Recovering Land — 12 Years
LA 1980 s.15: 12-year period for actions to recover land. Unregistered land: 12 years' adverse possession extinguishes paper owner's title. Registered land: LRA 2002 Sch 6 — 10-year adverse possession; squatter applies to Land Registry; registered owner notified; owner has 2 years to object or take action before registration proceeds. Mortgage repossession: LA 1980 s.20 — 12 years from date mortgagee's right of action accrued; 6-year period for mortgage interest (s.20(5)).
Rent Arrears — 6 Years
LA 1980 s.5: 6-year period for simple contract claims — applies to rent arrears under most tenancy agreements. Per-instalment accrual: each missed payment creates a separate cause of action when it falls due; time runs separately for each instalment. Deed lease (LA 1980 s.8): formal commercial leases executed as deeds may benefit from 12-year period — take legal advice. Partial payment/written acknowledgment (ss.29–30): restarts the limitation period from the date of payment or acknowledgment.
Breach of Repair Covenants
Breach of repairing covenant: 6-year period from date of breach (LA 1980 s.5). Dilapidations at lease end: 6 years from lease termination. Latent damage (DPA 1972): Latent Damage Act 1986 (LA 1980 ss.14A–14B): 6 years from damage; 3 years from knowledge; 15-year long-stop from date of breach. Continuing breach: may give rise to recurring causes of action — seek advice on appropriate accrual date.
Personal Injury — 3 Years
LA 1980 s.11: 3-year limitation period from date of injury or date of knowledge (s.14 — when claimant first knew: injury significant; attributable to act or omission; identity of defendant). Court discretion to extend (s.33) — relevant for asbestos; noise-induced hearing loss; latent conditions. Children: time does not run until age 18 — child injured at 10 has until age 21 to claim. Maintain public liability insurance and inspection records to defend claims.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (Prescription and Limitation (Scotland) Act 1973): 5-year primary prescriptive period for most contractual and delictual obligations from date obligation became enforceable. 20-year long negative prescription extinguishes obligations not subject to shorter period. Deposit penalty: 6-year period from accrual (England/Wales). Northern Ireland (Limitation (NI) Order 1989): mirrors England and Wales — 6-year contract claims; 12-year land claims; 3-year personal injury.