Legal Definitions - right of reentry

The right of reentry, also known as power of termination, is a future interest that a grantor retains after conveying a fee simplesubject to a condition subsequent. This means that the grantee's estate will only terminate if the grantor exercises the right to retake it, which happens upon breach of the condition.

For example, if a landlord grants a tenant a lease for a property with a condition that the tenant must not sublet the property, the landlord retains the right of reentry. If the tenant breaches the condition by subletting the property, the landlord can exercise the right of reentry and terminate the lease.

The right of reentry is different from the possibility of reverter, which is a future interest that a grantor retains after conveying a fee simple determinable. In this case, the grantee's estate automatically terminates upon the occurrence of a specified event.

Overall, the right of reentry gives the grantor the power to terminate the grantee's estate if a condition is breached, but only if the grantor chooses to exercise this right.