Rentee is less commonly used and often refers to the party that takes possession of property or goods under a rental agreement. This term emphasizes the receipt of the service or property. On the other hand, Renter is more widely used and typically refers to the party that rents out property or goods, although it is frequently used interchangeably to also mean the individual or entity that leases property from another. In common usage, "renter" can denote both the person providing the property for rent and the person obtaining the property on rent, depending on the context.
While "rentee" highlights the perspective of the one receiving the service, "renter" is more versatile, serving to describe either party involved in the rental transaction depending on the context. For example, in a car rental scenario, the rentee is the person who rents the car for use, whereas the renter could be either the company renting out the car or the customer, though the latter usage is more common.
The distinction between rentee and renter can sometimes lead to confusion, as "renter" is the more prevalent term in both spoken and written English. This confusion is compounded by the fact that "renter" is often used in legal documents, contracts, and everyday language to refer to the lessee rather than the lessor. On the other hand, "rentee" is rarely used and might be found in more formal or legal contexts to specifically distinguish the party receiving the rental service from the party providing it.
In real estate and property rental markets, "renter" is predominantly the term of choice to describe individuals who lease apartments, houses, or other forms of real estate. The term "rentee" might be used in more specialized contexts or to provide clarity in a legal or formal document where it is important to distinguish between the party renting out the property and the party occupying it.
Educational materials and legal texts may prefer the term "lessee" over "rentee" to describe the party taking possession of the property, and "lessor" for the party renting out the property, aligning with legal terminology. This usage ensures clarity and precision, particularly in contexts where the roles and responsibilities of each party need to be explicitly defined.