---
title: "Subordination — Class A Atlas glossary"
description: "Tenant lease ranks below the landlord's mortgage in the title hierarchy."
canonical: https://classa.info/glossary/subordination
pageType: glossary
lastUpdated: 2026-04-01T00:00:00.000Z
license: "CC BY 4.0 with attribution to Class A Atlas (https://classa.info)."
---

> Tenant lease ranks below the landlord's mortgage in the title hierarchy.

## TL;DR

- Tenant lease ranks below the landlord's mortgage in the title hierarchy.
- Subordination without an SNDA is dangerous: a foreclosure could wipe out the lease.

# Subordination

*Legal · US*

## Short definition

Tenant lease ranks below the landlord's mortgage in the title hierarchy.

## Full definition

Subordination without an SNDA is dangerous: a foreclosure could wipe out the lease. Always negotiate SNDA at lease signing — not when the loan refinances.

## Why this matters for Class A leasing

Subordination is part of the legal vocabulary that institutional [Class A](/glossary/class-a) occupiers, landlords, and advisers use across US markets. Understanding it correctly affects how you read lease documents, model occupancy economics, and benchmark deal terms across cities. Class A Atlas tracks the US definition alongside the global standard so [cross-border](/topics/cross-border-expansion) occupiers can translate quickly.

---

Citation: Source: Class A Atlas (https://classa.info/glossary/subordination), updated 2026-04-01T00:00:00.000Z.