Tenants
Growing companies, studios, agencies and technology businesses taking offices, retail units, studios and warehouses, and negotiating terms that protect cash flow and flexibility.
Landlords · Tenants · New Leases · Renewals · Exits
Commercial Lease Agreement Solicitors
Commercial landlord and tenant advice, grounded in commercial reality.
We negotiate, review and draft commercial leases for landlords and tenants across England and Wales, from a first office or studio to a portfolio of sites. Our lease work is joined up with our corporate, contract and IP advice, so your premises support your business plans.
Landlord and Tenant Advice on Both Sides of the Table
We do not just “do property”. We focus on commercial landlord and tenant law, and on how a lease affects the value, funding and flexibility of the business that occupies it.
Landlords
Commercial landlords and property owners granting robust leases, managing tenant changes and protecting the value of their investment.
Buyers, Sellers & Investors
Lease due diligence where premises are acquired through a share or asset purchase, or reviewed ahead of investment or restructuring.
Commercial Lease Services
Drafting & Negotiation
- Heads of terms, including where an agent has issued a “non-negotiable” draft
- Bespoke leases for landlords
- Negotiating rent-free periods, service charge caps, repair and alienation terms for tenants
- Rent deposit deeds and guarantees
Agreements for Lease
- Agreements for lease where works or fit-out must be completed first
- Conditional contracts dependent on planning permission or construction
- Landlord's works, tenant's works and practical completion
Assignments, Sublettings & Alterations
- Licences to assign, sublet and alter
- Deeds of variation and surrender
- Authorised Guarantee Agreements on assignment
- Lease renewals under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954
Exits, Breaks & Dilapidations
- Break clause conditions, notices and timing
- End-of-lease dilapidations strategy and claims
- Negotiated surrenders and documented settlements
The Lease Terms That Carry the Real Risk
We translate the legal concepts that decide what a lease will cost you into clear commercial choices.
The Landlord and Tenant Act 1954
Whether a lease is protected or contracted out decides whether the tenant can stay at the end of the term. Contracting out must follow the statutory procedure before the tenant commits.
Rent, Service Charges & Guarantees
Open market, index-linked and turnover rent reviews, caps on service charges, and whether an Authorised Guarantee Agreement can be required on assignment.
FRI Leases & Schedules of Condition
A full repairing and insuring lease can make a tenant liable for defects it did not cause. A schedule of condition limits the repairing obligation to the state of the premises at the start.
Commercial Lease Reform: What Is Changing
Two reforms will change how business leases are negotiated. Both should be considered in leases and renewal options agreed now.
Key Dates
- 17 March 2026Renewal options in leases granted from this date may be caught by the rent review ban
- 29 April 2026English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 receives Royal Assent
- 16 June 2026Law Commission publishes its second consultation on the 1954 Act
- 2027 onwardsUpwards-only rent review ban expected to come into force by regulations
What It Means in Practice
- Open market, index-linked and turnover reviews in new leases will have to work both upwards and downwards
- Fixed and stepped rents are not affected
- Renewal options agreed now need careful drafting
- The contracting-out model under the 1954 Act is expected to stay, with a simpler procedure
Critical Lease Considerations by Sector
| Sector | Critical Lease Considerations Addressed |
|---|---|
| Retail & Leisure | Turnover rent clauses, keep-open covenants and permitted use flexibility. |
| Offices & Co-working | Fit-out permissions, data infrastructure provisions and flexible break options. |
| Industrial & Logistics | Plant installation rights, environmental and sustainability compliance, and reinstatement liabilities. |
| Studios & Creative Spaces | Use for production, filming and events, sound and equipment installations, and rights to share or license space. |
How a Lease Instruction Works
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Instruction & Heads of Terms
We confirm your objectives, the agreed terms and any deadline.
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Title & Document Review
We review title, the draft lease and any superior lease.
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Negotiation
We report on the key risks and negotiate the terms that matter to you.
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Exchange & Completion
We finalise the documents, any 1954 Act procedure and completion.
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Registration & Diary Dates
We register the lease where required and report key dates such as breaks and reviews.
How Fees Work
Fees are agreed upfront, so you know the cost before work begins.
Fixed Fees for Lease Reviews
Standard lease reviews, licences and straightforward renewals are quoted as a fixed fee once we have seen the documents.
Agreed Estimates for Complex Matters
For bespoke drafting, multi-party developments or extended negotiations, we agree a clear estimate in advance and keep you updated against it.
Led by Our Principal Solicitor
Lease matters are led by Peter Adediran, founder and principal solicitor, who has advised businesses on commercial law for over 25 years.
Internet Lawyer Since 1999
Over 25 years in commercial, IP and technology law
Published Author
A Practical Guide to Business, Law & the Internet (Kogan Page, 2002)
MBL Seminars Partner
International CPD training for 286,000+ professionals across 73 countries
SRA Regulated
Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (No. 827265)
Commercial Lease Questions
What does contracting out of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 mean?
Most business tenants in England and Wales have security of tenure under Part 2 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954: a right to stay and renew when the lease ends, unless the landlord proves a statutory ground. The parties can agree to exclude that right, but only by following the statutory procedure before the tenant is committed. The landlord serves a warning notice, and the tenant makes a declaration, or a statutory declaration if the notice is served less than 14 days before. If the procedure is not followed, the tenant keeps security of tenure.
Are upwards-only rent reviews being banned?
Yes, but not yet. The English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026 and will ban upwards-only rent reviews in new and renewal business leases in England and Wales. The ban needs regulations to bring it into force, which commentators do not expect before 2027. Existing leases are not affected, but renewal leases granted under options in leases entered into on or after 17 March 2026 may be caught. Fixed and stepped rent increases are not affected.
What is an Authorised Guarantee Agreement?
An Authorised Guarantee Agreement, or AGA, is a guarantee given by an outgoing tenant on assignment, under which it guarantees the performance of the incoming tenant. Under the Landlord and Tenant (Covenants) Act 1995, an outgoing tenant can guarantee only its immediate assignee. Whether an AGA can be required, and on what terms, is a key point to negotiate in the alienation clause.
What is a schedule of condition and why does it matter?
A schedule of condition is a written and photographic record of the premises at the start of the lease. Under a full repairing and insuring lease, the tenant may otherwise have to put the premises into better repair than they were in when it took the lease. Attaching a schedule and limiting the repairing covenant to that condition can significantly reduce dilapidations exposure at the end of the term.
How do break clauses go wrong?
Break clauses are interpreted strictly.
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+44(0207)305-7491
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