Commercial Lease Solicitors
Taking on a commercial lease is a big commitment, carrying significant legal and financial risk for both landlords and tenants alike. Our expert team of commercial lease solicitors have decades of experience helping landlords and tenants secure successful working relationships, ensuring pitfalls are avoided, and fair deals are reached.
At Atkins Hope, our commercial lease solicitors can help both landlords and tenants with all aspects of commercial leases, providing astute and effective commercial lease advice for all types of commercial property across the private and public sectors.
From office blocks to retail units or warehouses, we can advise you on the rules and regulations, your rights and obligations with the issues relating to commercial leases or tenancy agreements. Drafting robust supporting documentation or negotiating the best terms, we will work diligently and proactively to ensure your interests are secured and protected.
Find out more about our expertise with Commercial Conveyancing.
Our commercial lease solicitors can help with matters including:
- Negotiating commercial leases
- Granting commercial leases
- Advice for tenants on the terms of commercial leases
- Commercial lease variations
- Commercial lease assignments
- Terminating a commercial lease
- Commercial lease disputes
Speak to our commercial lease lawyers today
To speak to one of our commercial lease solicitors today, please ring 0208 680 5018 or contact your local Atkins Hope office in Blackheath, Croydon, Medway or Guildford.
To ask a quick question, you can use our simple online enquiry form, and a member of the team will get back to you promptly.
Our commercial lease advice services
Negotiating commercial leases
Whatever side of the fence you are on, whether you’re a landlord or tenant, our specialist commercial lease lawyers will help you negotiate fair terms and draft robust documentation to safeguard your interests.
We can review your lease to spot any issues of concern that may impact your business long term, negotiating break clauses or renegotiating a new deal where one might be needed.
Granting commercial leases
When granting or negotiating commercial leases for tenants or landlords, we work to the stringent standards set out in the RICS Code to ensure your lease will be fair, flexible and transparent.
By working with you from the earliest stage, before the lease is drafted or when you have heads of terms from your landlord, we can take you step by step through the process, helping you effectively plan ahead for the best business outcome. We will review drafts, putting forward any recommendations for amendments or highlighting issues for further negotiation.
Advice for tenants on the terms of commercial leases
Our experienced commercial lease lawyers can assist you with all types of leases no matter what stage you’re at in your business, ensuring you secure the right lease and terms for your current situation and future business plans.
We can help with new commercial leases, commercial lease renewals, commercial lease extensions or commercial lease surrenders, working with you to understand your current business situation, future goals and desired outcomes. We can then advise you on your options and the best strategies in order to secure the terms that are right for you.
Commercial lease variations
Where a lease is in need of an amendment because it is not up to date or needs changing, we can help you with a deed of variation which allows landlords and tenants to agree to vary the terms of their lease.
We can advise and assist you throughout the process, ensuring any unnecessary complications are avoided.
Commercial lease assignments
Most commercial leases contain restrictions on assigning and underletting, so it is important to seek advice from an experienced commercial lease lawyer who will be able to help you review the terms of your lease before leased premises are transferred to another party.
For tenants of commercial premises wanting to assign, sublet, underlet or transfer their lease, we can help you obtain the formal consent needed from your landlord.
Terminating a commercial lease
Our commercial lease solicitors have wide experience in advising landlords and tenants on terminating a commercial lease before or after the expiration date. We can review your lease agreement, explain your options and guide you through all the necessary steps that must be taken in order to lawfully end a lease, so avoiding complications or penalties that could arise.
Whether you are a tenant wishing to end a lease early by surrender or are a landlord wishing to terminate by forfeiture because your tenant has breached the lease, we can help you achieve a rapid resolution.
Commercial lease disputes
If you are a landlord or tenant involved in a dispute over unpaid rent, the condition of the premises or the terms of a lease, our commercial lease disputes solicitors can advise you of your rights and options or help with any further action needed.
By talking to us right away, we can help you analyse and manage the situation effectively and efficiently to resolve matters swiftly by negotiation rather than through lengthy, costly court action.
Find out more about our expertise with Commercial Dispute Resolution.
Commercial lease FAQs
What should be included in a commercial lease?
A commercial lease is a formal contract between a landlord and tenant where commercial premises such as offices or shops are being leased. The commercial lease agreement will typically include:
- Rent amount and period
- Demise
- Date
- Covenants
- Rights reserved
- Rights granted
- Restrictions
- Attestation
- Service charges
- Dilapidations
- Alterations
- Assignment
- Insurance
- Break clauses
How do commercial lease renewals work?
The renewal of a commercial lease can be initiated by either landlord or tenant under provisions made in the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. A landlord can serve a Section 25 Notice, or a tenant can serve a Section 26 Notice. A notice from either landlord or tenant may prompt negotiations or mediation or a Court referral where agreement cannot be reached.
How can you end a commercial lease early?
Ending a lease early will depend on the terms of the lease. Leases that include a break clause allow tenants or landlords to end a lease after a set period of time is up. Where a landlord is willing to negotiate and compromise, a tenant can end a lease early by termination (surrender), transfer (assignment) or subletting (underlease).
What is the difference between a commercial tenancy and a licence to occupy?
A commercial tenancy under a tenancy agreement grants tenants exclusive use of the whole of a property, whereas a licence to occupy will only allow non-exclusive use of all or part of the premises.
Can a commercial tenant make changes to the property?
Commercial leases often include covenants that might restrict or prevent tenants from making alterations. However, tenants will be able to make changes to a property where the lease does not explicitly state otherwise.
A tenant, for example, may wish to make the property fit for purpose, making upgrades or modernisations to adapt it to their business needs. Landlords, on the other hand, will be concerned with protecting and controlling their asset, ensuring the property’s long-term value and its rentability in the future is not adversely affected.
For these reasons, most commercial leases will permit non-structural modifications with the consent of the landlord.
Get in touch with our commercial lease solicitors today
To speak to one of our commercial lease solicitors today, please ring 0208 680 5018 or contact your local Atkins Hope office in Blackheath, Croydon, Medway or Guildford.
To ask a quick question, you can use our simple online enquiry form, and a member of the team will get back to you promptly.
