The agreement by which one party holds possession of the real property owned by another is a lease. The person who owns the real property is known as the lessor or landlord. The lessee, or tenant, is the one who occupies the property.
The relationship of landlord and tenant is created by contract. An oral lease is valid at common law, but statutes in most States require written leases for certain tenancies. Many States provide that a lease for a term exceeding three years must be in writing. Statutes in other States require written leases when the term exceeds one year.
The following elements are necessary to the establishment of the relationship of landlord and tenant:
" The occupying of the land must be with the consent of the landlord.
" A reversionary interest in the land must remain in the landlord. That is, the landlord must be entitled to retake the possession of the land upon the expiration of the lease.
" The tenant must have present possession in the land. This means a right to be in possession of the land now.
