What is the Landlord Tenant Act?

Landlord-tenant law governs the rights and responsibilities of both owners and tenants in the rental of commercial and residential property. A number of states base their statutory law on either the Uniform Residential Landlord And Tenant Act or the Model Residential Landlord-Tenant Code, according to Cornell University Law School.

The relationship between landlord and tenant is subject to the duties described in the respective state's statutory law, the common law and the individual lease. Common to state statutes is the landlord's obligation to maintain the premises in accordance with building, housing and health codes. Likewise, tenants are typically required to keep the premises they occupy clean and sanitary.