Landlady

A landlady is a female owner or manager of rental property who rents space to tenants. The term is the female counterpart to "landlord." In some contexts, a landlady may operate a boarding house or bed-and-breakfast, or she may own single-family rental homes and manage them directly. The term can also imply a person who lives on-site or who acts as a property manager for the owner.

Duties and responsibilities typically include maintaining the premises in habitable condition, ensuring compliance with safety and housing regulations, handling leases or tenancy agreements, collecting rent, managing security deposits, arranging repairs, and addressing tenant concerns. Legal duties about disclosure, habitability, and eviction procedures vary by jurisdiction.

In many countries, tenancy laws establish tenant rights and landlord obligations, such as how deposits are protected, notice periods for entry or eviction, and timelines for repairs. Examples include deposit protection schemes in some places and state or provincial regulations that govern evictions, rent increases, and termination of tenancy.

Usage and language: The term "landlady" is gendered; some contexts continue to use it, while many prefer gender-neutral terms like "landlord" (used generically) or "property owner." In modern usage, the emphasis is typically on the role rather than gender, and many landlords employ professional property management regardless of the owner's gender.

See also: landlord, tenancy, boarding house.