Order Description

For many years Tom and Claire held the registered freehold title to Mount Farm in Essex (‘the farm’) as joint tenants. Last week, Tom and Claire decided to retire from the farming business and they sold and transferred the farm to Walter for a sum of £8 million. Walter lives in California and is a property investor.
During the time of Tom and Claire’s ownership of the farm, they granted certain rights and interests to various friends, family and neighbours, viz:-
(i) In January 2002, Tom and Claire by Deed granted a neighbouring farmer Ahmed a right of vehicular access by way of a short-cut across the farm to an adjoining main road, for a consideration of £500;
(ii) In March 2005, Tom and Claire by a signed written agreement and in consideration of £1 gave their niece Amy the right to purchase the farm for the sum of £3 million on the giving of one calendar month’s written notice, (within a time frame of 21 years);
(iii) In May 2007, Tom and Claire allowed Tom’s sister Zana to move into the farm (taking up permanent residence), whereby, at Tom and Claire’s invitation, Zana cleared the remaining £10,000 owing under a mortgage Tom and Claire then had. Zana also paid for the refurbishment of the farmhouse which was situated on the farm. This improved the overall value of the land by 5%.
(iv) In December 2008, Tom and Claire by Deed gave their other neighbour John the right to store his collection of marble statues in the barn situated at the farm, for a consideration of £1,000.
(v) In 2014, Tom and Claire allowed Claire’s brother Derek to live in the second largest bedroom at the farmhouse situated on the farm for a fee of £10 per week.
Neither Ahmed, Amy, Zana, John nor Derek have attempted to protect their rights by registration and they have only just discovered the sale of the farm to Walter.

Advise Walter as to the extent to which he will be bound by the rights of Ahmed, Amy, Zana, John and Derek.