Attornment in United Kingdom

Definition of Attornment

In accordance with the work A Dictionary of Law, this is a description of Attornment :

1. An act by a bailee (See bailment) in possession of goods on behalf of one person acknowledging that he will hold the goods on behalf of someone else. The attornment notionally transfers possession to the other person (constructive possession) and can thus be a delivery of goods sold.

2. (largely historical) A person’s agreement to hold land as the tenant of someone else. Some mortgages provide that the owner of the land attorns tenant of the mortgagee for a period of years that will be terminated when the debt is repaid.