Commercial Leases

Our experienced and knowledgeable Commercial Property department can assist you, your business or your pension scheme - whether as landlord or tenant - in either granting or taking a lease of shops, offices, factories, warehouses or other commercial property.

The Process of Granting or Taking a Lease of Commercial Property

Leases are a complex area and we will, in particular, advise you on the following aspects of the transaction:

When Acting for Landlord

• The need for guarantors or a rent deposit
• The term of the lease
• The rent and rent reviews
• The tenant’s liability for repair and decoration of the property
• Your liability for repair of the remainder of property
• Your responsibility for insuring the property
• The need for service charges
• The effect of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 and your right to recover possession of the property at the end of the term

When Acting for Tenant

• The term of the lease and the benefit of break clauses
• The rent and rent reviews
• The permitted use of the property
• Your liability for repair and decoration of the property
• The landlord’s liability for repair of the remainder of property
• Your liability for the cost of insuring the property
• Your liability for service charges
• Your right to make alterations to the property
• Your right to assign the lease or sub-let the property
• Your liability for repair or reinstating the property at the end of the term
• The effect of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 and your right to renew the lease at the end of the term
• Your liability for Stamp Duty Land Tax
• The need to register the lease at the Land Registry

Related Landlord and Tenant Matters

We can also assist you with the following matters in this complicated area:

• Licences to assign, for change of use or alterations to the property
• The exercise of break clauses and surrender of leases
• The service of notices and protection of rights under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954

How to proceed?

At the outset of any transaction we would like to meet with you at the earliest possible opportunity so that we can best understand your specific needs and requirements. Once we have clearly understood these, we can give you an indication of the likely timescales and expense involved. We have many years of experience of acting for both landlords and tenants and will be able to give you a realistic estimate of both of these at the beginning of your transaction. 

We are conscious of the need to provide a commercial, proactive and cost effective service to you, whilst not losing sight of the need to address the detail inherent in most landlord and tenant matters.