We, at GreatWest Law Solicitors, are specialist commercial lease solicitors providing comprehensive legal advice to landlords, tenants, and property investors across England and Wales. Whether you are granting or taking a lease of retail premises, offices, restaurants, warehouses, or industrial units, our experienced property lawyers ensure that your commercial interests are fully protected and your lease documentation is legally sound, practical, and enforceable.
Drafting New Leases
Renewals Under Landlord and Tenant Act 1954
Assignments
Sub-letting
Rent Review
Break Clauses
Deeds of Variation
Licences
Dilapidations
Forfeiture
Relief from Forfeiture
At Greatwest Law Solicitors, we offer specialised legal support for both Landlords and Tenants, providing crucial insight into all negotiation strategies and pressure points. Our comprehensive service is structured around the lifecycle of the commercial tenancy, providing detailed legal security and commercial advantage at every stage.
We advise tenants to engage a surveyor to prepare a detailed Schedule of Condition of the property’s current state (e.g., existing wear and tear) and ensure this is legally appended to the lease.
We meticulously draft or negotiate the repairing covenant to be an internal, non-structural liability only, or to exclude damage caused by fair wear and tear where possible.
Dilapidations Cap: Provides a definitive, pre-agreed legal limit on the tenant’s repair obligations, shielding them from liability for correcting pre-existing defects at the end of the term.
Financial Shield: Minimises long-term capital expenditure for the tenant, ensuring they are not responsible for major structural defects or roof replacements that are beyond their control.
For Landlords, we ensure the repairing covenant is an unqualified FRI (Full Repairing and Insuring) obligation, maximising the long-term asset value.
Asset Maximisation: Guarantees that the landlord’s asset is maintained at a high standard at the tenant’s expense, reducing the landlord’s capital maintenance outlay.
We advise clients on the commercial risks of the Heads of Terms before they are drafted into the lease, focusing on liabilities such as reinstatement clauses and service charge methodology. We conduct mandatory property searches (planning, environmental, contaminated land) and scrutinise the Landlord’s Title to identify overriding covenants or easements.
Strategic Advantage: Prevents clients from inadvertently committing to expensive, non-negotiable clauses before formal legal drafting begins.
Cost Control: Ensures the fundamental financial parameters are established favourably.
Future-Proofing: Guarantees the property’s title is clean and that the intended use (e.g., hospitality, industrial) is not prohibited by any superior lease or planning restriction.
We draft and manage the Licence to Assign, ensuring strict conditions are met and that the outgoing tenant legally secures a manageable Authorised Guarantee Agreement (AGA). Controlled Exit: For the outgoing tenant, the AGA is limited to the immediate assignee (the next tenant), preventing long-term liability for future tenants, thus providing a clearer financial break.
We advise the landlord on the statutory requirement to not unreasonably withhold consent to an assignment. We prepare robust documentation justifying any refusal based on financial stability or use. Risk Management: Protects the landlord’s asset by providing a legal defence for rejecting unsuitable or financially weak assignees, while preventing the tenant from suing for unreasonable refusal.
We ensure the Permitted Use clause is broad enough for the tenant’s business or advise on obtaining consent for a change of use mid-term.
Business Flexibility: Provides the tenant with the operational freedom to adapt their business model or product offering without requiring constant, time-consuming landlord consent.
We draft the Licence for Alterations, meticulously defining the scope of permitted works, specifying necessary planning permissions, and setting clear reinstatement obligations.
Asset Protection: For the Landlord, ensures the asset’s structure and value are not diminished. For the Tenant, clearly defines what must be removed at the end of the lease, preventing disputes.
We manage the strict statutory process of serving Section 25 (Landlord) or Section 26 (Tenant) notices, adhering to the complex 6-12 month notice period window.
Procedural Safety: Prevents fatal procedural errors that could invalidate the notice. For the tenant, this secures the right to a new lease; for the landlord, it correctly initiates termination proceedings.
For Landlords, we draft and serve the notices based on one of the seven statutory grounds of opposition (e.g., ground (f) for redevelopment).
Possession Strategy: Correctly establishes the legal basis for gaining possession of the property, paving the way for lucrative redevelopment or reoccupation.
We provide a meticulous pre-break compliance check list, focusing on the legal requirement for vacant possession and ensuring all financial obligations are cleared up to the break date.
Guaranteed Clean Exit: Saves the tenant years of future rent liability. Even minor non-compliance (e.g., leaving an internal partition wall or having one day of rent arrears) can invalidate the break, and we ensure this does not happen.
We manage the Dilapidations Dispute by instructing specialist surveyors and applying the Section 18(1) LTA 1927 valuation cap.
Financial Defence: For the Tenant, ensures the claim for repairs does not exceed the amount by which the disrepair has actually reduced the landlord’s asset value, significantly reducing the final settlement figure.
Our service goes beyond fulfilling a requirement. We function as your statutory protector and legal certifier. Our expertise lies in aggressively negotiating a package that reflects the true value of the claims you are waiving.
Our solicitors advise on leases for offices, shops, industrial units, and investment properties across England and Wales. We combine legal precision with practical business awareness to ensure every lease protects your financial and operational interests. Our expertise covers all major property legislation, including the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 and the Law of Property Act 1925.
We recognise that each client’s goals differ. Landlords seek to secure income and preserve property value; tenants need flexibility and clarity. Our solicitors tailor every lease to fit your priorities, balancing protection and practicality. Whether you manage a single unit or a large property portfolio, our advice is personal, strategic, and aligned with your objectives.
We manage the entire leasing process, from heads of terms and drafting to completion, renewal, or surrender. Our team coordinates with agents, lenders, and surveyors to ensure smooth and timely completion. We remain available after completion to advise on renewals, rent reviews, or variations, giving clients long-term support beyond the transaction.
We don’t just complete leases; we anticipate future issues. Our solicitors identify risks early — from rent review complications to onerous repairing obligations — and structure agreements to prevent disputes. We ensure every clause works commercially and legally, giving clients lasting protection and confidence in their position.
Our clients receive straightforward, practical advice. We explain complex legal issues in plain English and keep you updated at every stage. You will work directly with an experienced solicitor who understands the importance of efficiency, responsiveness, and accuracy. We meet deadlines without compromising attention to detail.
We offer fixed and capped fees for most lease matters, with clear written terms before work begins. There are no hidden charges. For clients managing multiple properties, we offer tailored retainers and volume discounts. Our transparency ensures complete cost control and predictable budgeting from the outset.
As a firm regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), we uphold the highest professional standards. All client funds are safeguarded under the Solicitors Accounts Rules, and our professional indemnity cover ensures full protection. You can instruct us with complete confidence and trust.
We act in a wide range of commercial property matters, including retail, industrial, office, and hospitality leases. Our experience includes lease renewals, rent reviews, dilapidations, and landlord–tenant disputes. We provide end-to-end support through the full lease lifecycle, anticipating and resolving issues effectively.
Our clients value our integrity, transparency, and results-driven service. We build lasting relationships through reliability and clear communication. Much of our work comes from repeat clients and referrals, a reflection of our commitment to professional excellence and trust-based representation.
Commercial property in London involves extremely high capital values and rental figures. Even small drafting errors can lead to liabilities worth hundreds of thousands of pounds. Specialist London solicitors understand local market practices, specific planning regulations within boroughs, and the complex case law relevant to high-value London disputes.
Yes. Acting for both landlords and tenants gives our firm unique, dual-sided insight into the opposing party’s negotiation tactics, key vulnerabilities, and financial priorities, allowing us to build stronger, more effective strategies for our clients.
The Heads of Terms is a non-binding document outlining the main commercial agreement (rent, term length, break clause, etc.). While non-binding, it is the foundation of the lease. Our solicitors scrutinise it early to ensure no disadvantageous terms are inadvertently agreed upon before legal documents are drafted.
The most common pitfall is the Full Repairing and Insuring (FRI) covenant. Tenants often underestimate the vast liability of keeping a London property in good repair, including correcting all pre-existing defects. Without attaching a Schedule of Condition, the tenant inherits liability for years of previous wear and tear.
A Schedule of Condition is a detailed photographic and written record of the property’s state before the tenant moves in. Our solicitors insist on attaching this to the lease to legally cap the tenant’s repairing obligation at the documented starting condition, protecting them from excessive dilapidations claims.
The LTA 1954 grants commercial tenants a statutory right to renew their lease. ‘Contracting Out’ means the parties agree to exclude this right. Our solicitors ensure the strict statutory procedure for contracting out (serving warning notices) is correctly followed, providing certainty for both parties.
We negotiate a service charge cap—a maximum amount the tenant is required to pay for shared building costs in any given year. We also scrutinise the lease’s service charge provisions to ensure the landlord cannot recover costs for items that solely benefit the landlord’s asset.
An AGA is typically required when a tenant assigns (sells) their lease to a new party. It legally binds the original tenant to guarantee the incoming tenant’s performance (e.g., payment of rent) until the new tenant assigns the lease themselves. Our solicitors advise on limiting this exposure.
A landlord’s refusal must be reasonable. If the refusal is deemed unreasonable, the tenant can apply to the court for a declaration that they are entitled to proceed, or sue the landlord for damages for breach of covenant under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1988.
Break clauses are notoriously conditional. The biggest risk is a tenant failing to meet a minor, strict condition (e.g., paying all rent up to the day of the break, or not yielding vacant possession). Even a trivial breach can invalidate the break notice, leaving the tenant liable for the full remaining term.
Dilapidations is the landlord’s claim for the tenant’s breach of the repair and yielding-up covenants. Our solicitors help manage this by either serving a robust Schedule of Dilapidations (for landlords) or defending against an exaggerated claim by leveraging the Section 18(1) valuation cap (for tenants).
We manage the strict notice requirements (Section 25 or Section 26 Notices), negotiate the terms of the new lease (especially the new rent), and represent clients in court if the parties cannot agree on the new terms.
An Upwards-Only clause means the rent cannot fall below the current rent. While the clause itself is difficult to overturn, our solicitors can challenge the valuation methodology (e.g., challenging assumptions about permitted use) to ensure the upwards increase is as low as possible.
Yes, highly common. Given the high costs of litigation in the High Court and the desire to maintain confidentiality, mediation and arbitration are heavily favoured for resolving dilapidations claims, rent review disagreements, and service charge disputes.
We draft the Licence for Alterations. This document legally sets out the landlord’s consent, requires the tenant to obtain planning consent, and crucially, stipulates the tenant’s obligation to re-instate the premises to their original layout at the end of the lease, protecting the landlord’s long-term asset value.
