Use this for general questions about tenants. Consider using a more specific tag such as [residential-tenant], [commercial-tenant], [leasehold] or [boarder] if they are more appropriate.
The term tenant refers to a number of different arrangements where a person (the tenant) has a right to use real property that is owned by someone else (the landlord).
- residential-tenant applies to tenants who reside in the property and pay rent on a periodic basis (weekly, monthly etc.) either on a fixed term lease or on a periodic one.
- commercial-tenant applies to tenants who do reside in the property and pay rent on a periodic basis (weekly, monthly etc.) either on a fixed term lease or on a periodic one. The property is usually used for a commercial purpose such as a shop, office, factory, warehouse etc. Commercial tenants usually have fewer rights than residential tenants as they are presumed to be commercially savvy when entering contracts like leases.
- leasehold: a long term arrangement where an up-front payment is made for the right to use the property for a very long period of time: 30-year and 99-year leases are typical and 999-year leases are not unknown. Unlike a periodic tenancy, a leasehold creates a real-property interest that can be on-sold by the tenant without the landlord's permission or consent.
- boarder: a person who lives in a house alongside the owner, for example, by renting a room. They generally have different rights from residential tenants.
