Legal Definitions - attornment

Definition: Attornment is a tenant's agreement to hold the land as the tenant of a new landlord. It can also refer to a bailee's acknowledgment that they will hold goods on behalf of someone other than the bailor.

Example: If a tenant's landlord sells the property to a new owner, the tenant may be required to sign an attornment agreement to acknowledge the new owner as their landlord. This agreement ensures that the tenant recognizes the new owner's right to collect rent and enforce lease terms.

Another example of attornment is when a bailee agrees to hold goods on behalf of a new owner instead of the original owner. For instance, if a warehouse holds goods for a seller, and the seller sells the goods to a buyer, the warehouse may need to sign an attornment agreement to acknowledge that they will hold the goods for the buyer instead of the seller.

These examples illustrate how attornment is a legal agreement that transfers the rights and responsibilities of property ownership or possession from one party to another.