40 The landlord for the purposes of this Chapter.E+W
(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.