely between the parties to a particular transaction involving the land, but can also affect third parties - other people coming into contact with it, such as later purchasers. Examples of such interests are the fee simple (virtually equivalent to ownership of the land), leases, easements and mortgages. The course concerns itself with questions such as: What interests count as interests in land? How are they created? Exactly when will they affect third parties?

Land Law has a well established set of principles, often regulated by statute, to govern it. In part this is because people dealing with land need to know with certainty what the result of a particular transaction will be. Even so, there are many areas of the subject which are currently being developed by case law.

The course is not about conveyancing, the buying and selling of land. It is true, however, that in Land Law we are conscious of the needs of purchasers. Thus, for example, the circumstances in which purchasers will be bound by interests are inextricably tied in with the way land is bought and sold.Land Law covers material in the “foundations of legal knowledge” and so must be taken by those seeking a professional qualification in England and Wales. Candidates in the FHS examination must offer both Land Law and Trusts.

The subject is taught in tutorials by your college tutor. For an introduction to the subject see Simon Gardner with Emily MacKenzie, An Introduction to Land Law (Hart Publishing, 3rd edn, 2012).