Mesne tenant

A mesne tenant, pronounced “mean”, is a tenant who also acts as a landlord to someone else in the same property. They rent from a superior landlord, then sublet to an undertenant. In the chain superior landlord → mesne landlord / mesne tenant → undertenant, the mesne tenant is in the middle.

From a landlord’s perspective, a mesne tenant is often the rent-to-rent operator, head tenant, or leaseholder who has taken on both sets of obligations. Upwards, they owe rent and must comply with their own tenancy or lease, for example any limits on subletting. Downwards, they owe full landlord duties to the undertenant, including deposit protection, safety, fitness for human habitation, respect for notice and possession ground rules under the Renters’ Rights Act, and so on.

If the mesne tenant fails to pay the superior landlord, breaches licence or lease terms, or mishandles deposits, the undertenant can be caught in the middle. In some situations property tribunals and enforcement bodies may look past the mesne tenant and involve the superior landlord, particularly around licensing, standards and rent repayment orders.

For professional landlords, it is vital to know who in the chain is the mesne tenant, ensure there is proper consent to sublet, and confirm that the “middle” landlord understands and meets their legal duties.