What does CU2 cover in RES Paper 1?
An accepted offer, a tenancy dispute and the sale of an inherited home raise different legal issues. CU2 helps you identify the relationship involved before deciding which rule to apply. Start with the parties, the interest in the property and the document or event that changes their position.
The 2027 CU2 syllabus contains 12 topics. This Paper 1 study guide brings them together, from contract and agency law to ownership, capacity and planning. It is a route through the subject, with the official syllabus providing the full learning outcomes for each chapter.
CU2 examines how interests in land are created, used, shared and passed on. Some topics concern agreements, such as a contract or tenancy. Others concern an event, such as death or mortgage default. Planning and capacity add another layer: a person’s ownership, authority to act and ability to carry out a proposed use must each be considered.
Official unit title: Dealings with Interests in Land.
All 12 CU2 topics, explained
The headings and numbers below follow the 2027 syllabus. Use the chapter links to plan a focused revision session.
- 2.1Law of contract
- 2.2Law of agency
- 2.3Landlord and tenant law
- 2.4Property torts
- 2.5Mortgage
- 2.6Gift
- 2.7Trust
- 2.8Succession
- 2.9Future interests
- 2.10Co-ownership
- 2.11Restrictions on capacity to hold land
- 2.12Planning and development of land
2.1 Law of contract
Work through contract formation, terms, vitiating factors, discharge and remedies. Relate the principles to letters of intent, tenancy agreements, options to purchase and sale and purchase agreements; check what the actual document and facts establish.
Practise topic 2.12.2 Law of agency
Study how an agency relationship arises and the different forms of authority. Connect the duties between principal and agent to the conduct described, and keep authority to act separate from the question of entitlement to commission.
Practise topic 2.22.3 Landlord and tenant law
Understand the landlord–tenant relationship, the nature of different tenancies and the parties’ obligations. Organise your revision around creation, performance, breach and termination so that a remedy is considered in its proper context.
Practise topic 2.32.4 Property torts
Distinguish negligence, trespass and nuisance by the conduct and interest involved. A loss or complaint is the starting fact; identify the elements of the relevant tort before drawing a conclusion about liability.
Practise topic 2.42.5 Mortgage
Treat a mortgage as security and identify the mortgagor and mortgagee before analysing their rights. Revise default remedies, priority of mortgages and CPF charges, and the difference between fixed and floating interest rates.
Practise topic 2.52.6 Gift
Consider what makes a gift effective and how a voluntary transfer differs from a sale. Include the legal risks associated with gifts in your revision instead of assuming that a transfer without payment has no further consequences.
Practise topic 2.62.7 Trust
Separate legal ownership from beneficial interests and identify the roles of trustee and beneficiary. Practise recognising the trust issues raised by the facts, including the nature of the arrangement and the powers of the person dealing with the property.
Practise topic 2.72.8 Succession
Follow the path from a property owner’s death to the administration and distribution of the estate. Distinguish wills, intestacy and the applicable succession framework, and consider who has authority to deal with the property.
Practise topic 2.82.9 Future interests
Learn how a present interest can exist alongside a future interest. Draw a simple timeline showing who may enjoy the property now and which interest is expected to take effect later.
Practise topic 2.92.10 Co-ownership
Compare joint tenancy with tenancy in common, including how the ownership arrangement affects a death or a change in ownership. Do not use the amount each person paid as a shortcut for determining the legal manner of holding.
Practise topic 2.102.11 Restrictions on capacity to hold land
Identify restrictions affecting a person’s capacity to hold or deal with land. Check the relevant circumstances, authority and approval requirements rather than assuming that every owner can enter into every transaction personally.
Practise topic 2.112.12 Planning and development of land
Connect planning and development controls to the proposed use of a site. Study the Master Plan, planning permission and development parameters together, and separate a site’s ownership from approval for a particular development.
Practise topic 2.12Joint tenancy vs tenancy in common
Co-ownership becomes clearer when you separate the manner of holding from the purchase contributions. HDB explains these two ownership arrangements in its guidance on changes in flat ownership.
| Point to compare | Joint tenancy | Tenancy in common |
|---|---|---|
| Ownership structure | Co-owners hold the property jointly. | Each co-owner holds a defined share. |
| Shares | No separate fractional shares while the joint tenancy continues. | Shares may be equal or unequal. |
| On a co-owner’s death | The right of survivorship applies. | The deceased’s share forms part of their estate. |
For revision, identify the manner of holding first, then consider succession. Check any additional facts about severance, trusts or restrictions before applying a rule.
Read the official guidance: HDB: Joint tenancy and tenancy-in-common
How to study CU2
Name the relationship
Write down whether the parties are principal and agent, landlord and tenant, mortgagor and mortgagee, or co-owners. This gives the facts a legal structure.
Put events in order
Track the offer, agreement, transfer, breach or death on a timeline. Ask what rights existed at the relevant moment and which event may have changed them.
Link topics in revision
Study co-ownership with succession, agency with contract, and tenancies with property torts. Practise explaining why a rule applies to a particular fact pattern before working on speed.
Put the chapter into practice.
Work through Paper 1 by topic, then bring the concepts together in case studies and mock practice.
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RES CU2 FAQs
How many topics does RES CU2 contain?
CU2 has 12 topics in the 2027 syllabus, numbered 2.1 to 2.12. Use the current topic numbers when matching notes to the syllabus, because older outlines can include a different structure.
Does CU2 include the law of contract and law of agency?
Yes. Contract is topic 2.1 and agency is topic 2.2. They provide a useful starting point for understanding agreements, authority, duties and remedies across the rest of the unit.
Are co-ownership and succession the same topic?
They are separate topics that need to be read together. Co-ownership concerns how people hold a property. Succession concerns what happens on death. The manner of holding affects the analysis of whether an interest passes through the deceased’s estate.
Should I revise CU1 before CU2?
A working knowledge of CU1’s terminology helps. In particular, revisit estates and interests in land, legal and equitable interests, and title registration. Then use CU2 to examine the agreements and events that affect those interests.
Sources & further reading
This is an overview to support revision. Read the official syllabus for the full learning outcomes, and check the relevant authority’s guidance for the rules and effective dates.
- Official CEA RES syllabus 2027 · Version 1.0 (PDF)
- CEA: RES examination preparation and syllabus changes
- HDB: Joint tenancy and tenancy-in-common
- HDB: Changes in manner of holding or ownership proportion
- SLA: Land titles searches and INLIS
Written by RESU. Independent study material based on the published CEA syllabus.