Negotiate the terms of a commercial lease
On behalf of Kadish & Associates Law Group posted in Commercial Real Estate Disputes on Friday, August 30, 2019.
Many things go into making sure that a commercial lease is a good match for both parties. There are instances in which negotiations might have to happen to hash out the details. Since there is no such thing as a standard commercial lease, any point in the contract should be negotiable. Some landlords will refuse to negotiate at all. If you do find one who is willing to, make sure that any points that are agreed upon are clearly written in the contract.
Some landlords might not be willing to negotiate the monthly payment, but there are other costs that come with many commercial leases that you might be able to negotiate other points. Some of these include what utilities are included in the lease price and what type of maintenance expenses are required. If you can reduce the other liabilities you have, it is possible that you will be able to reduce the overall cost of the lease.
It is a good idea to go through the space you will lease and make a list of anything that is broken or in poor condition so that you can’t be blamed for it. If there are things that the landlord agrees to fix or if they state they will discount rent if you fix it, be sure to get that in writing. You might be able to use those points to reduce your liability in the lease.
As you work to get the terms of the lease set up in a way that is in your best interests, remember to try to stick to the points that are truly important to you. Trying to negotiate things you don’t care about too much can lead to you missing out on the things that are truly important.