So you’re thinking of taking a commercial lease

If you are thinking of taking up a commercial lease there is a lot to consider.

Heads of Terms – what are they, are they binding, are they the whole ‘deal’?

Heads of Terms (HoT) are the starting point for most transactions and are usually prepared by the landlord or their agent, and should set out the key commercial points in a lease. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors produce guidance on what should be included in a HoT. If things are missing then this can slow down negotiations later on.

​HoT are usually marked ‘subject to contract’. This means that even if they are signed by the parties they will not be legally binding until a formal lease is signed and dated. 

The lease – some key points to be aware of

Extent of the property and rights included

It is vital that you understand what you are renting at the outset. A lease can either be of the whole or part of a building and this should be clearly spelled out in the HoT (preferably with a plan to show the floor layout). You should check this carefully and let your solicitor know immediately if you think there are any mistakes.

Equally important are any rights that need to be included in the lease. Is there parking provided or the right to use of any third party facilities? Never assume something is included, simply because it appears on a plan – it may belong to another tenant or there may be an extra charge payable which is not the rent figure.

Rent

With commercial leases it is much more common for the tenant to pay rent quarterly in advance rather than monthly. This can have a significant cash flow effect so plan accordingly. Check also whether the rent will be subject to VAT or not. Property rent is not automatically subject to VAT but many landlords do charge VAT and/or will retain the ability to charge VAT if they need to. If VAT applies to the rent it will also apply to other costs which the landlord charges to the tenant.

Generally speaking, rent will be payable whether or not you are trading from the property.  If the property is damaged (e.g. by fire) then the landlord takes out additional insurance to cover loss of rent and your obligation to pay is suspended until the property is reinstated. However, as has been widely reported in the news, closure for other reasons (including the government restrictions imposed during the pandemic) does not automatically relieve you of the obligation to pay rent.  Whilst we are seeing more instances where tenants are able to negotiate ‘pandemic’ rent suspensions, it is by no means universally accepted by landlords.

Security of tenure

As a general rule tenants operating a business from property benefit from a form of security of tenure. This means that at the end of the lease term they can apply to the landlord for a new lease on substantially the same terms as their current one (subject to an uplift in rent). In some circumstances the landlord may be able to avoid granting a new lease (such as where they plan to redevelop the site) but they may have to pay compensation to you to do so.

It is also possible to exclude this right to security (often called ‘contracting out’) provided certain steps are taken before the lease is entered into. In this case you have no right to stay on, and even if the landlord decides to offer an extension, it can do so on any terms that it pleases, there are no statutory controls on this.

Repair

Unlike residential leases, most commercial tenants are responsible for the repair of their property and all the plant and machinery within it, with the repairing obligation potentially requiring the tenant to put the property into a better condition than it was at the start of the lease. However, this can depend on a couple of things:

• The extent of the property included in the lease (see our earlier comment). A lease of whole frequently includes the whole of the structure of the building, not just the interior. Leases of part are usually more limited, with the landlord responsible for maintaining the structure and recharging the cost via a service charge.
• Whether the HoT have limited your responsibility for repair (see below).

Alterations

Most leases will prevent you from doing any works to the property unless you have first obtained the landlord’s written consent. In some cases the lease may prohibit alterations completely. If you need to do work to the property to ‘fit out’ before operating then discuss these works early on and make sure these are agreed at the outset. Usually the landlord will insist on a ‘licence for alterations’ which will set out which works are permitted and impose obligations on you to remove works before the end of the lease.

‘Selling’ the lease

Tenants assume that once they have taken a lease it is theirs to deal with as they wish. That is rarely the case, and the lease will normally have lengthy clauses dealing with how and when you can either sell (assign) or sublet the property. Expect that these will include the landlord being able to ‘vet’ the financial strength of your buyer and to impose conditions on the assignment, including that you give a guarantee (sometimes called an ‘AGA’) that the buyer continues to comply with the lease obligations after the lease is sold.

Break clause

It is common for a lease to contain a clause allowing the tenant, landlord or both parties to end the lease early (usually called a ‘break right’ or ‘break clause’).

As a tenant, a break right can be a particularly important should you need to change premises for any reason (i.e. expansion, need for a new location, financial difficulty) during the lease term.

A break right is almost always agreed at HoTs stage but if this is not in the HoTs and you want it to be raised, you should tell your solicitor as soon as possible. 

A building survey – why we recommend you get one

As a tenant, you will be responsible for keeping the property in repair (see above). It is therefore important to make sure that you understand the condition the property is in at the date you are planning to lease it, and arranging for a professional survey can help understand this.

Sometimes it is possible to limit the repairing obligations by agreeing a ‘schedule of condition’ for the lease. This highlights the state of repair the property before you take the lease and limits your obligation to repair the property to keeping it in no better condition than that shown in the schedule. Money spent on preparing a professional schedule of condition will pay dividends when it comes to finalising repair issues with the landlord at the end of the lease.

Insurance – who insures the property, what should I be aware of?

In most commercial leases, the landlord insures the building with the insurance premium being re-charged to the tenant either entirely (for a lease of whole), or a proportion (for a lease of part).

However, there are a number of considerations for tenants regarding insurance which should be discussed with your solicitor at an early stage including:

• What is insured – a commercial lease specifies various ‘risks’ which the landlord is obliged to insure against (subject to certain exceptions) such as flooding, fire and storm. However some risks (such as subsidence and terrorism) can often be excluded, meaning the cost of any damage caused by these risks may end up being the tenant’s responsibility. Discuss this point with your solicitor and remember that the landlord will only insure the property, not your fixtures and fittings nor any losses to your business if the property is damaged.
• Ask to see a copy of the landlord’s insurance policy and make sure you are comfortable and familiar with its terms. The lease will exclude the landlord being responsible if the insurers refuse to pay because you have done something which invalidates the policy, so it’s important to understand what is required of you as tenant.

Outgoings – what will I have to pay as a tenant?

Remember that the rent will not be the only cost of ownership; you should budget to have to pay for the following:

• The annual rent.
• The landlord’s insurance premium/a fair proportion if a lease of part.
• Any ordinary outgoings attributable to the premises such as business rates, water, gas, electricity.
• Service charge if the property is on an estate or part of a larger building.

If you have any particular concerns about what you will be required to pay as a tenant, you should raise these with your solicitor early in the transaction. 

Statutory compliance – things to think about

Being a tenant of a property comes with various responsibilities, two of the most common (but often forgotten) being:

• The Control of Asbestos Regulations. If the building predates the early 2000s then it is important to understand that these Regulations require the tenant to have regular surveys for asbestos carried out and to have health and safety plans in place to protect staff and contractors from the risk of exposure to asbestos. Even if the landlord is able to provide a copy report for the property, it is important for you to carry out your own survey and to keep this up to date.
• The Fire Safety Order. Anyone with responsibility for commercial premises is required to carry out regular assessments of fire safety risks and ensure adequate plans are in place. Again, even if the landlord is able to provide a copy report then you have a separate duty to maintain records and policy documents.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) – what is it and how much will I have to pay?

Depending on the amount of annual rent payable and the length of the lease, the lease may be subject to SDLT, which currently is payable within 14 days of completing your lease. Your solicitor will assist you with preparing the return you need to submit, as well as letting you know the amount you need to pay.

For example – a lease with a term for 10 years at a rent of £30,000 a year will cost just under £1,000 in SDLT under the current SDLT rates.

If you are on a tight budget please ask your solicitor to carry out a rough SDLT calculation at the start of a transaction so you can factor this into the overall transaction budget. 

Do I have to register my lease?

If your lease is for longer than seven years it needs to be registered at HM Land Registry. In many cases even leases of less than seven years need some sort of entry making at the Registry. Although your solicitor will deal with registration for you and explain the process in more detail after completion, you should be aware that it can take several months for the Registry to complete the application. It doesn’t affect the legality of the lease in the meantime but it can be a surprise when you receive the registration document months after the lease was completed!

How long does it take to negotiate a lease?

There is no set timescale for how long it takes from issue of HoT to completion of the lease and keys being handed over. However, we would usually expect a normal lease transaction (i.e. of a standard building such as an office with no unusual terms or third party consents required) to take a minimum of six weeks from the date we receive the HoT.

It is possible to complete leases in less time than this but usually this will mean that you may have to concede more points in the negotiation in order to meet the deadline. If you are working to a particular completion date it is important you let your solicitor know this as soon as possible so they can identify any relevant issues.

One key factor in timescales is third party consent. This can include a superior landlord’s consent (because your landlord is themselves a tenant) or where the landlord needs consent from its lender. These consents are out of your solicitor’s hands and can often make timescales very unpredictable so do not make arrangements (like booking works to be done) until your solicitor can confirm a fixed date for completion.

For further assistance or advice please contact a member of the Birketts’ Commercial Property Team.

What is a typical commercial lease deposit?

Generally speaking commercial rent deposits are much larger than what you might pay for renting a house.  Expect landlords to be looking for between 6-12 months’ worth of rent to be deposited as security for payment.

Are utilities included in commercial leases?

Usually not, the landlord expects you to pay these on top of the rent.  If you are occupying a multi-let building then the costs of heating and lighting common parts or shared facilities are recovered through a service charge arrangement. 

How long is a typical commercial lease?

As a rule of thumb leases are generally getting shorter. In the past you might have had to sign up for 25 years but now five years is much more common. It may also depend on the type of property you’re renting; office leases tend to be shorter (and more flexible) but industrial or warehousing leases will usually be longer to reflect that tenants are less likely to move on quickly.

What do I need to know before signing a commercial lease?

Be clear what it’s going to cost in rent for the life of the lease and that you can afford it. If you are taking a longer lease does it include the right to end it early (‘break’ the lease) if your business plans change or you can no longer afford it.  

How long does a commercial lease take to complete?

Allow six to eight weeks for a ‘standard’ lease transaction from receiving the heads of terms from the agents to actually signing.  For very short leases it can be as little as a few days or a couple of weeks but expect to have much less flexibility about what goes into the documents.

Who pays for repairs in a commercial lease?

Assume for most practical purposes that the tenant will be paying (one way or another). Especially when leasing older properties you shouldn’t underestimate the value of having a proper building survey carried out to highlight any issues. You might even be able to negotiate a ‘schedule of condition’ which limits your repairing obligations to giving back the property in the same condition as you got it at the start of the lease. 

Who pays for a commercial lease to be drawn up?

Generally speaking each party will pay their own costs for settling a lease.  Occasionally, if a property has been difficult to let the landlord may offer a contribution to costs (or a rent-free period) as an incentive for tenants to sign up.

How much notice does a commercial landlord have to give?

The lease will set out in detail when and how the landlord can have access to the property (for example to check that the tenant has complied with its lease obligations).  Usually ‘reasonable’ notice is given, but this generally means days, not weeks.

How do you negotiate free rent on a commercial lease?

Usually this will depend on how badly the landlord needs to find a tenant for the property. If the property has been empty for a while or if the tenant will need to carry out works before they can trade from the site then landlord’s will agree to give a rent-free period equivalent to the cost of works rather than making a cash contribution to the tenant. With newer properties, or those in particularly desirable locations, it can be much harder to negotiate concessions from the landlord.