najemc

Najemc is a noun used in several Slavic languages to denote the person who rents or occupies property under a lease agreement—the tenant or lessee. In general usage, a najemc pays rent to the owner or landlord and agrees to abide by the terms of the lease.

Etymology and cognates: the term derives from a root meaning rent or lease, with suffixes commonly used to form agent nouns. Cognate forms include najemca (Polish), nájemce (Czech and Slovak), and najemnik or najemac (Croatian, Bosnian, and Serbian), all referring to a person who rents property. The precise spelling and gender forms vary by language and dialect.

Usage in law and housing: in a tenancy or rental contract, the najemc is typically a party to the agreement and bears duties such as paying rent, maintaining the premises, and complying with rules set forth in the lease. Responsibilities and remedies for breach can differ by jurisdiction, including late fees, eviction procedures, and subletting restrictions. The landlord is the corresponding party who owns the property and collects rent.

Variants and regional notes: the exact form of the term depends on language and orthography, with diacritics common in Czech, Slovak, Polish, and other Slavic languages. In English-language texts, the analogous term is usually tenant or lessee, rather than najemc.

See also: tenant, lease, rent, tenancy law, landlord.