Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 (c. 28)

(The document as of February, 2008)

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(a) such amount as may be determined by a leasehold valuation tribunal to be the price which would be payable in respect of that interest in accordance with Schedule 6 if the interest were being acquired in pursuance of such a notice as is mentioned in subsection (1)(b); and

(b) any amounts or estimated amounts determined by such a tribunal as being, at the time of execution of the conveyance, due to the transferor from any tenants of his of premises comprised in the premises in which that interest subsists (whether due under or in respect of their leases or under or in respect of agreements collateral thereto).

(6) Where any interest is vested in any person or persons in accordance with this section, the payment into court of the appropriate sum in respect of that interest shall be taken to have satisfied any claims against the applicants for the vesting order under section 26(1), their personal representatives or assigns in respect of the price payable under this Chapter for the acquisition of that interest.

(7) Where any interest is so vested in any person or persons, section 32(5) shall apply in relation to his or their acquisition of that interest as it applies in relation to the acquisition of any interest by a nominee purchaser.

Termination of acquisition procedures

28 Withdrawal from acquisition by participating tenants

(1) At any time before a binding contract is entered into in pursuance of the initial notice, the participating tenants may withdraw that notice by the giving of a notice to that effect under this section ("a notice of withdrawal").

(2) A notice of withdrawal must be given--

(a) to the nominee purchaser;

(b) to the reversioner in respect of the specified premises; and

(c) to every other relevant landlord who is known or believed by the participating tenants to have given to the nominee purchaser a notice under paragraph 7(1) or (4) of Schedule 1;

and, if by virtue of paragraph (c) a notice of withdrawal falls to be given to any person falling within that paragraph, it shall state that he is a recipient of the notice.

(3) The nominee purchaser shall, on receiving a notice of withdrawal, give a copy of it to every relevant landlord who--

(a) has given to the nominee purchaser such a notice as is mentioned in subsection (2)(c); and

(b) is not stated in the notice of withdrawal to be a recipient of it.

(4) Where a notice of withdrawal is given by the participating tenants under subsection (1)--

(a) those persons, and

(b) (subject to subsection (5)) every other person who is not a participating tenant for the time being but has at any time been such a tenant,

shall be liable--

(i) to the reversioner, and

(ii) to every other relevant landlord,

for all relevant costs incurred by him in pursuance of the initial notice down to the time when the notice of withdrawal or a copy of it is given to him in accordance with subsection (2) or (3).

(5) A person falling within paragraph (b) of subsection (4) shall not be liable for any costs by virtue of that subsection if--

(a) the lease in respect of which he was a participating tenant has been assigned to another person; and

(b) that other person has become a participating tenant in accordance with section 14(4);

and in paragraph (a) above the reference to an assignment shall be construed in accordance with section 14(10).

(6) Where any liability for costs arises under subsection (4)--

(a) it shall be a joint and several liability of the persons concerned; and

(b) the nominee purchaser shall not be liable for any costs under section 33.

(7) In subsection (4) "relevant costs", in relation to the reversioner or any other relevant landlord, means costs for which the nominee purchaser would (apart from subsection (6)) be liable to that person under section 33.

29 Deemed withdrawal of initial notice

(1) Where, in a case falling within paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of section 22--

(a) no application for an order under that subsection is made within the period specified in subsection (2) of that section, or

(b) such an application is so made but is subsequently withdrawn,

the initial notice shall be deemed to have been withdrawn--

(i) (if paragraph (a) above applies) at the end of that period, or

(ii) (if paragraph (b) above applies) on the date of the withdrawal of the application.

(2) Where--

(a) in a case to which subsection (1) of section 24 applies, no application under that subsection is made within the period specified in subsection (2) of that section, or

(b) in a case to which subsection (3) of that section applies, no application for an order under subsection (4) of that section is made within the period specified in subsection (5) of that section,

the initial notice shall be deemed to have been withdrawn at the end of the period referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) above (as the case may be).

(3) Where, in a case falling within paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (1) of section 25, no application for an order under that subsection is made within the period specified in subsection (4) of that section, the initial notice shall be deemed to have been withdrawn at the end of that period.

(4) Where, in a case to which subsection (5) of section 25 applies, no application for an order under subsection (6) of that section is made within the period specified in subsection (7) of that section, the initial notice shall be deemed to have been withdrawn at the end of that period.

(5) The following provisions, namely--

(a) section 15(10),

(b) section 16(8),

(d) section 24(4)(c), and

(e) section 25(6)(c),

also make provision for a notice under section 13 to be deemed to have been withdrawn at a particular time.

(6) Where the initial notice is deemed to have been withdrawn at any time by virtue of any provision of this Chapter, subsections (4) and (5) of section 28 shall apply for the purposes of this section in like manner as they apply where a notice of withdrawal is given under that section, but as if the reference in subsection (4) of that section to the time when a notice or copy is given as there mentioned were a reference to the time when the initial notice is so deemed to have been withdrawn.

(7) Where the initial notice is deemed to have been withdrawn by virtue of section 15(10) or 16(8)--

(a) the liability for costs arising by virtue of subsection (6) above shall be a joint and several liability of the persons concerned; and

(b) the nominee purchaser shall not be liable for any costs under section 33.

(8) In the provisions applied by subsection (6), "relevant costs", in relation to the reversioner or any other relevant landlord, means costs for which the nominee purchaser is, or would (apart from subsection (7)) be, liable to that person under section 33.

30 Effect on initial notice or subsequent contract of institution of compulsory acquisition procedures

(1) A notice given under section 13 shall be of no effect if on the relevant date--

(a) any acquiring authority has, with a view to the acquisition of the whole or part of the specified premises for any authorised purpose--

(i) served notice to treat on any relevant person, or

(ii) entered into a contract for the purchase of the interest of any such person in the premises or part of them, and

(b) the notice to treat or contract remains in force.

(2) In subsection (1) "relevant person", in relation to the specified premises, means--

(a) the person who owns the freehold of the premises; or

(b) any other person who owns any leasehold interest in the premises which is specified in the initial notice under section 13(3)(c)(i).

(3) A notice given under section 13 shall not specify under subsection (3)(a)(ii) or (c)(i) of that section any property or leasehold interest in property if on the relevant date--

(a) any acquiring authority has, with a view to the acquisition of the whole or part of the property for any authorised purpose--

(i) served notice to treat on the person who owns the freehold of, or any such leasehold interest in, the property, or

(ii) entered into a contract for the purchase of the interest of any such person in the property or part of it, and

(b) the notice to treat or contract remains in force.

(4) A notice given under section 13 shall cease to have effect if, before a binding contract is entered into in pursuance of the notice, any acquiring authority serves, with a view to the acquisition of the whole or part of the specified premises for any authorised purpose, notice to treat as mentioned in subsection (1)(a).

(5) Where any such authority so serves notice to treat at any time after a binding contract is entered into in pursuance of the notice given under section 13 but before completion of the acquisition by the nominee purchaser under this Chapter, then (without prejudice to the general law as to the frustration of contracts) the parties to the contract shall be discharged from the further performance of the contract.

(6) Where subsection (4) or (5) applies in relation to the initial notice or any contract entered into in pursuance of it, then on the occasion of the compulsory acquisition in question the compensation payable in respect of any interest in the specified premises (whether or not the one to which the relevant notice to treat relates) shall be determined on the basis of the value of the interest--

(a) (if subsection (4) applies) subject to and with the benefit of the rights and obligations arising from the initial notice and affecting that interest; or

(b) (if subsection (5) applies) subject to and with the benefit of the rights and obligations arising from the contract and affecting that interest.

(7) In this section--

(a) "acquiring authority", in relation to the specified premises or any other property, means any person or body of persons who has or have been, or could be, authorised to acquire the whole or part of those premises or that property compulsorily for any purpose; and

(b) "authorised purpose", in relation to any acquiring authority, means any such purpose.

31 Effect on initial notice of designation for inheritance tax purposes and applications for designation

(1) A notice given under section 13 shall be of no effect if on the relevant date the whole or any part of--

(a) the specified premises, or

(b) any property specified in the notice under section 13(3)(a)(ii),

is qualifying property.

(2) For the purposes of this section the whole or any part of the specified premises, or of any property specified as mentioned in subsection (1), is qualifying property if--

(a) it has been designated under section 31(1)(b), (c) or (d) of the [1984 c. 51.] Inheritance Tax Act 1984 (designation and undertakings relating to conditionally exempt transfers), whether with or without any other property, and no chargeable event has subsequently occurred with respect to it; or

(b) an application to the Board for it to be so designated is pending; or

(c) it is the property of a body not established or conducted for profit and a direction has been given in relation to it under section 26 of that Act (gifts for public benefit), whether with or without any other property; or

(d) an application to the Board for a direction to be so given in relation to it is pending.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (2) an application is pending as from the time when it is made to the Board until such time as it is either granted or refused by the Board or withdrawn by the applicant; and for this purpose an application shall not be regarded as made unless and until the applicant has submitted to the Board all such information in support of the application as is required by the Board.

(4) A notice given under section 13 shall cease to have effect if, before a binding contract is entered into in pursuance of the notice, the whole or any part of--

(a) the specified premises, or

(b) any property specified in the notice under section 13(3)(a)(ii),

becomes qualifying property.

(5) Where a notice under section 13 ceases to have effect by virtue of subsection (4) above--

(a) the nominee purchaser shall not be liable for any costs under section 33; and

(b) the person who applied or is applying for designation or a direction shall be liable--

(i) to the qualifying tenants by whom the notice was given for all reasonable costs incurred by them in the preparation and giving of the notice; and

(ii) to the nominee purchaser for all reasonable costs incurred in pursuance of the notice by him or by any other person who has acted as the nominee purchaser.

(6) Where it is claimed that subsection (1) or (4) applies in relation to a notice under section 13, the person making the claim shall, at the time of making it, furnish the nominee purchaser with evidence in support of it; and if he fails to do so he shall be liable for any costs which are reasonably incurred by the nominee purchaser in consequence of the failure.

(7) In subsection (2)--

(a) paragraphs (a) and (b) apply to designation under section 34(1)(a), (b) or (c) of the [1975 c. 7.] Finance Act 1975 or section 77(1)(b), (c) or (d) of the [1976 c. 40.] Finance Act 1976 as they apply to designation under section 31(1)(b), (c) or (d) of the [1984 c. 51.] Inheritance Tax Act 1984; and

(b) paragraphs (c) and (d) apply to a direction under paragraph 13 of Schedule 6 to the Finance Act 1975 as they apply to a direction under section 26 of that Act of 1984.

(8) In this section--

"the Board" means the Commissioners of Inland Revenue;
"chargeable event" means--
(a)
any event which in accordance with any provision of Chapter II of Part II of the [1984 c. 51.] Inheritance Tax Act 1984 (exempt transfers) is a chargeable event, including any such provision as applied by section 78(3) of that Act (conditionally exempt occasions); or
(b)
any event which would have been a chargeable event in the circumstances mentioned in section 79(3) of that Act (exemption from ten-yearly charge).

Determination of price and costs of enfranchisement

32 Determination of price

(1) Schedule 6 to this Act (which relates to the determination of the price payable by the nominee purchaser in respect of each of the freehold and other interests to be acquired by him in pursuance of this Chapter) shall have effect.

(2) The lien of the owner of any such interest (as vendor) on the specified premises, or (as the case may be) on any other property, for the price payable shall extend--

(a) to any amounts which, at the time of the conveyance of that interest, are due to him from any tenants of his of premises comprised in the premises in which that interest subsists (whether due under or in respect of their leases or under or in respect of agreements collateral thereto); and

(b) to any amount payable to him by virtue of section 18(2); and

(3) Subsection (2)(a) does not apply in relation to amounts due to the owner of any such interest from tenants of any premises which are to be comprised in the premises demised by a lease granted in accordance with section 36 and Schedule 9.

(4) In subsection (2) the reference to the specified premises or any other property includes a reference to a part of those premises or that property.

(5) Despite the fact that in accordance with Schedule 6 no payment or only a nominal payment is payable by the nominee purchaser in respect of the acquisition by him of any interest he shall nevertheless be deemed for all purposes to be a purchaser of that interest for a valuable consideration in money or money's worth.

33 Costs of enfranchisement

(1) Where a notice is given under section 13, then (subject to the provisions of this section and sections 28(6), 29(7) and 31(5)) the nominee purchaser shall be liable, to the extent that they have been incurred in pursuance of the notice by the reversioner or by any other relevant landlord, for the reasonable costs of and incidental to any of the following matters, namely--

(a) any investigation reasonably undertaken--

(i) of the question whether any interest in the specified premises or other property is liable to acquisition in pursuance of the initial notice, or

(ii) of any other question arising out of that notice;

(b) deducing, evidencing and verifying the title to any such interest;

(d) any valuation of any interest in the specified premises or other property;

(e) any conveyance of any such interest;

but this subsection shall not apply to any costs if on a sale made voluntarily a stipulation that they were to be borne by the purchaser would be void.

(2) For the purposes of subsection (1) any costs incurred by the reversioner or any other relevant landlord in respect of professional services rendered by any person shall only be regarded as reasonable if and to the extent that costs in respect of such services might reasonably be expected to have been incurred by him if the circumstances had been such that he was personally liable for all such costs.

(3) Where by virtue of any provision of this Chapter the initial notice ceases to have effect at any time, then (subject to subsection (4)) the nominee purchaser's liability under this section for costs incurred by any person shall be a liability for costs incurred by him down to that time.

(4) The nominee purchaser shall not be liable for any costs under this section if the initial notice ceases to have effect by virtue of section 23(4) or 30(4).

(5) The nominee purchaser shall not be liable under this section for any costs which a party to any proceedings under this Chapter before a leasehold valuation tribunal incurs in connection with the proceedings.

(6) In this section references to the nominee purchaser include references to any person whose appointment has terminated in accordance with section 15(3) or 16(1); but this section shall have effect in relation to such a person subject to section 15(7).

(7) Where by virtue of this section, or of this section and section 29(6) taken together, two or more persons are liable for any costs, they shall be jointly and severally liable for them.

Completion of acquisition

34 Conveyance to nominee purchaser

(1) Any conveyance executed for the purposes of this Chapter, being a conveyance to the nominee purchaser of the freehold of the specified premises or of any other property, shall grant to the nominee purchaser an estate in fee simple absolute in those premises or that property, subject only to such incumbrances as may have been agreed or determined under this Chapter to be incumbrances subject to which that estate should be granted, having regard to the following provisions of this Chapter.

(2) Any such conveyance shall, where the nominee purchaser is to acquire any leasehold interest in the specified premises or (as the case may be) in the other property to which the conveyance relates, provide for the disposal to the nominee purchaser of any such interest.

(3) Any conveyance executed for the purposes of this Chapter shall have effect under section 2(1) of the [1925 c. 20.] Law of Property Act 1925 (conveyances overreaching certain equitable interests etc.) to overreach any incumbrance capable of being overreached under section 2(1)--

(a) as if, where the interest conveyed is settled land for the purposes of the [1925 c. 18.] Settled Land Act 1925, the conveyance were made under the powers of that Act, and

(b) as if the requirements of section 2(1) as to payment of the capital money allowed any part of the purchase price paid or applied in accordance with section 35 below or Schedule 8 to this Act to be so paid or applied.

(4) For the purposes of this section "incumbrances" includes--

(a) rentcharges, and

(b) (subject to subsection (5)) personal liabilities attaching in respect of the ownership of land or an interest in land though not charged on that land or interest.

(5) Burdens originating in tenure, and burdens in respect of the upkeep or regulation for the benefit of any locality of any land, building, structure, works, ways or watercourse shall not be treated as incumbrances for the purposes of this section; but any conveyance executed for the purposes of this Chapter shall be made subject to any such burdens.

(6) A conveyance executed for the purposes of this Chapter shall not be made subject to any incumbrance capable of being overreached by the conveyance, but shall be made subject (where they are not capable of being overreached) to--

(a) rentcharges redeemable under sections 8 to 10 of the [1977 c. 30.] Rentcharges Act 1977, and

(b) those falling within paragraphs (c) and (d) of section 2(3) of that Act (estate rentcharges and rentcharges imposed under certain enactments),

except as otherwise provided by subsections (7) and (8) below.

(7) Where any land is to be conveyed to the nominee purchaser by a conveyance executed for the purposes of this Chapter, subsection (6) shall not preclude the person who owns the freehold interest in the land from releasing, or procuring the release of, the land from any rentcharge.

(8) The conveyance of any such land ("the relevant land") may, with the agreement of the nominee purchaser (which shall not be unreasonably withheld), provide in accordance with section 190(1) of the [1925 c. 20.] Law of Property Act 1925 (charging of rentcharges on land without rent owner's consent) that a rentcharge--

(a) shall be charged exclusively on other land affected by it in exoneration of the relevant land, or

(b) shall be apportioned between other land affected by it and the relevant land.

(9) Except to the extent that any departure is agreed to by the nominee purchaser and the person whose interest is to be conveyed, any conveyance executed for the purposes of this Chapter shall--

(a) as respects the conveyance of any freehold interest, conform with the provisions of Schedule 7, and

(b) as respects the conveyance of any leasehold interest, conform with the provisions of paragraph 2 of that Schedule (any reference in that paragraph to the freeholder being read as a reference to the person whose leasehold interest is to be conveyed).

(10) Any such conveyance shall in addition contain a statement that it is a conveyance executed for the purposes of this Chapter; and any such statement shall comply with such requirements as may be prescribed by rules made in pursuance of section 144 of the [1925 c. 21.] Land Registration Act 1925 (power to make general rules).

35 Discharge of existing mortgages on transfer to nominee purchaser

(1) Subject to the provisions of Schedule 8, where any interest is acquired by the nominee purchaser in pursuance of this Chapter, the conveyance by virtue of which it is so acquired shall, as regards any mortgage to which this section applies, be effective by virtue of this section--

(a) to discharge the interest from the mortgage, and from the operation of any order made by a court for the enforcement of the mortgage, and

(b) to extinguish any term of years created for the purposes of the mortgage,

and shall do so without the persons entitled to or interested in the mortgage or in any such order or term of years becoming parties to or executing the conveyance.

(2) Subject to subsections (3) and (4), this section applies to any mortgage of the interest so acquired (however created or arising) which--

(a) is a mortgage to secure the payment of money or the performance of any other obligation by the person from whom the interest is so acquired or any other person; and

(b) is not a mortgage which would be overreached apart from this section.

(3) This section shall not apply to any such mortgage if it has been agreed between the nominee purchaser and the reversioner or (as the case may be) any other relevant landlord that the interest in question should be acquired subject to the mortgage.

(4) In this section and Schedule 8 "mortgage" includes a charge or lien; but neither this section nor that Schedule applies to a rentcharge.

36 Nominee purchaser required to grant leases back to former freeholder in certain circumstances

(1) In connection with the acquisition by him of the freehold of the specified premises, the nominee purchaser shall grant to the person from whom the freehold is acquired such leases of flats or other units contained in those premises as are required to be so granted by virtue of Part II or III of Schedule 9.

(2) Any such lease shall be granted so as to take effect immediately after the acquisition by the nominee purchaser of the freehold of the specified premises.

(3) Where any flat or other unit demised under any such lease ("the relevant lease") is at the time of that acquisition subject to any existing lease, the relevant lease shall take effect as a lease of the freehold reversion in respect of the flat or other unit.

(4) Part IV of Schedule 9 has effect with respect to the terms of a lease granted in pursuance of Part II or III of that Schedule.

37 Acquisition of interests from local authorities etc

Schedule 10 to this Act (which makes provision with respect to the acquisition of interests from local authorities etc. in pursuance of this Chapter) shall have effect.

Supplemental

38 Interpretation of Chapter I

(1) In this Chapter (unless the context otherwise requires)--

"conveyance" includes assignment, transfer and surrender, and related expressions shall be construed accordingly;
"the initial notice" means the notice given under section 13;
"the nominee purchaser" shall be construed in accordance with section 15;
"the participating tenants" shall be construed in accordance with section 14;
"premises with a resident landlord" shall be construed in accordance with section 10;
"public sector landlord" means any of the persons listed in section 171(2) of the [1985 c. 68.] Housing Act 1985;
"qualifying tenant" shall be construed in accordance with section 5;
"the relevant date" has the meaning given by section 1(8);
"relevant landlord" and "the reversioner" shall be construed in accordance with section 9;
"the right to collective enfranchisement" means the right specified in section 1(1);
"secure tenancy" has the meaning given by section 79 of the Housing Act 1985;
"the specified premises" shall be construed in accordance with section 13(12);
"the terms of acquisition" has the meaning given by section 24(8);
"unit" means--
(a)
a flat;
(b)
any other separate set of premises which is constructed or adapted for use for the purposes of a dwelling; or
(c)
a separate set of premises let, or intended for letting, on a business lease.

(2) Any reference in this Chapter (however expressed) to the acquisition or proposed acquisition by the nominee purchaser is a reference to the acquisition or proposed acquisition by the nominee purchaser, on behalf of the participating tenants, of such freehold and other interests as fall to be so acquired under a contract entered into in pursuance of the initial notice.

(3) Any reference in this Chapter to the interest of a relevant landlord in the specified premises is a reference to the interest in those premises by virtue of which he is, in accordance with section 9(2)(b), a relevant landlord.

(4) Any reference in this Chapter to agreement in relation to all or any of the terms of acquisition is a reference to agreement subject to contract.

Chapter II Individual right of tenant of flat to acquire new lease

Preliminary

39 Right of qualifying tenant of flat to acquire new lease

(1) This Chapter has effect for the purpose of conferring on a tenant of a flat, in the circumstances mentioned in subsection (2), the right, exercisable subject to and in accordance with this Chapter, to acquire a new lease of the flat on payment of a premium determined in accordance with this Chapter.

(2) Those circumstances are that on the relevant date for the purposes of this Chapter--

(a) the tenant is a qualifying tenant of the flat; and

(b) the tenant has occupied the flat as his only or principal home--

(i) for the last three years, or

(ii) for periods amounting to three years in the last ten years,

whether or not he has used it also for other purposes.

(3) The following provisions, namely--

(a) section 5 (with the omission of subsections (5) and (6)),

(b) section 7, and

shall apply for the purposes of this Chapter as they apply for the purposes of Chapter I; and references in this Chapter to a qualifying tenant of a flat shall accordingly be construed by reference to those provisions.

(4) For the purposes of this Chapter a person can be (or be among those constituting) the qualifying tenant of each of two or more flats at the same time, whether he is tenant of those flats under one lease or under two or more separate leases.

(5) For the purposes of subsection (2)(b) above--

(a) any reference to the tenant's flat includes a reference to part of it; and

(b) it is immaterial whether at any particular time the tenant's occupation was in right of the lease by virtue of which he is a qualifying tenant or in right of some other lease or otherwise;

but any occupation by a company or other artificial person, or (where the tenant is a corporation sole) by the corporator, shall not be regarded as occupation for the purposes of that provision.

(6) In the case of a lease held by joint tenants--

(a) the condition in subsection (2)(b) need only be satisfied with respect to one of the joint tenants; and

(b) subsection (5) shall apply accordingly (the reference to the lease by virtue of which the tenant is a qualifying tenant being read for this purpose as a reference to the lease by virtue of which the joint tenants are a qualifying tenant).

(7) The right conferred by this Chapter on a tenant to acquire a new lease shall not extend to underlying minerals comprised in his existing lease if--

(a) the landlord requires the minerals to be excepted, and

(b) proper provision is made for the support of the premises demised by that existing lease as they are enjoyed on the relevant date.

(8) In this Chapter "the relevant date", in relation to a claim by a tenant under this Chapter, means the date on which notice of the claim is given to the landlord under section 42.

40 The landlord for the purposes of this Chapter

(1) In this Chapter "the landlord", in relation to the lease held by a qualifying tenant of a flat, means the person who is the owner of that interest in the flat which for the time being fulfils the following conditions, namely--

(a) it is an interest in reversion expectant (whether immediately or not) on the termination of the tenant's lease, and

(b) it is either a freehold interest or a leasehold interest whose duration is such as to enable that person to grant a new lease of that flat in accordance with this Chapter,

and is not itself expectant (whether immediately or not) on an interest which fulfils those conditions.

(2) Where in accordance with subsection (1) the immediate landlord under the lease of a qualifying tenant of a flat is not the landlord in relation to that lease for the purposes of this Chapter, the person who for those purposes is the landlord in relation to it shall conduct on behalf of all the other landlords all proceedings arising out of any notice given by the tenant with respect to the flat under section 42 (whether the proceedings are for resisting or giving effect to the claim in question).

(3) Subsection (2) has effect subject to the provisions of Schedule 11 to this Act (which makes provision in relation to the operation of this Chapter in cases to which that subsection applies).

(4) In this section and that Schedule--

(a) "the tenant" means any such qualifying tenant as is referred to in subsection (2) and "the tenant's lease" means the lease by virtue of which he is a qualifying tenant;

(b) "the competent landlord" means the person who, in relation to the tenant's lease, is the landlord (as defined by subsection (1)) for the purposes of this Chapter;

(c) "other landlord" means any person (other than the tenant or a trustee for him) in whom there is vested a concurrent tenancy intermediate between the interest of the competent landlord and the tenant's lease.

(5) Schedule 2 (which makes provision with respect to certain special categories of landlords) has effect for the purposes of this Chapter.

Preliminary inquiries by qualifying tenant

41 Right of qualifying tenant to obtain information about superior interests etc

(1) A qualifying tenant of a flat may give--

(a) to his immediate landlord, or

(b) to any person receiving rent on behalf of his immediate landlord,

a notice requiring the recipient to state whether the immediate landlord is the owner of the freehold interest in the flat and, if not, to give the tenant such information as is mentioned in subsection (2) (so far as known to the recipient).

(2) That information is--

(a) the name and address of the person who owns the freehold interest in the flat;

(b) the duration of the leasehold interest in the flat of the tenant's immediate landlord and the extent of the premises in which it subsists; and

(c) the name and address of every person who has a leasehold interest in the flat which is superior to that of the tenant's immediate landlord, the duration of any such interest and the extent of the premises in which it subsists.

(3) If the immediate landlord of any such qualifying tenant is not the owner of the freehold interest in the flat, the tenant may also--

(a) give to the person who is the owner of that interest a notice requiring him to give the tenant such information as is mentioned in paragraph (c) of subsection (2) (so far as known to that person);

(b) give to any person falling within that paragraph a notice requiring him to give the tenant--

(i) particulars of the duration of his leasehold interest in the flat and the extent of the premises in which it subsists, and

(ii) (so far as known to him) such information as is mentioned in paragraph (a) of that subsection and, as regards any other person falling within paragraph (c) of that subsection, such information as is mentioned in that paragraph.

(4) Any notice given by a qualifying tenant under this section shall, in addition to any other requirement imposed in accordance with subsections (1) to (3), require the recipient to state--

(a) whether he has received in respect of any premises containing the tenant's flat--

(i) a notice under section 13 in the case of which the relevant claim under Chapter I is still current, or

(ii) a copy of such a notice; and

(b) if so, the date on which the notice under section 13 was given and the name and address of the nominee purchaser for the time being appointed for the purposes of section 15 in relation to that claim.

(5) For the purposes of subsection (4)--

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