Superior landlord
A superior landlord is the landlord who owns the interest above yours in the property. In a chain like freeholder → head leaseholder → undertenant, the freeholder is the superior landlord of the head leaseholder, and may also be a superior landlord to the undertenant.
From a landlord’s perspective, you are a superior landlord if you grant a lease or tenancy to someone, for example a head tenant or mesne landlord, who then sublets to occupiers. You usually do not deal with the undertenants day to day, but your headlease or head tenancy, and wider housing law, still shape their rights.
Key points for superior landlords:
Your lease terms, about use, subletting, alterations, pets, licensing, limit what the mesne landlord can offer undertenants.
If you forfeit or end the headlease, the undertenants may gain direct rights against you or seek relief, and regulators may still treat you as part of the landlord chain.
Under the Renters’ Rights Act, enforcement action (licensing, standards, rent repayment orders) can look up the chain where a superior landlord has allowed unlawful or dangerous arrangements to continue.
Professional superior landlords monitor compliance by intermediate landlords and ensure the whole chain meets safety, standards and redress obligations.
