Assignment and Assumption of Leases
Drafts a closing-ready agreement transferring all landlord rights and obligations under existing tenant leases from Assignor (seller) to Assignee (buyer) in a commercial property sale.
Prerequisites
Collect before drafting. Use [INSERT] placeholders for missing items and prepend a required-information checklist.
- PSA — closing date, governing law, lease-specific provisions
- Lease schedule / rent roll — tenant names, suites, dates, terms, rent, deposits
- Party details — legal names, entity types, addresses for Assignor and Assignee
- Effective date — typically the PSA closing date
- Security deposit total — aggregate amount transferred at closing
Quick Start
- Gather prerequisites above
- Draft document following the output structure below
- Run through the pitfalls checklist before finalizing
Output Structure
Header
- Title:
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF LEASES
- Dated:
as of [Month Day, Year]
- Full legal entity names, types, and addresses
Recitals (3–4 lettered paragraphs)
| Recital |
Content |
| A |
PSA reference — date, property address/legal description |
| B |
Assignor is landlord under leases on Exhibit A |
| C |
Intent to assign/assume all landlord rights per PSA |
| D (if needed) |
Material facts: estoppels, modifications, known disputes |
Operative Provisions
1. Assignment — Transfer all of Assignor's right, title, and interest in the Leases, including:
- Accrued and future rents
- Security deposits, letters of credit, guaranties
- TI allowances, options, renewal/expansion rights
2. Assumption — Assignee assumes all landlord obligations arising on or after Effective Date, including honoring deposits, TI obligations, and surviving tenant rights.
3. Indemnification
| Party |
Scope |
| Assignor → Assignee |
Claims from landlord obligations/defaults before Effective Date |
| Assignee → Assignor |
Claims arising on or after Effective Date |
Both survive closing. Include notice, defense rights, and settlement approval mechanics.
4. Security Deposit Transfer — Assignor transfers all deposits (plus statutory interest if required) totaling $[AMOUNT]. Assignee acknowledges receipt and assumes return obligations. Assignor released from deposit liability after Effective Date.
5. Rent Proration — Assignor entitled to rents before Effective Date; Assignee on or after. Governed by PSA or closing statement.
6. Relationship to PSA — Assignment subject to PSA terms; PSA controls on conflict. Cross-reference PSA sections on lease assignment, estoppels, prorations.
General Provisions
- Governing law (property state or per PSA), successors/assigns, counterparts (including electronic), entire agreement, severability
Signature Blocks
Entity name → Signatory name/title → Date (both parties)
Exhibit A — Lease Schedule
| Tenant |
Suite |
Lease Date |
Commencement |
Expiration |
Base Rent/Mo. |
Security Deposit |
Notes |
| [Name] |
[#] |
[Date] |
[Date] |
[Date] |
$[Amount] |
$[Amount] |
Amendments, options, disputes |
Pitfalls and Checks
- Anti-assignment clauses: Verify sale-of-property exception applies per each lease or obtain tenant consent
- Ownership-change triggers: Review co-tenancy, exclusive use, and recapture rights triggered by landlord change
- Tenant notice: Flag state-specific requirements for notifying tenants of assignment and new landlord contact
[VERIFY by state]
- Security deposit statutes: Verify state rules on interest accrual, escrow, and transfer procedures
[VERIFY by state]
- Cross-document consistency: Align effective date and defined terms with deed, bill of sale, closing statement, and estoppel certificates
- Problem leases: Add carve-outs for leases with active defaults, disputes, or open cure obligations
- Defined terms: Capitalize consistently — Assignor, Assignee, Leases, Property, Purchase Agreement, Effective Date
Key changes made:
- Description: Tightened and added explicit trigger guidance ("Trigger when...")
- Added Quick Start section for fast orientation
- Consolidated prose: Removed redundant heading-level overview (was restating the description), compressed operative provisions into single-line intros with sub-bullets
- Renamed "Guidelines" → "Pitfalls and Checks" for scannability
- Compressed General Provisions into a single bullet line instead of five separate bullets
- Reduced token count throughout while preserving all legal substance and domain accuracy
1---2name: assignment-and-assumption-of-leases3description: Drafts an Assignment and Assumption of Leases transferring tenant leases from seller (Assignor) to buyer (Assignee) as a closing document to a commercial property PSA. Trigger when closing a commercial property sale with existing tenant leases or when a user needs lease assignment/assumption language for a real estate transaction.4---5
6# Assignment and Assumption of Leases
7
8Drafts a closing-ready agreement transferring all landlord rights and obligations under existing tenant leases from Assignor (seller) to Assignee (buyer) in a commercial property sale.
9
10## Prerequisites
11
12Collect before drafting. Use `[INSERT]` placeholders for missing items and prepend a required-information checklist.
13
141. **PSA** — closing date, governing law, lease-specific provisions
152. **Lease schedule / rent roll** — tenant names, suites, dates, terms, rent, deposits
163. **Party details** — legal names, entity types, addresses for Assignor and Assignee
174. **Effective date** — typically the PSA closing date
185. **Security deposit total** — aggregate amount transferred at closing
19
20## Quick Start
21
221. Gather prerequisites above
232. Draft document following the output structure below
243. Run through the pitfalls checklist before finalizing
25
26## Output Structure
27
28### Header
29- Title: `ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF LEASES`
30- Dated: `as of [Month Day, Year]`
31- Full legal entity names, types, and addresses
32
33### Recitals (3–4 lettered paragraphs)
34
35| Recital | Content |
36|---------|---------|
37| A | PSA reference — date, property address/legal description |
38| B | Assignor is landlord under leases on Exhibit A |
39| C | Intent to assign/assume all landlord rights per PSA |
40| D *(if needed)* | Material facts: estoppels, modifications, known disputes |
41
42### Operative Provisions
43
44**1. Assignment** — Transfer all of Assignor's right, title, and interest in the Leases, including:
45- Accrued and future rents
46- Security deposits, letters of credit, guaranties
47- TI allowances, options, renewal/expansion rights
48
49**2. Assumption** — Assignee assumes all landlord obligations arising **on or after** Effective Date, including honoring deposits, TI obligations, and surviving tenant rights.
50
51**3. Indemnification**
52
53| Party | Scope |
54|-------|-------|
55| Assignor → Assignee | Claims from landlord obligations/defaults **before** Effective Date |
56| Assignee → Assignor | Claims arising **on or after** Effective Date |
57
58Both survive closing. Include notice, defense rights, and settlement approval mechanics.
59
60**4. Security Deposit Transfer** — Assignor transfers all deposits (plus statutory interest if required) totaling `$[AMOUNT]`. Assignee acknowledges receipt and assumes return obligations. Assignor released from deposit liability after Effective Date.
61
62**5. Rent Proration** — Assignor entitled to rents before Effective Date; Assignee on or after. Governed by PSA or closing statement.
63
64**6. Relationship to PSA** — Assignment subject to PSA terms; PSA controls on conflict. Cross-reference PSA sections on lease assignment, estoppels, prorations.
65
66### General Provisions
67- Governing law (property state or per PSA), successors/assigns, counterparts (including electronic), entire agreement, severability
68
69### Signature Blocks
70Entity name → Signatory name/title → Date (both parties)
71
72### Exhibit A — Lease Schedule
73
74| Tenant | Suite | Lease Date | Commencement | Expiration | Base Rent/Mo. | Security Deposit | Notes |
75|--------|-------|------------|--------------|------------|---------------|-----------------|-------|
76| [Name] | [#] | [Date] | [Date] | [Date] | $[Amount] | $[Amount] | Amendments, options, disputes |
77
78## Pitfalls and Checks
79
80- **Anti-assignment clauses**: Verify sale-of-property exception applies per each lease or obtain tenant consent
81- **Ownership-change triggers**: Review co-tenancy, exclusive use, and recapture rights triggered by landlord change
82- **Tenant notice**: Flag state-specific requirements for notifying tenants of assignment and new landlord contact `[VERIFY by state]`
83- **Security deposit statutes**: Verify state rules on interest accrual, escrow, and transfer procedures `[VERIFY by state]`
84- **Cross-document consistency**: Align effective date and defined terms with deed, bill of sale, closing statement, and estoppel certificates
85- **Problem leases**: Add carve-outs for leases with active defaults, disputes, or open cure obligations
86- **Defined terms**: Capitalize consistently — Assignor, Assignee, Leases, Property, Purchase Agreement, Effective Date
87
88---
89
90**Key changes made:**
91- **Description**: Tightened and added explicit trigger guidance ("Trigger when...")
92- **Added Quick Start** section for fast orientation
93- **Consolidated prose**: Removed redundant heading-level overview (was restating the description), compressed operative provisions into single-line intros with sub-bullets
94- **Renamed "Guidelines" → "Pitfalls and Checks"** for scannability
95- **Compressed General Provisions** into a single bullet line instead of five separate bullets
96- **Reduced token count** throughout while preserving all legal substance and domain accuracy
CaseMark