occupier

An occupier is a person who has actual control of a building or parcel of land and uses it, or permits others to use it. Occupiers may or may not be the legal owner. They can include the owner who lives on site (an owner-occupier), a tenant, a licensee, or anyone who effectively governs the premises. The term is widely used in property law and tort law to identify who is responsible for the premises at a given time.

Duties and liability: In many jurisdictions, occupiers owe a duty of care to people who enter the premises as visitors. The scope of this duty depends on the entrant’s status and local law. For example, in the United Kingdom, the Occupiers' Liability Act 1957 obliges occupiers to take reasonable care to keep premises safe for visitors; the 1984 Act extends some protective duties to trespassers in defined circumstances. Other jurisdictions have similar general principles requiring reasonable maintenance and warning of known hazards.

Change of occupancy: The occupier’s status can change when possession is transferred by lease, license, or assignment. Responsibility for maintenance, safety, and supervision may shift accordingly, and third parties such as contractors acting on behalf of the occupier assume related duties during work on the premises.

Other uses: In international law, 'occupier' can refer to the occupying power that controls a territory during an occupation, with specific humanitarian obligations to protected persons.