Commercial Landlord and Tenant Services
Landlord and tenant law is a complex area, particularly when dealing with commercial property as the parties are entering into a legal binding contract, often for many years with onerous obligations on both sides.
Unlike residential tenants, commercial tenants are not afforded the same protections, as they are considered to have equal bargaining power with the landlord. Without the benefit of legal advice tenants can often find themselves with an onerous lease leading to costly repairing obligations, unreasonable service charges, and without the ability to terminate the lease early. Unrepresented tenants can also find themselves renting a property which does not have the correct planning permission for the tenant's intended use, preventing them from undertaking their business but still being liable to the landlord for the rent.
Likewise, landlords can inadvertently grant a lease without adequate protections for example, the right to increase the rent during the lease term, the right to forfeit the lease in the absence of non-payment of rent by the tenant, or without the inclusion of a guarantor to cover any payments the tenant fails to make. These are just a handful of pitfalls an unknowing landlord can fall into during the lease term.
Scenarios such as this can be very costly for both landlords and tenants should a dispute arise. Seeking legal advice at the outset is therefore imperative for both parties to not only ensure the lease terms are in the party's interest but to carry out searches against the property to reveal matters which could impact the tenant's use and enjoyment of the property and its marketability and value should the tenant wish to assign the lease in future.
Our dedicated commercial team is on hand to assist, with our solicitors providing expert advice to both landlords and tenants on all aspects of landlord and tenant law including:
- Drafting and negotiating leases for commercial premises and residential developments
- Security of tenure provisions
- Service charges
- Review of rent
- Break clauses
- Assignment and underletting of a tenancy/lease
- Renewal of business leases including applications which are both opposed and unopposed and conducting litigation under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954
- Surrender of leases/tenancies
- Claims for dilapidations
- Forfeiture and possession of business premises
- Claims for compensation on termination of a business lease
- Commercial rent arrears recovery
Clapham & Collinge's team of dedicated landlord and tenant lawyers are committed to providing clear, honest and up-front advice, setting out your options. We will be open and transparent with our fees enabling you to make an informed decision.
To find out more or discuss your individual requirements in further detail, our dedicated solicitors for both landlords and tenants will be delighted to help. Contact us today on
