Attornment is a legal term that refers to a tenant's agreement to recognize a new landlord as the property owner. The word is spelled with two Ts, an N, and an E, and is pronounced /əˈtɔːn.mənt/ according to the International Phonetic Alphabet. The first syllable is unstressed, and the next syllables are pronounced with a long "o" sound and a nasal "n" sound. The final syllable is pronounced with an unreduced "e" sound. Attornment is a relatively uncommon word that is mainly used in legal contexts.
Attornment is a legal term that refers to the act of acknowledging, or recognizing, a new landlord or owner as the person who is entitled to receive rent or other payments in relation to a property. It often occurs in the context of a transfer of property ownership, such as when a landlord sells a property to a new owner. In such cases, the tenants of the property are required to attorn to the new owner, which means they must recognize and accept the new owner as their landlord, and agree to make rental payments to them instead of the previous owner.
Attornment can also occur when there is a change in the relationship between a tenant and the landlord. For example, if the original landlord assigns their rights and obligations to a new party or transfers their interest in the property, the tenant may be required to attorn to the new party.
The attornment process usually involves the tenant signing a document, commonly known as an attornment agreement. This agreement confirms the tenant's recognition of the new owner or landlord, and outlines their agreement to pay rent or other obligations to the new party.
In legal terms, attornment serves as an important protection for the new owner or landlord, as it establishes their legal relationship with the tenant and ensures their rights to receive payment and enforce any terms or conditions of the lease. Attornment can also provide stability and certainty for tenants, as it clarifies their obligations and confirms the legal position of their landlord.
The word "attornment" is derived from the Old French term "atornement", which comes from the verb "atorner", meaning "to turn over" or "to transfer". The Old French word itself comes from the Latin word "ad-", meaning "to" or "towards", and "tornare", meaning "to turn". In legal terms, "attornment" originally referred to the act of a tenant transferring their allegiance to a new landlord, particularly when the ownership of a property changed hands. Over time, the term broadened to encompass the act of acknowledging or recognizing a new landlord, typically in the context of tenancy agreements.