Lease Advisory

Every lease decision depends on knowing what the lease actually says. We review leases, licences and side agreements across a property or portfolio and set out the key terms in a clear summary: rent, review dates, break options, repairing obligations, user clauses, alienation rights and anything unusual. We also flag gaps, missing documents and outstanding or historic events that have never been settled, so you know exactly where you stand before acting.

Missed dates are among the most expensive mistakes in property. We maintain a diary of every rent review, break option, expiry, renewal and notice deadline across your estate, with alerts well in advance, typically at least six weeks ahead or longer where the lease or legislation requires. That gives you time to plan, take advice and act, rather than react.

A rent review sets income or cost for years to come. We act for landlords and tenants, analysing the lease wording, comparable evidence and market conditions to establish a realistic figure and the strongest arguments to support it. We then negotiate to settlement. Where reviews have been missed or left outstanding, we establish the position, including any backdated rent, and put a programme in place to bring them up to date.

A break option can create risk or opportunity depending on which side you're on. We review break clauses, notice requirements and pre-conditions well in advance, so decisions are made deliberately rather than under time pressure. For tenants, that means making sure a break is exercised validly. For landlords, it means understanding the likelihood of a break and planning for it, or using it as an opportunity to regear.

We guide landlords and tenants through lease renewals, starting with a clear view of your position, options and commercial priorities. We then manage the process in a structured way, taking account of rental value, lease terms, your statutory position under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, timing, and your future occupation or investment plans. The aim is a renewal agreed on the right terms, not one rushed through as a deadline approaches.

A regear can improve certainty, unlock value or bring a lease back into line with where you're heading. We advise on changes to lease length, rent, break options, incentives, repairing obligations, demised areas and wider commercial terms, making sure any concession on one side is matched by a genuine benefit on the other.

Estates built up over decades often carry a mix of lease types, terms and obligations that make management harder and less consistent. We review the feasibility of moving towards standard lease terms, identify where variations would benefit both parties, and manage the negotiation and completion of deeds of variation alongside your legal advisers. The result is an estate that is simpler to manage, easier to report on and fairer to tenants.

Tenants often need landlord approval, whether to underlet, change the use of the premises, or make other changes the lease controls. We manage consent applications for landlords and tenants, reviewing requests against the lease, assessing risk, advising on conditions and working with solicitors to document decisions properly and within a reasonable time.

When a tenant wants to transfer a lease, both sides need to understand the risk. We advise landlords and tenants on assigning leases and property interests, including due diligence on the incoming party, landlord consent, guarantee arrangements and handover planning. The aim is a transfer that completes efficiently and leaves the landlord with a tenant who will perform.

When tenants want to alter a building, landlords need to understand what's proposed and what it means for the structure, compliance and future value. We review drawings and specifications, advise on conditions and reinstatement obligations, and work with legal advisers to document consent properly. We then check the works on completion against what was approved.

When lease obligations aren't met, whether through unpaid rent, disrepair, unauthorised use or subletting, early action protects your position. We document breaches, set out the options and, on your instruction, pursue remedy. That can range from negotiated solutions and payment plans to Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery, forfeiture or court action, coordinated with your legal advisers. We also regularise informal arrangements such as holding over and tenancies at will before they become a problem.

Sometimes the right outcome is for a lease to end early. We advise landlords and tenants on surrenders, negotiating terms, premiums and conditions, and consider the effect on vacant possession, dilapidations and the wider asset strategy. Where a lease is coming to an end, we manage the process so the property is returned in the right condition and nothing is left unresolved.

At or near lease end, the condition of a property can be worth a significant sum to either side. We advise landlords and tenants on interim and terminal dilapidations, from lease review and inspection through to schedules, costed assessments and negotiated settlements. We can also project manage remedial works, and support claims through to tribunal, arbitration or court where needed.

Most lease disagreements can be settled by negotiation, and that's always our first aim. Where they can't, we prepare the evidence and support clients and their legal advisers through third-party determination, arbitration, tribunal or court proceedings, including cost and fee information to back the claim.