Leases and Tenancies Solicitors

Whether you are a landlord or a tenant, a seller or a buyer, SMR’s Commercial Conveyancers can provide you with the very best legal advice and support, including the following services:

• sales and purchases of commercial properties, both freehold & leasehold
• new leases
• lease renewals & terminations
• new developments
• overage agreements
• option agreements
• Deeds of Easement
• auction sales and purchases
• lease extensions, enfranchisements & right to manage
• property-based business sales eg public houses, post offices & petrol stations
• dilapidations
• secured lending
• telecommunication mast licences and leases

For Landlords

SMR’s Commercial Conveyancing team are experienced in dealing with both small and large property portfolios, including pension fund portfolios. Our aim is to work closely with your other professional advisers, including your commercial agents, professional trustees and financial advisers, to ensure your transactions proceed as quickly as possible. Our team’s expertise allows us to advise on property management and we have links with all major commercial agents.

For Tenants

Taking your first commercial lease is a major step for most businesses, whatever their size. One thing that’s useful to bear in mind when taking your first lease is that your landlord is letting his property to make money. So when negotiating your lease, it’s important to have proper legal representation.

You may have automatic renewal rights if you occupy premises to run a business. Our team can advise on these rights in order to protect your interests and make sure you get the right deal.

The lease might come to an end naturally at the end of the term or you might need to serve a notice. We can advise on the break clause in a lease, as break clauses are very tricky and have been the subject of recent and controversial court decisions. It can be easy for a landlord to prevent a break notice having the desired effect.

Things to be aware of:

• Repairs: it is usually the tenant’s responsibility to carry out any repairs, and therefore you’ll need the right advice to know how to protect yourself.
• Asbestos/environmental/other statutory obligations: the tenant will usually be expected to comply with all legislation. We can explain the practical implications of this.