Ky. Rev. Stat. ch. 383 § 383.180
Conveyance of greater estate than owned, and assignment of tenancy --
Operative Text
383.180 Conveyance of greater estate than owned, and assignment of tenancy -- Effect. (1) A conveyance made by a tenant for years, purporting to grant a greater estate than he has, shall not work a forfeiture of his estate, but shall pass to the grantee all the estate which the tenant could lawfully convey. (2) Unless the landlord consents thereto in writing, every assignment, or transfer of his term or interests in the premises, or any portion thereof, by a tenant at will or by sufferance, or one who has a term less than two (2) years, shall operate as a forfeiture to the landlord. The landlord, after having given the occupant ten (10) days' written notice to quit, may reenter and take possession, or may, by writ of forcible entry or detainer, or the proper procedure, recover possession of the premises from any occupant.
Kentucky Revised Statute § 383.180 addresses two related situations involving tenants who transfer or convey their interest in a rental property. First, if a tenant with a fixed-term lease attempts to transfer more rights than they actually hold, the transfer is not void — it simply passes along whatever rights the tenant legitimately had, without causing the tenant to lose their own lease. Second, if a tenant-at-will, a tenant-at-sufferance, or a tenant with a lease of less than two years assigns or transfers their interest without the landlord's written consent, that transfer is treated as a forfeiture of the tenancy, allowing the landlord to reclaim the property after providing ten days' written notice to vacate.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.180, landlords who wish to control whether their tenants can transfer or assign a tenancy should ensure that any consent to such an arrangement is documented in writing. When a tenant-at-will, tenant-at-sufferance, or short-term tenant (with a lease under two years) assigns their interest without that written consent, compliant operators typically serve a proper ten-day written notice to quit before pursuing re-entry or a writ of forcible entry or detainer. Maintaining clear written records of any approved or denied assignment requests helps establish the basis for any subsequent possession proceedings.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Ky. Rev. Stat. § 383.180 provides that tenants with fixed-term leases who attempt to transfer more than they own will not automatically lose their tenancy — the transfer simply conveys whatever interest they lawfully held. However, tenants renting month-to-month, at sufferance, or under a lease shorter than two years should be aware that transferring or assigning their interest without the landlord's written consent can result in forfeiture of the tenancy and a ten-day notice to vacate. Tenants who believe a forfeiture or eviction proceeding under this statute has been improperly initiated may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid service to understand available options.
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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