Legal Definitions - Waste

Waste

Waste is when someone who is in possession of a property, such as a tenant or a life tenant, damages, destroys, or alters the property in a way that is permanent or harmful to the property's value.

• A tenant who punches holes in the walls or damages the flooring of a rental property is committing waste.
• A life tenant who cuts down all the trees on a property, causing erosion and damage to the land, is committing waste.

These examples illustrate how waste can occur in different ways, but they both involve someone who is in possession of a property causing damage or harm to it. This can result in a decrease in the property's value and can be a violation of the owner's rights.