ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Estoppel certificate

Estoppel certificate is a document that helps us understand who is responsible for certain things in a building, like maintenance, repairs, or who owes money.

Let's say you own a big building with lots of people renting rooms inside. You (the owner) have a lot of responsibilities to make sure things run smoothly. For example, if someone's plumbing breaks, it's your job to fix it.

But sometimes, you might not know all the details about what's happening within your building. That's where an estoppel certificate comes in.

An estoppel certificate is a piece of paper that renters fill out to explain what's happening within the building. It's like a report card that tells the owner what is happening from the renter's perspective.

The certificate might say things like, "The owner owes money to the plumber for fixing my toilet." Or, "The owner is responsible for fixing the broken window in my room."

By filling out an estoppel certificate, renters are helping make sure the owner knows what their responsibilities are. This helps everyone in the building know who is responsible for what and makes sure everyone is following the rules.