Demise
The word 'demise' can refer to the death of a person or some other thing, such as a building or organisation, however, it can also refer to the transfer of an interest in real property, typically through a lease. When a property or a portion of it is "demised," it means that the rights to occupy and use the property are being granted to another party for a specified period under the terms of a lease agreement.
In lease agreements, the word demise is often used to describe the act of leasing property from a landlord (lessor) to a tenant (lessee). The lease will specify the terms under which the property is demised, including the duration of the lease, rent, and other conditions of occupancy.
The demised premises should be clearly defined in the lease agreement. This includes a detailed description of the area being leased, which could be an entire building, part of a building, land, or any other property asset. The lease agreement will outline the rights and obligations of both parties concerning the demised premises. This includes the tenant's right to exclusive possession and use of the property and the landlord's responsibilities for maintenance, repairs, and compliance with legal requirements.
The term carries significant legal implications. It establishes the tenant's legal right to occupy the property and the landlord's right to receive rent. It also defines the extent of the property being leased and any limitations on its use.
Demised premises might also refer to areas of a building or development site that are leased out to tenants. For instance, in a commercial building, different floors or units may be demised to various tenants, each with their own lease agreements.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Commonhold.
- Difference between assured shorthold tenancy and assured tenancy.
- Freehold.
- Ground rent.
- Landlord.
- Landlord and Tenant Act.
- Lease.
- Lease Negotiations - Tenants Checklist.
- Leasehold covenants.
- Leasehold enfranchisement.
- Leasing a property - what you need to know.
- Occupier.
- Peppercorn rent.
- Service charge.
- Shared ownership.
- Short term lets.
- Subletting.
- Tenant.
Featured articles and news
Plumbing and heating for sustainability in new properties
Technical Engineer runs through changes in regulations, innovations in materials, and product systems.
Awareness of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
What CBAM is and what to do about it.
The new towns and strategic environmental assessments
12 locations of the New Towns Taskforce reduced to 7 within the new towns draft programme and open consultation.
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.
The changed R&D tax landscape for Architects
Specialist gives a recap on tax changes for Research and Development, via the ACA newsletter.
Structured product data as a competitive advantage
NBS explain why accessible product data that works across digital systems is key.
Welsh retrofit workforce assessment
Welsh Government report confirms Wales faces major electrical skills shortage, warns ECA.
A now architectural practice looks back at its concept project for a sustainable oceanic settlement 25 years on.
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Government report and back track on copyright opt out for AI training but no clear preferred alternative as yet.
Embedding AI tools into architectural education
Beyond the render: LMU share how student led research is shaping the future of visualisation workflows.
Why document control still fails UK construction projects
A Chartered Quantity Surveyor explains what needs to change and how.
Inspiration for a new 2026 wave of Irish construction professionals.
New planning reforms and Warm Homes Bill
Take centre stage at UK Construction Week London.

























