What sets us apart from many other commercial property solicitors is that we deliver legal services using a business model that utilises the best aspects of the traditional commercial property law firm but which also incorporates a flexible consultancy based legal services model. This means that many of our commercial property solicitors are consultants who work remotely at various locations in England and by using the latest IT technology they can service our clients anywhere in England and Wales. Our business model means that clients have the option of choosing either remote delivery of legal services which is simple, effective and cost efficient or alternatively the more traditional delivery of legal services via meetings in person at either our serviced offices or at the client's business premises.
With the exception of our administrative headquarters, we only use serviced offices for basic needs such as telephone answering. Any additional fees for meetings are only incurred on an "as and when" used basis which means that we do not incur many of the significant property overheads which are incurred by other more traditional commercial property law firms.
Our commercial property solicitors have extensive experience of advising on all aspects of commercial property law. In addition to providing expert guidance on commercial property, we also try to ensure that any advice is provided in a timely manner, so that you can complete your transaction as swiftly as possible. We realise that a prolonged engagement could have a detrimental impact on our client's business.
Our commercial property solicitors act for both landlords and tenants and provide the following commercial property legal advice:
Chris is excellent at getting to grips quickly with our members’ legal issues, and giving practical, succinct and jargon-free advice.
Our team of specialist commercial property lawyers draft, review and negotiate leases and can provide guidance on the key terms that need to be considered in your specific transaction. We know that no two leases are the same and that each lease must be fit for its specific requirements.
We take a practical and commercial approach aimed at helping you complete your commercial property leases quickly, with confidence, value for money and easy to understand terminology.
Whether you are a Tenant or a landlord, we will work with you and put your best case forward. The lease documents can contain terms, conditions and restrictions, which could be costly for your business if you fail to understand the terms by which you are agreeing to be bound.
We can assist in the following areas.
Commercial conveyancing is the name given to the process used to transfer legal ownership or occupying (leasehold) of land, buildings or property used for business purposes.
If you are considering buying or selling commercial property then our commercial property team can assist with advising you on every stage of the transaction. We realise that completing such transactions in a timely manner is very important to our clients, and where possible we go the "extra mile" to complete such matters as soon as reasonably possible.
Our specialist lawyers can provide all aspects of commercial property conveyancing, acting for both landlords and tenants. We handle many type of property from shops and offices to industrial units, commercial trading estates, retail and leisure developments and charity property.
Unfortunately disputes between landlords and tenants are a regular occurrence, and our dedicated team of commercial property solicitors can provide commercial and pragmatic advice and robustly enforce your rights.
Commercial property disputes may involve a wide range of issues. Some common commercial property disputes include: breaching a particular clause of the lease, non-payment of rent or service charge, rent reviews, lease renewals, repairs and maintenance responsibilities and issues with neighbouring properties.
Whatever your circumstances, obtaining the best legal advice from the start is essential in resolving any commercial property disputes as quickly as possible.
If you are considering either terminating or renewing a lease then we can safeguard your interests and ensure that you achieve your goal with the minimum of risk and fuss.
With regards to renewal of your lease we will check your documents in advance and advise you on how best to achieve this. Most commercial leases will have a right to renew the lease, unless you have opted out. The relevant law here is Part II of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (the ‘Act’). The Act’s primary intention is to provide business tenants with the right, if they wish, to renew their lease on the expiry of the contractual term of their lease on essentially the same terms as their existing lease, subject to the open market rent.
On the flip side, as a tenant you may wish to terminate your lease early. Perhaps your business has outgrown the property and you wish to upgrade, or maybe you’re looking at downsizing. There are 4 main ways to achieve this. Through a break clause, surrendering the lease, assigning the lease to another person or business and subletting the lease to a third party. You will need the landlord’s consent for assigning or subletting and we can help you obtain this.
If a commercial lease is forfeited, the Landlord has the right to end the lease and re-enter the property. The tenant will no longer have any right to occupy the property and will no longer be bound by the lease. The most common reason for forfeiture is non-payment of rent. However, it could also be due to other breaches, such as unauthorised subletting, damage to the property, or illegal activities on the premises.
Our solicitors can advise on the procedure that needs to be followed depending on the type of breach. For breaches other than non-payment of rent, landlords must follow the correct legal procedures. For example, a notice must be served under Section 146 of the Law of Property Act 1925.
Section 254 of the Housing Act 2004 provides certain criteria to determine as to whether your property falls under the definition of “House in Multiple Occupation” commonly known as an “HMO”. There are however certain exemptions such as social housing (where the HMO rules do not apply).
Are you considering a planning application? If so we can assist with advising on the complex procedure for making a successful planning application
