(1)For the purposes of this Chapter a qualifying tenant of a flat satisfies the residence condition at any time when the condition specified in subsection (2) is satisfied with respect to him.
(2)That condition is that the tenant has occupied the flat as his only or principal home—
(a)for the last twelve months, or
(b)for periods amounting to three years in the last ten years,
whether or not he has used it also for other purposes.
(3)For the purposes of subsection (2)—
(a)any reference to the tenant’s flat includes a reference to part of it; and
(b)it is immaterial whether at any particular time the tenant’s occupation was in right of the lease by virtue of which he is a qualifying tenant or in right of some other lease or otherwise;
but any occupation by a company or other artificial person, or (where the tenant is a corporation sole) by the corporator, shall not be regarded as occupation for the purposes of that subsection.
(4)In the case of a lease held by joint tenants—
(a)the condition specified in subsection (2) need only be satisfied with respect to one of the joint tenants; and
(b)subsection (3) shall apply accordingly (the reference to the lease by virtue of which the tenant is a qualifying tenant being read for this purpose as a reference to the lease by virtue of which the joint tenants are a qualifying tenant).