Property
Landlord-Tenant Law
Definition
Landlord-tenant law governs the relationship between property owners who lease their property and the tenants who occupy it. The four types of tenancies are: tenancy for years (fixed term), periodic tenancy (renewing automatically), tenancy at will (terminable by either party), and tenancy at sufferance (holdover). Modern landlord-tenant law has evolved from property-based doctrines to a more contract-based framework, incorporating the implied warranty of habitability, which requires landlords to maintain residential premises in a livable condition.
Example
A tenant's apartment has a broken heating system in winter. Under the implied warranty of habitability, the landlord must repair it, and the tenant may have remedies including rent withholding.