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Commercial Lease Solicitors

For both commercial landlords and tenants, your lease provides the foundation for a healthy, sustainable relationship – an essential component for the success of your business.

At Whiskers Solicitors, we have a team of committed commercial property specialists who provide advice to individuals and businesses across Harlow and Epping, Essex and Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire.

We can work with you to put in place a comprehensive lease document as well as providing advice on your rights and responsibilities as either a commercial landlord or tenant.

Our success derives from our process of establishing a partnership with our clients so we can adapt our advice to meet your business strategy and work towards the same goals.

We advise a wide range of clients from start-ups and small companies renting business premises to large scale commercial property investors. Whatever their background, our clients choose us for our expertise and dedication to producing positive outcomes cost-effectively and within a reasonable timeframe.

For further information, or to set up an initial consultation with one of our commercial lease solicitors, get in touch with:

How our commercial lease solicitors can help you

Whatever your commercial lease needs, we are here to help. Our expertise includes:

  • Drafting and reviewing lease agreements
  • Lease renewals
  • Rent reviews
  • Subletting
  • Assignment
  • Schedules of Condition and Dilapidations
  • Ending commercial leases
  • Commercial lease disputes

Commercial lease agreements

Putting the right lease agreement in place at the beginning of a commercial tenancy is essential for regulating the landlord-tenant relationship. Having a strong legal document to turn to when disagreements arise can help you find a quick, painless solution, minimising conflict and reducing disruption to your business.

We can help you draft and negotiate the ideal lease agreement which clearly sets out your legal rights, prescribes methods of dispute resolution and ensures you can operate your business smoothly and efficiently.

Lease renewals

Both landlords and tenants should make sure they are aware of their lease renewal rights. In law, business tenants usually have the automatic right to renew their tenancy. However, landlords and tenants can agree to exclude this right by including a term in the lease.

We can provide a wide range of advice depending on your individual circumstances, including:

  • Negotiating renewal terms in your initial lease agreement
  • Helping tenants exercise their right to renew
  • Helping landlords challenge the right of renewal
  • Advice to both landlords and tenants regarding negotiations for the terms of a renewed lease

Rent reviews

We can provide advice on commercial rent reviews – the process of assessing and adjusting the rent on a commercial property. Our expertise includes:

  • Negotiating initial lease agreements which include terms that are favourable to you
  • Providing advice during rent review negotiations with the aim of securing a commercially viable outcome

Subletting and assignment

What you can and cannot do when subletting or assigning your lease will primarily depend on its terms. Our subletting and assignment expertise includes:

  • Advice on your rights and obligations under your lease
  • Negotiating and drafting sublease terms or a Deed of Assignment
  • Negotiating guarantees for assigned tenants and subtenants
  • Resolving disputes relating to sublet and assigned property, including:
    • Breach of the lease
    • Ending a sublease or assigned lease
    • Rent disputes in subleases

Schedules of Condition and Dilapidations

Commercial tenants have obligations under their leases to maintain the condition of their property and undertake repairs where necessary. If a tenant does not maintain their premises, the landlord can claim for Dilapidations, specifying the points of disrepair and – if the tenant does not undertake the repairs – claiming damages.

Tenants can limit their liability for Dilapidations by putting a Schedule of Condition in place at the start of their lease, documenting the state of the property.

We can advise landlords and tenants on their rights and duties of repair, help tenants limit their liability and make or defend claims for Dilapidations.

Ending commercial leases

Whether you are a tenant looking to relocate or you are a landlord seeking to sell or evict a troublesome tenant, we can help.

We can provide advice on all aspects of ending a commercial tenancy, including:

  • Break clauses – which allow either party to end the tenancy under certain conditions
  • Subletting or assignment
  • Bringing or defending repossession proceedings

Commercial lease disputes

Although a strong commercial lease in place can make disputes simple and straightforward to resolve, some may still arise. We can help you address commercial landlord and tenant disputes using constructive negotiation strategies to find a solution whilst preserving the landlord-tenant relationship wherever possible. Our expertise includes:

  • General breach of covenant
  • Rent arrears
  • Dilapidations claims
  • Lease termination and repossession

Why choose our commercial lease solicitors?

We are a firm of practical, dedicated lawyers based in Harlow and Epping, Essex and Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire. Here are just some of the reasons our clients choose us:

  • In-depth experience across a range of commercial sectors – we combine expert legal knowledge with a solid understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing local, regional and national businesses. As well as our commercial lease expertise, we can draw on a range of experience to provide a full-solution service covering everything from business structuring and organisation, to employment law, to dispute resolution.
  • Bespoke, personal service – we work to form long term connections with our clients, adapting our advice as their businesses grow and evolve. At the start of your matter, you will be allocated a personal case worker who will be fully responsible for your client satisfaction and act as your first point of contact if you have any enquiries. They will provide regular updates, ensure everything is progressing smoothly, and proactively drive matters forward to avoid any unnecessary delays.
  • Transparent, flexible fees – we will provide clear, detailed advice about our fees and other costs you may encounter during the course of your matter. We are happy to discuss flexible payment arrangements to suit your budget, including fixed fees or capped budgets and competitive hourly rates.
  • Inclusive environment – we aim to make our legal services accessible to every individual who seeks our help. So, if you have any disabilities or individual accessibility issues, please get in touch for a confidential discussion with a member of our team.

Get in touch with our commercial lease solicitors in Harlow, Epping and Bishop’s Stortford

For further information, or to set up an initial consultation with one of our commercial lease solicitors, get in touch with:

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