A tenancy in common is a type of ownership arrangement in which two or more people own a specific piece of property, such as a house or a piece of land. Each owner has a separate, undivided interest in the property, and each owner’s interest can be freely transferred or inherited.

In a tenancy in common, each owner has a right to occupy the property and use it in proportion to their ownership interest. For example, if two people own a property as tenants in common, one might own 50% of the property and the other might own 50%. Each owner would have the right to use 50% of the property and would be responsible for paying 50% of the expenses associated with the property, such as property taxes and maintenance costs.

Unlike joint tenancy, where each owner has an equal interest in the property, in a tenancy in common, the owners can have different ownership interests. Additionally, when one owner dies, their interest in the property passes to their heirs or beneficiaries, rather than automatically passing to the surviving owners.