Landlord/Tenant law Flashcards
landlord/tenant law
4 leasehold estates tenant's duties landlord's duties assignment v sublease landlord's tort liability
landlord/tenant law
4 leasehold estates
- Tenancy for years
- Periodic tenancy
- Tenancy at will
- Tenancy at sufferance
landlord/tenant law
4 leasehold estates
1. Tenancy for years
- Lease for a fixed period (could be 2 days or 10 years)
If you know the TERMINATION DATE FROM THE START, you have the tenancy for years - B/c a ToY states from the outset when it will termination, NO NOTICE is needed to terminate
- A ToY greater than 1 yr must be in writing to be enforceable b/c of SoF
landlord/tenant law
4 leasehold estates
2. Periodic tenancy
- Lease which continues for SUCCESSIVE intervals until L or T give proper notice for termination
- PT can be created expressly, month-to-month or week-to-week or year-to-year, and PT can arise by implication 1 of 3 ways
- Notice must be given to terminate a periodic tenancy of at least equal the length of the period itself unless otherwise agreed. (year-to-year requires 6 months)
- By private agreement, parties may lengthen or shorten common law prescribed notice provisions. PT must end at the CONCLUSION of a natural lease period.
landlord/tenant law
4 leasehold estates
2. Periodic tenancy
PT by implications
PT by implication can arise 1 of 3 ways:
- Land is leased w/no mention of duration, but provision is made for the payment of rent at set intervals
- An oral term of years in violation of SoF creates an implied PT measured by the way rent is tendered
- A holdover: An implied PT arises by the way rent is now tendered past the conclusion of the original lease.
landlord/tenant law
4 leasehold estates
3. Tenancy at will (rare)
- Tenancy for no fixed duration
- Unless the parties expressly agree to a tenancy at will, payment of regular rent will cause a court to treat this as an implied PT
- Tenancy at will may be terminated by EITHER party at ANY time. But a reasonable demand to vacate is usually needed.
landlord/tenant law
4 leasehold estates
4. Tenancy at sufferance (short lived)
- Created when T has wrongfully held over past the expiration of the lease.
- The leasehold permits L to recover rent
- Tenancy at sufferance lasts ONLY until either L:
a. evicts T OR
b. decides to hold T to a new tenancy
landlord/tenant law
tenant’s duties
- T’s liability to third parties
- T’s duty to repair
- T’s duty to pay rent
landlord/tenant law
tenant’s duties
1. T’s liability to third parties
T is responsible for keeping the premises in good repair
T is liable for injuries sustained by 3rd parties T invited, even when L promised to make repairs
landlord/tenant law
tenant’s duties
2. T’s duty to repair
i. T’s duty to repair when lease is silent
ii. T’s duty to repair when expressly covenanted in the lease to maintain the property in good condition for the duration of the lease.
landlord/tenant law
tenant’s duties
2. T’s duty to repair
i. T’s duty to repair when lease is silent
i. T’s duty to repair when lease is silent
a. T must maintain the premises AND make ROUTINE repairs other than those due to ordinary wear & tear.
b. T most not commit waste (voluntary, permissive, or ameliorative)
c. Law of fixtures: When a T removes a fixture, she commits voluntary waste.
landlord/tenant law tenant's duties 2. T's duty to repair i. T's duty to repair when lease is silent fixture
Fixture - a once removable chattel that, by virtue of its annexation to realty, objectively shows the intent to permanently improve the realty.
T must not remove a fixture, no matter that T installed it.
Fixtures pass with ownership of the land
T installation qualifies as a fixture if express AGR controls
Absent an AGR, T may remove a chattel that she has installed so long as removal does not cause substantial harm to the premises.
If removal will cause substantial damage, then IN OBJECTIVE JUDGMENT T has show the intent to install a fixture. The fixture stays put.
landlord/tenant law
tenant’s duties
2. T’s duty to repair
ii. T’s duty to repair when expressly covenanted in the lease to maintain the property in good condition for the duration of the lease.
At common law, historically, T was liable for any loss to the property, including loss due to force of nature.
Today, under the majority view, T may end the lease when the premises are destroyed w/o T’s fault.
landlord/tenant law
tenant’s duties
3. T’s duty to pay rent
a. T breaches this duty AND is in possession of the premises
b. T breaches this duty BUT is out of possession
landlord/tenant law
tenant’s duties
3. T’s duty to pay rent
a. T breaches this duty AND is in possession of the premises
L’s only only options are to evict through the courts OR continue the relationship and sue for rent due.
If L moves to evict, L is entitled TO RENT from T until T (now a tenant at sufferance) vacates.
Landlord must NOT engage in self-help, such as changing the locks, forcibly removing T, or removing T’s possession.
Self-help is flatly outlawed and is punishable civilly and criminally.