RES exam question on Land Law: Ms Chan is buying an old family terrace house that is still unregistered land under…
Ms Chan is buying an old family terrace house that is still unregistered land under the Registration of Deeds Act. Her other property, a condominium unit, is registered under the Land Titles Act 1993. Her lawyer explains how the two systems differ. Which of the following statements is/are correct? (i) Land still under the Registration of Deeds Act is administered by the Council for Estate Agencies. (ii) Registering a deed under the Registration of Deeds Act records the deed but does not guarantee the title. (iii) Under the Land Titles Act, the register is the title, and a registered proprietor's title is generally indefeasible.
- A(iii) only
- B(ii) and (iii) only
- C(i) and (iii) only
- D(i), (ii) and (iii)
Show answer & explanation
Answer
B. (ii) and (iii) only
Explanation
Answer: (ii) and (iii) only. Deeds registration records deeds without guaranteeing title, while under the Land Titles Act the register is the title; the Council for Estate Agencies has no registry role.(ii) True. The deeds register is a record of deeds and does not guarantee the title they evidence, so a buyer must still investigate the chain of deeds.(iii) True. A registered proprietor holds free of unregistered interests, subject to the exceptions in the Act.Rule: Deeds registration records documents, while title registration makes the register the title. The Singapore Land Authority is converting remaining deeds land to the Torrens system.Source: Land Titles Act 1993 s 46 (sso.agc.gov.sg, current version at 1 October 2026); Registration of Deeds Act
Why the other options are wrong
- (i) False. The Council for Estate Agencies regulates estate agents and salespersons and has no role in land registration. The Singapore Land Authority runs both registries.
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