Paper 1 · Lesson 2 — Land, Title Types, Capacity, Powers of Attorney and Fixtures
Title types and subdivision
Forms of title (Certificate of Title, Subsidiary Strata CT, HDB lease / subsidiary CT), proprietor vs subsidiary proprietor, strata subdivision, land subdivision & amalgamation, sale-vs-rent of units, tenure of an amalgamated State-land remnant.
2 questionsAnswers & explanations includedFree — no sign-up
Question 1
An owner subdivides a single plot of land he holds into four smaller plots, so that four terrace houses can be built on them and sold to four separate buyers. He has heard various things about what title the new plots will carry once the subdivision is registered — some say a strata title because there will be several houses, others a single shared title. He wants to know, before he markets them, exactly what each of the four buyers will end up holding over the house he purchases.
Which statement is correct?
A. Each will hold a fresh certificate of title over its own land.
B. Each will hold a subsidiary strata certificate of title over its house.
C. The four will share a single certificate of title over the original plot.
D. Each will hold a lease title, the original plot reverting to the State.
Show the answer and full explanation
Answer: A
The rule. When land is subdivided, a fresh certificate of title is issued for each new land lot. Subdivision of landed plots produces certificates of title, not strata titles.
Why A is correct. Each of the four houses takes its own fresh certificate of title.
The other options.
B issues strata titles, which belong to subdivided buildings, not subdivided land.
C keeps one shared title.
D reverts the land to the State.
Exam note. Subdividing *land* gives certificates of title; subdividing a *building* into units gives strata titles. Do not cross the two.
An owner holds a certificate of title over a landed house that has its own boundaries and shares no land or common area with any neighbour. He has noticed that one document in his file describes him as a "proprietor" while another describes him as a "subsidiary proprietor", and he cannot tell which of the two is the correct description of his position. He has asked his agent to explain the difference between the two terms and to say which one properly applies to an owner in his situation.
Which statement is correct?
A. He is a subsidiary proprietor, every titled owner holding a subsidiary interest.
B. He is both, the two words meaning the same thing for a landed owner.
C. He is a proprietor, the holder of a certificate of title being so described.
D. He is neither until the title is computerised, when the term is assigned.
Show the answer and full explanation
Answer: C
The rule. The holder of a certificate of title is a proprietor. A subsidiary proprietor is the holder of a strata title.
Why C is correct. He is a proprietor, holding a certificate of title over his landed house.
The other options.
A makes every owner a subsidiary proprietor.
B treats the two words as the same.
D ties the name to computerisation.
Exam note. Proprietor for a certificate of title; subsidiary proprietor for a strata title. The "subsidiary" belongs to the strata owner.
Single questions test whether you know a rule. The paper tests whether you can find it in a scenario, at speed, with three plausible alternatives in the way. Start with the free 20-question half-paper.