RENT-ROLL. A roll of the rents due to a particular person or public body. See Rental¹.

RENTAL. A roll or list of the rents of an estate containing the description of the lands let, the names of the tenants³, and other particulars connected with such estate. This is the same as rent roll, from which it is said to be corrupted⁴.

RENTE. In the French funds this word is nearly synonymous with our word annuity⁵.

RENTE FONCIERE. This is a technical phrase used in Louisiana. It is a rent which issues out of land, and it is of its essence that it be perpetual, for if it be made but for a limited time, it is a lease. It may, however, be extinguished. Civ. Code of Lo. art. 2750, 2759; Poth. h. t. Vide Ground-rent.

RENTE VIAGERE, French law. This term, which is used in Louisiana, signifies an annuity for life. Civ. Code of Lo. art. 2764; Poth. Du Contract de Constitution de Rente, n. 215.

RENUNCIATION. The act of giving up a right.

2. It is a rule of law that any one may renounce⁶ a right which the law has established in his favor. To this maxim⁷ there are many limitations. A party may always renounce an acquired right; as, for example, to take lands by descent; but one cannot always give up a future right, before it has accrued⁸, nor to the benefit conferred by law, although such advantage may be introduced only for the benefit of individuals.

3. For example, the power of making a will; the right of annulling⁹ a future contract, on the ground of fraud; and the right of pleading the act of limitations, cannot be renounced¹⁰. The first, because the party must be left free to make a will or not; and the latter two, because the right has not yet accrued.

4. This term is usually employed to signify the abdication¹¹ or giving up of one's country at the time of choosing another. The act of congress requires from a foreigner who applies to become naturalized a renunciation of all allegiance and fidelity¹² to any foreign prince, potentate¹³, state or sovereignty, whereof such alien may, at the time, be a citizen or subject. See Citizen; Expatriation; Naturalization; To renounce.

REPAIRS. That work which is done to an estate to keep it in good order.

2. What a party is bound to do, when the law imposes upon him the duty to make necessary repairs, does not appear to be very accurately¹⁴ defined. Natural and unavoidable decay in the buildings must always be allowed for when there is no express covenant¹⁵ to the contrary; and it seems, the lessee¹⁶ will satisfy the obligation the law imposes on him, by delivering the premises¹⁷ at the expiration¹⁸ of his tenancy, in a habitable state. Questions in relation to repairs most frequently arise between the landlord and tenant².

3. When there is no express agreement between the parties, the tenant is always required to do the necessary repairs. Woodf. L. & T. 244: Arch. L. & T. 188. He is therefore bound to put in windows or doors that have been broken by him, so as to prevent any decay of the premises, but he is not required to put a new room on an old worn out house. 2 Esp. N. P. C. 590.

4. An express covenant on the part of the lessee to keep a house in repair, and leave it in as good a plight¹⁹ as it was when the lease was made, does not bind²⁰ him to repair the ordinary and natural decay. Woodf. L. & T. 256. And it has been held that such a covenant does not bind him to rebuild a house which had been destroyed by a public enemy. 1 Dall. 210.

5. As to the time when the repairs are to be made, it would seem reasonable that when the lessor is bound to make them he should have the right to enter and make them, when a delay until after the expiration of the lease would be injurious to the estate: but when no such damage exists, the landlord should have no right to enter without the consent of the tenant. See 18 Toull. n. 297. When a house has been destroyed by accidental fire, neither the tenant nor the landlord is bound to rebuild unless obliged by some agreement so to do. 4 Paige R. 355; 1 T. R. 708; Fonbl. Eq. B. 1, c. 6, s. S. Vide 6 T. R. 650; 4 Camp. R. 275; Harr. Dig. Covenant VII. Vide Com. Rep. 627; 6 T. R. 650; 21 Show. 401; 3. Ves. Jr. 34; Co. Litt., 27 a, note 1; 3 John. R. 44; 6 Mass. R. 63; Platt on Cov. 266; Com. L. & T. 200; Com. Dig. Condition, L 12; Civil Code of Louis. 2070; 1 Saund. 322, n. 1; Id. 323, n. 7; 2 Saund, 158 b, n. 7 & 10; Bouv. Inst. Index. h. t.