What is the most common type of leasehold with a determinate length?

• A. Periodic Tenancy
• B. Tenancy for Years
• C. Tenancy at Sufferance
• D. Tenancy at Will

Answer: (B)

A lease with a definite end date is called a tenancy for years. Its key feature is that the start and end dates are fixed in the lease, so the term ends automatically on the specified date unless the parties renew or extend the agreement. That fixed term is exactly what makes the tenancy determinate—the end date is built in and predictable.

This is why it’s the best choice for a determinate length: you know precisely when the rights to occupy end, which is different from a periodic tenancy that continues for successive periods (like month-to-month) until proper notice is given, or a tenancy at will which has no fixed term at all and can be terminated by either party at any time. A tenancy at sufferance doesn’t establish a legitimate fixed term either; it arises after a tenant stays beyond the lawful tenancy. So the tenancy for years is the standard form when a lease is meant to have a definite duration.