Solicitors for Shops Lease

While there is no legal requirement to instruct a solicitor for a shops lease, doing so is strongly recommended. A commercial lease is a binding legal document that can run for 5, 10, or even 15 years. Clauses relating to rent review, repair obligations, service charges, and break rights can have significant financial consequences if not properly understood and negotiated. A solicitor for a shops lease will identify and mitigate risks before you commit — often saving you far more than the legal fees involved. We have seen too many retailers sign leases without legal advice and later face unexpected liabilities running into tens of thousands of pounds.

Our fees depend on the complexity of the lease and whether we act for the landlord or the tenant. For a straightforward shop lease (tenant side), our fees typically range from £750 to £1,500 plus VAT. For landlord-side drafting or complex multi-site transactions, the fees are higher. We provide a fixed-fee quote after our initial consultation so there are no surprises. Visit our legal fees page for more detail or call us on 01582 415836 for a tailored estimate.

A turnover rent is a rent calculated, in whole or in part, by reference to your shop's sales. Instead of (or in addition to) a fixed base rent, you pay a percentage of your turnover. This can be advantageous for new or seasonal businesses because your rent adjusts with your income. However, turnover rent clauses require careful drafting — you need clear definitions of what counts as turnover, how it is verified, and what happens in quiet trading periods. Our solicitors for shops lease can advise on whether a turnover rent structure suits your business model and negotiate the detailed mechanics.

Yes. There are several routes to exit a shop lease before its contractual end date, and a solicitor can help with all of them. If your lease contains a break clause, we can ensure you comply with all conditions for a valid exercise — missing a single condition can invalidate the break. If there is no break clause, we can negotiate a surrender agreement with your landlord or assist with assigning the lease to a suitable incoming tenant. We also advise on your rights under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 and any statutory protections that may apply to your situation.

Security of tenure is the statutory right of a business tenant to renew their lease on expiry, granted by the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. For a shop, this protection means the landlord cannot simply take back the premises when the lease ends — they must serve proper notice and can only oppose renewal on specific statutory grounds (such as redevelopment or owner occupation). Many landlords ask tenants to contract out of security of tenure, which means you waive this right. Our solicitors for shops lease will explain whether contracting out is appropriate in your case and the formal procedure required, including the service of a statutory warning notice and the tenant's declaration.

Yes, we act for both landlords and tenants. For landlords, we draft landlord-friendly shop leases that protect your investment with robust rent review provisions, strong repairing covenants, and tightly controlled alienation clauses. We also advise landlords on rent and service charge recovery, forfeiture proceedings, and portfolio management support. Our dual perspective — working on both sides of the negotiating table — gives us valuable insight into what is commercially reasonable and where there is genuine room for compromise.

Yes. Our solicitors for shops lease advise on retail premises throughout England and Wales. We handle transactions in all locations — from prime high street units in London, Manchester, and Birmingham to local shopping parades, retail parks, and standalone village shops. We conduct consultations by phone, video call, or in person at our Luton office, and all document exchange is managed electronically for speed and convenience. If you prefer to instruct a solicitor remotely, please see our online solicitor for commercial property lease page for more information on our remote legal services.