Owner occupier
When the owner of a building also resides in it, they are referred to as the ‘owner occupier’.
An owner occupier may be the sole resident of a house. But if the property is part rented, the owner occupier will live alongside the tenant (who is an occupier) and will usually be paid rent by the tenant or tenants. In this case, the owner occupier is also the landlord and must assume the usual responsibilities and duties expected of a landlord, assuming that both are party to a rental contract (eg assured shorthold tenancy).
The same applies to flats: if the owner lives in the property, they are considered the owner occupier. It is immaterial whether the owner occupier has a mortgage and owes money on the property: they are still regarded as the property owner and therefore the owner occupier.
In theory, a company or corporation may also be an owner occupier. For example, in the case of an office building, the owner may use the entire building as offices. Or, they may occupy a section of the building and rent out the remaining floorspace to other companies (who are regarded as being tenants and occupiers). In both cases, the owner is also the owner occupier.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Costs and insolvencies mount for SMEs, despite growth
Construction sector under insolvency and wage bill pressure in part linked to National Insurance, says report.
The place for vitrified clay pipes in modern infrastructure
Why vitrified clay pipes are reclaiming their role in built projects.
Research by construction PR consultancy LMC published.
Roles and responsibilities of domestic clients
ACA Safety in Construction guide for domestic clients.
Fire door compliance in UK commercial buildings
Architect and manufacturer gives their low down.
Plumbing and heating for sustainability in new properties
Technical Engineer runs through changes in regulations, innovations in materials, and product systems.
Awareness of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
What CBAM is and what to do about it.
The new towns and strategic environmental assessments
12 locations of the New Towns Taskforce reduced to 7 within the new towns draft programme and open consultation.
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.