Easements can be an example of an interest that can be either legal or equitable. Which option is the correct interest?

• A. Easements
• B. Freehold
• C. Leasehold
• D. Restrictive covenants

Answer: (A)

Easements are rights over someone else’s land that can be recognised either at law or in equity. If an easement is created properly by deed and registered, it becomes a legal easement, enforceable as a legal interest. If the necessary formalities aren’t met or equity is invoked to protect the beneficiary’s use, an equitable easement can exist and be enforced in equity. This dual potential—existence in both legal and equitable forms—makes easements the clearest example of an interest that can be either legal or equitable. Freehold and leasehold describe ownership or possession, not the dual legal/equitable nature of the right itself; restrictive covenants can be either legal or equitable, but easements are the classic illustration of this concept.