Restrictive covenant
A restrictive covenant, is a restriction imposed by a seller of a piece of land that prevents the buyer from using it in a way that could cause harm to land the seller has retained.
Restrictive covenants might:
- Prevent buildings or structures being erected on the land.
- Prevent use of the land for business activity.
- Prevent residential development on the land.
For a restrictive covenant to be enforceable the land benefiting from the restriction must be identified, and the benefit must have passed to the person trying to enforce it.
Restrictive covenants may have an expiry date, and may in practice turn out to be unenforceable.
In certain circumstances, where the restriction may have become inappropriate, the the Lands Tribunal (now the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber)) may have the power to modify or discharge it.
For an example case, see Modifying a restrictive covenant.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Burdens.
- Deed of easement.
- Derogation from grant.
- Easements.
- Encumbrances.
- Land register.
- Leasehold covenants.
- Liens.
- Modifying a restrictive covenant.
- Overage.
- Rights over land.
- Right to light.
- Right to a view.
- Rights of way.
- Servient estate.
- Wayleave.
[edit] External references
Featured articles and news
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.
The changed R&D tax landscape for Architects
Specialist gives a recap on tax changes for Research and Development, via the ACA newsletter.
Structured product data as a competitive advantage
NBS explain why accessible product data that works across digital systems is key.
Welsh retrofit workforce assessment
Welsh Government report confirms Wales faces major electrical skills shortage, warns ECA.
A now architectural practice looks back at its concept project for a sustainable oceanic settlement 25 years on.
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Government report and back track on copyright opt out for AI training but no clear preferred alternative as yet.
Embedding AI tools into architectural education
Beyond the render: LMU share how student led research is shaping the future of visualisation workflows.
Why document control still fails UK construction projects
A Chartered Quantity Surveyor explains what needs to change and how.
Inspiration for a new 2026 wave of Irish construction professionals.
New planning reforms and Warm Homes Bill
Take centre stage at UK Construction Week London.
A brief run down of changes intentions from April in an onwards.