Commercial Leasing Attorney

A commercial lease agreement is a contract between a property owner (landlord) and a business owner, constituting a legally binding basis for renting a certain property for business purposes. What sets commercial leases apart from residential leases is that they stipulate a property must be used strictly for business purposes—not for housing or personal use.

Commercial leases often have more room for negotiation than residential leases, but they are also more complicated, meaning lawyers may quickly become involved to resolve disputes. The lease term may be longer or require the landlord to prepare the property in a certain way, and it may come with certain stipulations about how the property will be used. Notably, commercial tenants have fewer legal protections than residential tenants, making it especially important for a commercial leasing attorney to review all agreements before signing. Most commercial lease agreements consist of the following elements:

• Cost of rent
• Length of lease
• Security deposit
• Property description
• (Annual) rent increase percentage
• Business signs
• Conditions for improvements and modifications to the property
• Terms for subletting to third parties
• Use clause (denoting the types of activity allowed on the property)
• Exclusivity clause (for rental properties located within a complex of multiple units)
• Accessibility clause with regards to the Americans with Disabilities Act

Should I Consult A Commercial Leasing Attorney For Litigation?

Because the terms of a commercial lease could ultimately be restrictive or financially harmful to your business, it is recommended to consult an experienced commercial leasing attorney before signing. If your business grows or changes over the next few years, the last thing you want is to be trapped in a lease with unfavorable terms. If a disagreement arises regarding maintenance, property use, renewals, extensions, or another aspect of an existing lease, it is important to seek legal guidance in the best interest of your business. Here are some of the most common situations our commercial lease dispute lawyers can help with:

• Office space leasing (for tenants and property owners)
• Leasing for shopping center, specialty retail, and mixed-use projects
• Long-term ground lease transactions
• Environmental issues
• Warehouse and industrial leasing transactions
• Medical office and laboratory facility leases
• All types of property management issues and disputes
• Landlord/tenant disputes and litigation (non-payment of rent, improper subleasing, fixture disputes, etc.)
• Building access agreements and roof-top license agreements
• Fiber optics transmission contracts and easements
• Wind farm leases

Why Should I Seek Help From A Commercial Leasing Attorney?

Commercial leases are often in place for years. Even with a detailed and bulletproof commercial leasing agreement, you can still run into issues or disputes down the road. This is why consulting a commercial leasing attorney can protect your business’s future. An experienced commercial lease dispute lawyer can offer support in:

• Reviewing commercial lease agreements and offering legal consultation
• Ensuring commercial lease accuracy through matching terms of the agreements to the LOI (letter of intent)
• Creating and negotiating parcel leases and Reciprocal Easement Agreements
• Settling disputes and commercial lease litigation
• Protecting landowners against construction lien liability

Whether you’re a property owner or a business owner, our team of expert commercial leasing attorneys at Alex R. Hernandez Jr. PLLC is ready to represent your best interests. Call us at 361-792-3811 or use the contact form on our website to get in touch.