Assignee

An assignee is the party who takes over the rights and obligations of a lease or contract through an assignment. When a tenant assigns a lease, the assignee steps into that tenant’s place and assumes the duties from then on.

Landlords usually hold the right to approve or reject a proposed assignee, since creditworthiness and fit both matter. Depending on how the assignment is written, the original tenant, the assignor, can stay secondarily liable on the lease even after handing it off.