

Assignment and Subletting
Absent any language to the contrary, a lease can be freely assigned or sublet. Because a lease is both a contract and a conveyance, these can be independent grounds for liability. An assignment is a complete transfer of the tenant’s remaining lease term. Any transfer for less than the entire duration of the lease is a sublease. Assignee tenants are in privity of estate with the landlord, and thus they are liable to the landlord for the rent and any other covenants in the leas


Fair Housing and Discrimination
The Fair Housing Act (“FHA”) (Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968), 42 U.S.C. § 3601 et seq., prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental, and financing of homes and in other housing-related transactions (such as advertising, homeowner’s insurance, and zoning). Owner-occupied buildings with no more than 4 units and single-family housing sold or rented without the use of a broker may be exempted from the FHA in certain circumstances. Protected Classes The FHA prohibits