Commercial Landlord and Tenant Law

What is commercial landlord and tenant law?

This area of law governs relationships between landlords of commercial properties and business tenants.

Key services we offer:

• Advising on lease renewal/termination under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954
• Handling dilapidations and other end of tenancy claims
• Addressing breaches of covenant
• Advising on break rights, surrenders and notices to quit
• Assisting with recovery of rent arrears
• Resolving disputes on disrepair of commercial property
• Advising on forfeiture for breaches of lease terms (s.146 notice)
• Handling landlord or tenant insolvency issues 
• Negotiating rent reviews
• Resolving service charge disputes
• Advising on the implications of RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) for commercially let premises

What is the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 (the 1954 Act)?

The 1954 Act provides tenants of business premises with security of tenure. This means that they have the right to remain in occupation at the end of the lease and apply to the court for a new lease, unless specific statutory conditions are met by the landlord to oppose it. This process is subject to a strict timetable requiring the parties to serve prescribed notices on each other by definitive deadlines.

We can:

• Advise landlords and tenants on the application of the 1954 Act and the options for either party
• Serve the relevant notices and monitor deadlines/responses
• Make an application to the court for a new lease if necessary
• Negotiate the terms of the new lease and if a new lease is not agreed within the relevant time scales, progress the court proceedings
• Advise on dilapidations at the end of the lease (terminal dilapidations).