An Owner is anyone who owns land; buildings; or storeys or rooms in buildings, and who is:-

• a freeholder;
• a leaseholder with a lease term, period, or tenure, of more than 1 year;
• a person receiving, or entitled to, the rents or profits from land;
  • except where the rent is a rentcharge or chief rent;
• a purchaser as a freeholder or leaseholder;
• a person, not included above, in possession of land - who is exercising a sufficient degree of physical custody and control on their own behalf, and for their benefit.
  • This could include a squatter in non-residential premises only.

but NOT:-

• a mortgage lender;
• a tenant from year to year, or for a lesser period, or 'at will';

and whose interests would be adversely affected by works. Some rents and profits are fixed annual sums, and value does not vary with the conditon of the land or property.

The Owner who wants to undertake work is usually called the Building Owner, and any Owner affected by the work is usually called an Adjoining Owner.

An Occupier under the Act, is anyone in physical possession of adjoining property, whether or not an Owner.

It can include independent contractors.