Ky. Rev. Stat. ch. 383 § 383.100
Attornment -- When void -- When unnecessary
Operative Text
383.100 Attornment -- When void -- When unnecessary. (1) The attornment of a tenant to a stranger shall be void, unless it be with the consent of the landlord, or pursuant to or in consequence of the judgment of a court. (2) A conveyance or devise of a rent, reversion or remainder shall be valid without an attornment of the tenant, but no tenant who pays the rent to the grantor before notice of the conveyance shall suffer any damage thereby.
Kentucky Revised Statutes § 383.100 governs a legal concept called 'attornment,' which is a tenant's formal acknowledgment of a new landlord or property owner. Under subsection (1), a tenant's recognition of a new party as their landlord is legally void unless the original landlord consents or a court order requires it. Under subsection (2), when a landlord transfers ownership rights—such as a reversion or remainder interest—that transfer is legally effective without any formal action by the tenant, and a tenant who pays rent to the original owner before being notified of the transfer is protected from any legal harm resulting from that payment.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.100 should be aware that when ownership or rental income rights are transferred to a new party, the transfer is valid without requiring the tenant to formally acknowledge the new owner. However, compliant operators generally provide timely written notice to tenants when a conveyance occurs, since tenants who pay rent to the prior owner before receiving notice are legally protected from liability for those payments. Landlords who wish a tenant to recognize a new party as their landlord typically ensure that either the landlord's consent is documented or a court judgment supports the change, as unauthorized attornments are void under this statute.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.100, tenants have meaningful protections when property ownership changes hands. If a tenant pays rent to the original landlord before receiving notice of a transfer or conveyance, the statute explicitly shields that tenant from suffering any legal damage as a result of that payment. Tenants who are pressured to recognize a new landlord without their original landlord's consent or a court order may have grounds to challenge that arrangement, and consulting a tenant-rights organization or legal aid service can help clarify available options under this provision.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 19, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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