National Real Estate Exam (PSI)Property OwnershipMedium
A tenant pays rent monthly with no specified lease termination date. The tenancy automatically continues from month to month until either party gives proper notice to terminate. What type of leasehold estate is this?
- APeriodic tenancy
- BTenancy at sufferance
- CEstate for years
- DTenancy at will
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Periodic tenancy
A periodic tenancy has no fixed end date and automatically renews for successive periods (such as month-to-month) until either party gives proper legal notice to terminate. An estate for years has a definite start and end date, tenancy at will has no set term and no notice requirement, and tenancy at sufferance occurs when a tenant remains after the lease expires without consent.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Incorrect — tenancy at sufferance arises when a tenant unlawfully holds over after the lease ends.
- C. Incorrect — an estate for years has a definite, agreed-upon termination date.
- D. Incorrect — tenancy at will requires no notice and can end at any time by either party.
Periodic Tenancy
A leasehold estate that renews automatically for successive equal periods (e.g., month-to-month) until proper notice of termination is given by either party.
- No fixed termination date, unlike an estate for years
- Requires statutory notice period to terminate
- Common in month-to-month or week-to-week rental arrangements
Memory trick: Periodic = repeats like a calendar page turning until someone says stop.