Hold harmless is defined as a promise in a contract, by one party not to hold the other party responsible if the other party carries out the contract in a way that causes damage to the first party. For example, leases may include a hold harmless clause in which the tenant agrees not to sue the landlord if they are injured due to the landlord's failure to maintain the premises. These clauses are illegal in most residential tenancies, but may be upheld in commercial settings.
[Last updated in March of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]