Commercial Property Solicitors
James Edwards is an experienced commercial property solicitor who will offer you a warm welcome and a free no obligation quotation. We advise both landlords and tenants of commercial properties in relation to all aspects of leases. Our commercial property team can help with leases for all types of properties including warehouses, factories, industrial units, offices, shops, salons, hotels, restaurants, pubs and kitchens.
Recent Customer Review (30 October 2023): ‘James was excellent. Thorough, helpful and very professional throughout. Fees were made clear from the beginning and no hidden extras.’ Read more >
Services for Tenants
- 1. Taking on a new lease
- 2. Transferring (or ‘assigning’) your existing lease
- 3. Renewing your lease
- 4. Buying a business
Give us a call for a free no obligation quotation. We will explain your next steps and break down how much it will cost you. We will usually be able to give you a fixed fee quote for our work.
Services for Landlords
- 1. Granting a commercial lease
- 2. Renewing an existing lease
- 3. Granting a licence to assign, sublet or carry out works
- 4. Rent reviews
Please call for a free no obligation quotation.
Solicitor Negotiating Heads of Terms
For the inexperienced, commercial leases are daunting and complicated documents (60–100 pages is not at all unusual). They are also full of traps for the unwary. A solicitor negotiating heads of terms is crucial. For example, tenants often find themselves having to pay huge amounts in service charges for structural repairs because they were not advised on their lease. Equally, a landlord may not be able to maximise his rental increase on a review because of a poorly drafted lease.
Because we specialise in commercial lease work we are all too familiar with the hidden dangers in leases and the areas that normally need special attention for landlords and tenants alike. Our advice is jargon free and above all practical. Give us a call and see for yourself.
Liability for Structural Repairs
Liability for structural repairs on rented commercial properties can be a complicated area for both landlords and tenants. Most commercial tenants of standalone properties hold full repairing leases making them responsible for all repairs to the building, including its structure. When a commercial tenant is only leasing part of a building, such as an office or industrial unit within a block or estate, they will only be responsible for internal repairs, while the landlord will be liable for structural repairs to the building.
The extent of a tenant’s repair obligations will be laid out in specific clauses in their lease, with many technical terms and phrases used which can make interpretation challenging and contentious. For this reason, disputes between landlords and tenants on the issue of liability for structural repairs will often mean that advice from a specialist commercial property solicitor is necessary for both parties to resolve the matter satisfactorily.
Commercial Lease Questions
Typical Questions a Solicitor Will Answer With Regard to a Commercial Lease:
- Is this commercial lease suitable for my business type?
- Does the lease give me adequate access to the commercial property?
- Are the terms and conditions of the lease fair?
- How can I negotiate better terms in my business lease based on your experience?
- Are the clauses in my commercial lease well drafted and unambiguous?
- How much in service charges could I be asked to pay under this business lease?
- Are the rent increase provisions in my commercial lease fair?
- Are the repairing obligations in my business lease normal?
- How can I end my commercial lease and what is the earliest date that I can terminate the lease and leave the property?
- If the property suits my business what rights do I have under the lease to stay at the property?
