Does a lease grant the tenant limited possession of the leased premises until either the term expires or the tenant defaults?

The statement in question is foundational to understanding the nature of leases in property law. A lease indeed grants the tenant the right to possess and use the leased premises, but this possession is not simply limited to a finite duration until the lease term expires or until a default occurs. The lease creates a legal relationship that defines the rights and obligations of both the landlord and the tenant, which does not hinge solely on the possibility of default or the end of the term.

In a typical lease agreement, the tenant has the right to exclusive possession of the premises throughout the agreed-upon duration as long as they comply with the terms of the lease. If the tenant defaults or breaches the lease agreement, this may lead to termination of the lease, but the essence of a lease is that it provides the tenant with legitimate and secured rights to occupy and use the property within the agreed framework. Therefore, while a lease does end upon the expiration of its term or if there is a default, the notion that it grants only limited possession until those events occur is misleading because it minimizes the tenants' rights during the valid term of the lease.

Although some leases may contain specific provisions that could alter the general nature of possession, the core principle remains: the lease establishes a defined period of