Dominant tenement
The dominant tenement is the property that benefits from an easement. The owner of the dominant tenement holds the right to use the burdened (servient) land.
Ask Chalkline about this →The dominant tenement is the parcel of land that benefits from an easement. Its owner holds the right to use the burdened land (the servient tenement) for the purpose described in the easement, such as draining stormwater, accessing a rear lane, or running a service pipe. For example, if Lot A has the right to drain water across Lot B, Lot A is the dominant tenement and Lot B is the servient tenement.
Not all easements have a dominant tenement. Easements held by public authorities (councils, Sydney Water, network operators) for infrastructure are called easements in gross: they benefit the authority without a specific benefited lot.
Also known as: dominant estate, benefited land.
Category: Approvals, Conveyancing.
Related
See also
Last updated: 2026-05-09. Verified: 2026-05-09.