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Our Resolve. Your Resolution.
Commercial property leases can be complex and potentially expose you to a range of liabilities. Our expert commercial lease solicitors can give you the advice and guidance you need to ensure that you understand the implications of a lease and that your position is protected as far as possible.
As commercial lease agreement experts, we routinely handle leases in all sectors for landlords and tenants, including industrial units, offices, retail units, hospitality premises and leisure facilities.
We are accredited by the leading law firm directory The Legal 500, both for our legal expertise and the exceptional service we provide. We have the understanding to deal with complex situations and to resolve problems promptly and effectively so that your transaction can be completed without delays. We make sure we are easy to contact and we always respond quickly.
If you are looking for experienced commercial lease lawyers, we would be happy to help. At Harrowells, we deal with all aspects of this complex area of law and have commercial lease solicitors in York, Clifton Moor, Haxby, Easingwold, Thirsk, Pocklington and Malton who can provide the assistance you need.
We deal with a full range of commercial lease matters, including:
At Harrowells, we always ensure that our solicitors’ costs for commercial lease work are good value for money, with our expert advice provided by a lawyer with the level of experience you need. We will provide you with details of our charges at the outset and keep you updated as to our costs throughout.
Commercial leases contain a wide range of clauses that can impose extensive liabilities, particularly on tenants. If you have been offered a lease to sign, we can go through it in detail and draw your attention to any liabilities you will be taking on.
Examples include:
We can draft a comprehensive and bespoke commercial lease. You are always advised to have a bespoke lease drawn up by a solicitor and not to rely on a commercial lease template, which can often lead to costly misunderstandings and disputes later on. We will work with you to identify what you need from your lease and how to protect your rights and interests. Where necessary, we will negotiate the clauses with the other party’s solicitor.
It is crucial to follow the correct procedure when dealing with a lease renewal or lease extension. New lease terms will need to be agreed upon and there may need to be negotiation between the parties over clauses such as length of the lease, the amount of rent to be paid and repairing obligations.
If you wish to terminate a commercial lease, we can advise you of your options. It is not always easy to end a lease and you may need legal help to secure the best outcome.
If the lease contained a break clause, you may be able to rely on that. It is important to follow the correct procedure in serving notice.
Where no break clause exists, the other party may be open to negotiating the surrender of the lease. If you are the tenant and you wish to leave early, the landlord is likely to want financial compensation for this.
Alternatively, the lease may allow a tenant to sublet the premises or assign the lease to someone else. If you are the tenant, subletting involves finding a new tenant yourself, who would then pay you rent. You would remain liable to comply with the terms of the original lease.
If the lease allows assignment, it can be transferred to a new tenant together with the liabilities for the obligations under the lease. The landlord will generally want to approve the new tenant and is likely to require the original tenant to guarantee the rent payments in case the new tenant fails to pay.
If your tenant has breached the terms of the lease or you have another valid reason, you may be able to evict a commercial tenant. You need to ensure you have legitimate grounds on which to end a commercial lease and we can advise you of your position.
Disputes often arise over tenants’ obligations to put a property into a good state of repair and condition. We are experienced in dealing with dilapidation disputes and have a successful track record of resolving matters promptly and without the need for protracted legal arguments or litigation.
We can advise you of your rights and ensure that you have the representation you need to avoid excessive claims.
We deal with a full range of agreements, notices and documentation relating to assigning leases and subletting. We can advise you of the implications of the deal and ensure the terms are as favourable as possible.
We also draft licences to occupy, which are most often used to allow a potential tenant to move into premises while a lease is finalised.
Commercial leases deal with a wide range of issues and there is substantial scope for disagreements between landlords and tenants. Our commercial lease team can step in to represent you and try to resolve matters without the need for court action. We are often able to find an acceptable resolution and will work to deal with matters promptly.
If you are looking for advice and representation, our commercial lease solicitors in York, Clifton Moor, Haxby, Easingwold, Thirsk, Pocklington and Malton can provide the expertise you need.
We are physically based in Yorkshire, but we regularly assist clients throughout England and Wales because of our recognised expertise in commercial lease law.
We are very happy to hold a meeting with you by phone or video call. For more locally based clients, we can meet you at one of our network of offices across North and East Yorkshire.
Contact us today to speak to one of our commercial lease lawyers with the skills and experience to assist you.
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