abate rent

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitivelegalformal

   To reduce or cancel an amount of rent that a tenant owes, usually because the property is damaged or unusable.

   Grammar: Takes an object: the landlord abated the rent. It is almost always used in the passive or with 'rent' as the object.

   Patterns

   • abate rent
   • abate the rent
   • rent is abated
   • abate rent for a period

   The tenants asked the landlord to abate rent while the heating was broken.

   Under the lease, rent may be abated if the building is unfit to live in.

   The court ordered the owner to abate rent for the three months the shop was closed.

2. 2phraseuncountablelegalformal

   A reduction in the rent a tenant must pay, often because the property cannot be used normally.

   Grammar: Used as a noun phrase: they were granted an abate rent. It is uncommon as a noun; 'rent abatement' is more usual.

   Patterns

   • grant abate rent
   • seek abate rent
   • an abate rent of $500

   The lease allows for abate rent when repairs take longer than a week.

   They negotiated abate rent rather than ending the contract.

Common combinations

abate rent for a period

The landlord agreed to abate rent for a period of two months.

abate the rent

The council can abate the rent if the house is declared unsafe.

rent is abated

Rent is abated automatically when the building is closed by the fire department.

seek to abate rent

The tenants sought to abate rent after the flood.

Synonyms and how they differ

reduce

A general word for making an amount smaller; it fits everyday speech, while 'abate rent' is a formal legal term.

waive

Means to give up a right or payment completely; 'abate' usually means a partial reduction, not a full cancellation.

Opposites

Word family

abatement noun

The act of reducing or cancelling something, especially a payment or a nuisance.

abate verb

To become less intense or to reduce something; used without 'rent' it often means a storm or noise dying down.

Commonly confused: abate rent or rebate?

Practice

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