doctrine of estoppel

The doctrine of estoppel is a legal principle that prevents someone from arguing something contradictory to what they've previously established as true, especially if another person relied on that truth. For example, if a tenant is told by a landlord that rent will not increase, and they make decisions based on that assurance, the landlord cannot later impose a rent increase without violating estoppel. Essentially, it ensures fairness by holding people to their commitments or representations, protecting others from being misled or disadvantaged by sudden changes in position.