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Commercial Property Lease Lawyers Who Think Beyond the Heads of Agreement
You’re not here because you want someone to skim the lease. You’re here because you’re thinking about what’s hidden between the lines, personal guarantees that follow you long after the deal, rent reviews that could blow out your costs, make-good clauses no one flagged. You want commercial property lease lawyers who catch what others miss and keep your risk in check before you sign.
How Commercial Property Lease Lawyers Help You Avoid the Usual Pitfalls
Commercial property lease lawyers should focus on the parts of your lease that affect how you operate day to day: what you can change in the premises, what you’re personally liable for, what costs can increase without warning, and what happens if you want to leave or assign the lease. That’s where the risk is and that’s what needs proper review before you sign.
We flag personal and financial risks hidden in the lease
We check for personal guarantees, indemnities, and other terms that could leave you or your directors personally liable if things go wrong. We identify conditions that lock you into future costs, like automatic rent increases, landlord break rights, or unbalanced insurance obligations.
We map the terms that change what you can do with the premises
We review permitted use, signage, fit-out, and alterations clauses to ensure you can actually run the business as planned. We flag restrictions that could limit operations, expansion, or future changes. We also check assignment and sublease conditions so you know your options if you need to exit or restructure.
We plan rent, review, break, and demolition clauses so you stay in control
We explain how rent reviews work; CPI, market, fixed increases and check break clauses, landlord termination rights, relocation rights, and demolition clauses. We make sure you understand how these terms could force you out or increase costs mid-lease.
We set out the critical dates and exit conditions upfront
We prepare a timeline of key dates, option notices, rent review triggers, renewal deadlines, so you don’t miss anything that could cost you. We review make-good obligations and exit conditions so you can plan for the end of the lease without last-minute surprises.
The Practical Work Behind Safer Commercial Leases
Most lease deals don’t fall apart because of major disputes. They fall apart because of details no one explained properly at the start.
Like a demolition clause that lets a landlord end your lease on short notice if they decide to redevelop.
Or a rent review formula that quietly pushes your costs beyond what you planned.
Or a personal guarantee that keeps following you, long after you thought you’d moved on.
We’ve seen tenants locked into spaces they couldn’t modify because of strict fit-out or signage rules. We’ve seen make-good clauses at the end of a lease turn into expensive surprises. And we’ve seen businesses lose the right to renew simply because they missed a notice date no one flagged.
That’s why we take a different approach.
We don’t just review the lease to see if it looks standard. We look at whether it works for you, whether the terms fit your business, your plans, and your risk tolerance. We tell you what’s fair, what’s worth pushing back on, and what could cause trouble later.
If a clause exposes you, we call it out.
If the terms go too far, we suggest what needs to change.
And if something looks good on paper but won’t serve you in practice, we say so.
Our job is to help you sign a lease that lets you focus on running your business, not on untangling problems down the track.
What to Look For in a Commercial Property Lease Before You Sign
| Clause | Risk Over Time (What It Means for You) | How We Help Reduce That Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Guarantee | You can remain personally liable even if the business changes, closes, or assigns the lease. | We explain the exposure, and negotiate caps, limits, or release points. |
| Rent Review | Rent can increase beyond what you forecast, impacting cash flow and assignment value. | We model cost scenarios and negotiate fairer review methods or caps. |
| Demolition Clause | The landlord can end your lease early for redevelopment, affecting stability and renewal value. | We check triggers, notice, compensation, and push for clearer conditions. |
| Make-Good | Restoration obligations at exit can create unexpected, large costs. | We define scope early and help plan or negotiate fairer requirements. |
| Permitted Use | Can limit business growth, diversification, or the ability to sell. | We ensure the clause supports your current and potential future use. |
| Assignment / Sublease | Restrictive conditions limit exit options or restructuring flexibility. | We identify unfair terms and negotiate for workable, fairer rights. |
| Relocation Clause | You may be forced to move during the term, causing disruption and unexpected cost. | We check compensation terms and help limit relocation triggers. |
What Careful Lease Review Achieves
These aren’t numbers about how many documents we reviewed or how fast we worked. They’re about moments where lease advice changed the outcome: where terms were adjusted, risks reduced, or future cost avoided because we caught the issue before it became a problem.
95% of Leases Adjusted
In nearly every lease we review, at least one key term like a personal guarantee, make-good scope, or rent review formula is modified to reduce client exposure.
Average $25,000 Saved on Make-Good
Early negotiation and planning on make-good obligations regularly reduce exit costs by tens of thousands.
0 Missed Renewal Deadlines
Every client who received our flagged timeline and guidance has met their option notice date, keeping control of their space.
85% of Clients Avoid Lease Disputes
Clients who engage us before signing typically avoid disputes over use, alterations, rent review, or exit terms during the lease.
- Ready when you are
Make the lease fit your business, not just the landlord’s draft.
FAQs About Lease Terms and How to Handle Them
When is it too late to get lease advice?
What’s the most overlooked lease clause that causes problems later?
Can I change a commercial lease once it’s signed?
How do commercial property lease lawyers actually reduce risk?
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