What is a tenancy at will?

A tenancy at will refers to an arrangement where the tenant occupies a property with the landlord's consent and is allowed to stay for an indefinite period, but either party can terminate the agreement at any time. It often arises from a verbal agreement rather than a formal written lease, which is why it is characterized by a lack of a fixed term.

While either party may terminate the tenancy at will, notice is typically required to end the tenancy; the specific length of notice may be determined by state law or the terms of the original verbal agreement. This flexibility allows both the landlord and tenant to manage their relationship more adaptively compared to a fixed-term lease.

Other choices misinterpret or mischaracterize the nature of a tenancy at will. For example, a permanent lease implies stability and permanence that is not a feature of a tenancy at will. A lease that can be ended at any time without notice is not entirely accurate either, as some form of notice is generally expected. Lastly, a lease for a specific term does not align with the concept of tenancy at will, which is inherently indefinite and flexible.