The Structure of Property Law

Citation

Sims, S. (2009), "The Structure of Property Law", Journal of Property Investment & Finance, Vol. 27 No. 4, pp. 439-439. https://doi.org/10.1108/jpif.2009.27.4.439.1

I think the first thing to say about this book is that this is a new approach towards explaining property law. It is “different” from the usual text; refreshing and with a good use of examples to explain some difficult legal concepts throughout the text.

At first it seems overly complex with too many different referencing styles (number and letters). It also seems slightly unwieldy, as each section is so interlinked with another that the reader often reads a paragraph, then has to refer to another section or chapter to understand the concepts … which then leads on to another section. You often end up losing your place and it can seem more like a reference book or encyclopaedia.

Some of the explanations seem a little repetitive, with references made to previous chapters which are repeated again and again throughout the book. I found it particularly frustrating at first to refer back to a previous chapter to find a passage referred to in the text, only to find that that particular passage has been repeated on the next page.

For all the apparent disjointedness, it does in fact explain property law and all its complexity, in an understandable manner to a lay person or student. The structure of each chapter focuses on four elements associated with each legal principle presented; the content, acquisition, defence, and remedy questions. This was quite an unusual format and took some time to get used to.

I compared the book with other texts I had read on property law and focused on easements to make some comparison. I found that this text offered a clear explanation of the elements required to create an easement and what I particularly liked was the way the reader was also told the difference between easements and other legal rights. I enjoyed the link the author made with other legal concepts and found it gave the reader a clear and understandable explanation of some quite complex legal principles.

I found the combination of questions, examples and summaries quite complex. I was often flicking backwards and forwards between sections and did not find it particularly easy to refer back to examples quickly. The content is very informative, although at times it does seem overly complex. It is certainly not an easy book to pick your way through property law quickly so would not be a book I would recommend as a revision guide.

However, this is an ideal book for students studying for a degree in law. By contrast, I feel that students studying real estate management, where they need a knowledge of property law (contract, tort, land law and landlord and tenant law), may find this rather hard going. That said, if used in combination with a simplified text, for instance “Estate Management Law” it will provide a very solid understanding of some rather complex legal principles. I will be recommending some chapters to my students for additional reading.