Land And Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009

Words of limitation.

67.— (1) A conveyance of unregistered land with or without words of limitation, or any equivalent expression, passes the fee simple or the other entire estate or interest which the grantor had power to create or convey, unless a contrary intention appears in the conveyance.

[CA 1881, s. 51]

(2) A conveyance of unregistered land to a corporation sole by that person’s corporate designation without the word “successors” passes to the corporation the fee simple or the other entire estate or interest which the grantor had power to create or convey, unless a contrary intention appears in the conveyance.

(3) Where an interest in land is expressed to be given to—

(a) the heir or heirs, or

(b) any particular heir, or

(c) any class of heirs, or

(d) issue,

of any person in words which, under the rule known as the Rule in Shelley’s Case, would have operated to give that person a fee simple, those words operate as words of purchase and not of limitation and take effect in equity accordingly.

(4) Subject to section 68 , subsections (1) to (3) apply to conveyances executed before the commencement of this Chapter, but without prejudice to any act or thing done or any interest disposed of or acquired before that commencement in consequence of the failure to use words of limitation in such a conveyance or the application of the Rule in Shelley’s Case.