Adverse possession is the law's answer to a simple problem: land that lies idle while someone else openly occupies it. Over time, the law can recognise the occupier and strip the paper owner of title. As a solicitor you'll meet this in boundary disputes, problem properties, and title investigations — advising both squatters seeking to formalise their position and owners trying to protect their land before time runs against them.
This lesson builds your understanding step by step:
- The Concept and Core Elements — what adverse possession is and the four things a squatter must prove.
- Consent and the Limitation Clock — when time runs, when it stops, and what resets it.
- The Two Regimes — how registered and unregistered land are treated very differently.
- Tacking and Successors — when successive occupiers can add their periods together.
- Registered Land Procedure — the application process, counter-notices, and the three exceptions.
- Leasehold and Third Party Interests — how leases, mortgages, covenants and easements are affected.
- Criminal Squatting — when occupying a building becomes a criminal offence.
By the end you'll be able to work through any adverse possession problem with confidence.