Easement

Definition

• A right, which allows a person to use another person's real property in a limited capacity.
• A means by which access or right of way to a portion of land is granted by law if an owner of a property is negligent in restricting access or enforcing trespassing laws for ten years or more. For example, if a pathway through private property is used publicly for ten years without interference from the property owner, the owner may lose rights to that portion of land. Easements are also used to provide municipalities access to run underground sewers or cable lines.

Synonyms
right of way, usable, right to cross, access

Alternate Spellings
Easements

Related Terms and Acronyms

• Adverse Possession — Definition,
  • A means of getting title to land by using it without the objection of the title holder.
• Adverse Use — Definition,
  • Use of someone's property without permission.
• Aviation Easement — Definition,
  • An agreement that grants the right to fly airplanes over property, even if the practice causes damage, inconvenience, or loss of property value. Such an agreement usually restricts the property owner from building or growing anything over a specified height.
• Bundle of Rights — Definition,
  • A set of legal rights that an owner has regarding a property.
• Condemnation — Definition,
  • The act of condemning (as land forfeited for public use) or judging by a government to be unfit for use.
• Encroachment — Definition,
  • An improvement, such as a fence, that illegally extends onto another property or impedes the neighbour's use of that property.