What allows a tenant to possess real estate while excluding others from it?

A lease is a legal agreement that grants a tenant the right to occupy and utilize a specific property for a defined period, typically in exchange for rent payments. This contract not only outlines the rights and responsibilities of both the tenant and the landlord but crucially allows the tenant to possess the real estate, offering them the exclusive right to use the property in a manner consistent with the terms of the lease.

The lease effectively conveys the tenant's right to exclude others from accessing the property during the lease term. This exclusivity is a fundamental aspect of a leasehold estate, distinguishing it from other types of agreements where such rights may not be provided.

While a rental agreement might seem similar, it is essentially another term often used interchangeably with a lease; however, the specific legal framework and terminology of a lease typically encompasses more comprehensive rights. A license, by contrast, permits someone to use property owned by another but doesn't confer any interest in the property itself, so it does not grant the same level of exclusivity or rights as a lease. Trade fixtures refer to items installed by a tenant for business purposes and do not relate to the tenant’s possession rights in the way that a lease does. Therefore, the primary mechanism that empowers a tenant to possess real