Want to know what is Add Medium Filum is?
Author: adminThe principle of “ad medium filum”, which translates as “to the middle”, is the legal presumption that, where a property fronts on to a road. the title includes the portion of the road, up to the centre line. If the road is a public highway then the surface vests in the highways authority by virtue of s263 Highways Act 1980 but the subsoil can still be party of the property.
The presumption has limited value, and can be easily rebutted with evidence, such as plans with accurate measurements or if the seller has acted in a way subsequent to the sale which indicates a belief that he owns the roadway. It is sometimes relied upon where a property has a cellar which extends beyond the apparent boundary line, though in that situation it would be better to make an adverse possession claim on respect of the cellar, subject to current owner having occupied the property for the requisite number of years.
There is a similar principle, ad medium filum aquae, which relates to rivers and streams.
