(1)Each of the following persons being of full age shall, when his estate or interest is in possession, have the powers of a tenant for life under this Act, (namely):—
(i)A tenant in tail, including a tenant in tail after possibility of issue extinct, and a tenant in tail who is by Act of Parliament restrained from barring or defeating his estate tail, and although the reversion is in the Crown, but not including such a tenant in tail where the land in respect whereof he is so restrained was purchased with money provided by Parliament in consideration of public services;
(ii)A person entitled to land for an estate in fee simple or for a term of years absolute with or subject to, in any of such cases, an executory limitation, gift, or disposition over on failure of his issue or in any other event;
(iii)A person entitled to a base or determinable fee, although the reversion or right of reverter is in the Crown, or to any corresponding interest in leasehold land;
(iv)A tenant for years determinable on life, not holding merely under a lease at a rent;
(v)A tenant for the life of another, not holding merely under a lease at a rent;
(vi)A tenant for his own or any other life, or for years determinable on life, whose estate is liable to cease in any event during that life, whether by expiration of the estate, or by conditional limitation, or otherwise, or to be defeated by an executory limitation, gift, or disposition over, or is subject to a trust for accumulation of income for any purpose;
(vii)A tenant by the curtesy;
(viii)A person entitled to the income of land under a trust or direction for payment thereof to him during his own or any other life, whether or not subject to expenses of management or to a trust for accumulation of income for any purpose, or until sale of the land, or until forfeiture, cesser or determination by any means of his interest therein, unless the land is subject to [F1a trust of land];
(ix)A person beneficially entitled to land for an estate in fee simple or for a term of years absolute subject to any estates, interests, charges, or powers of charging, subsisting or capable of being exercised under a settlement;
(x). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2
(2)In every such case as is mentioned in subsection (1) of this section, the provisions of this Act referring to a tenant for life, either as conferring powers on him or otherwise, shall extend to each of the persons aforesaid, and any reference in this Act to death as regards a tenant for life shall, where necessary, be deemed to refer to the determination by death or otherwise of the estate or interest of the person on whom the powers of a tenant for life are conferred by this section.
(3)For the purposes of this Act the estate or interest of a tenant by the curtesy shall be deemed to be an estate or interest arising under a settlement made by his wife.
(4)Where the reversion or right of reverter or other reversionary right is in the Crown, the exercise by a person on whom the powers of a tenant for life are conferred by this section of his powers under this Act, binds the Crown.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 20(1)(viii) substituted (1.1.1997) by 1996 c. 47, s. 25(1), Sch. 3 para. 2(8)(with ss. 24(2), 25(4)(5)); S.I. 1996/2974, art. 2
F2Ss. 1(1)(iv), 20(1)(x), 25(2) repealed by Married Women (Restraint upon Anticipation) Act 1949 (c. 78), s. 1, Sch. 2
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1S. 20(1)(i) restricted by Trafalgar Estates Act 1947 (c. 34), s. 2(2)
C2S. 20(1)(ix) excluded by Law of Property (Amendment) Act 1926 (c. 11), s. 1(1)