Legal Definitions - double rent

DOUBLE RENT

Double rent is a penalty of twice the amount of rent charged against a tenant who holds possession of the leased property after the date provided in the tenant's notice to quit. It is twice the amount of rent agreed to. The penalty was provided by the Distress for Rent Act, 1737, 11 Geo. 2, ch. 19, § 13.

• If a tenant is supposed to vacate a property on the 1st of the month but stays until the 10th without the landlord's permission, the landlord can charge double rent for those extra days.
• John was supposed to move out of his apartment on the 31st of May, but he stayed until the 5th of June. His landlord charged him double rent for those extra days.

The examples illustrate that double rent is a penalty charged to a tenant who overstays their lease agreement. It is a way for landlords to ensure that tenants vacate the property on time and do not cause any inconvenience to the landlord or the next tenant.