Contact our breach of commercial lease solicitors in Leeds and London

Commercial property leases are vital assets to both landlords and tenant businesses. At Levi Solicitors, we can support you at every stage of your commercial lease dispute and to find you a resolution.

If you would like advice regarding the breach of a commercial lease, call us at 0800 988 7756, or contact us by using the simple enquiry form on this page. We have solicitors in Leeds, North Leeds and London who are ready to provide prompt, friendly advice.

If you have further queries regarding commercial property, do not hesitate to get in touch with our commercial property solicitors.

Why choose Levi Solicitors for advice on the breach of a commercial lease

Our solicitors will work diligently to help protect the value of your property and your interests. We take a pragmatic and effective approach to enforcing rent terms and payments, aiming to minimise the impact on you.

No matter how complicated your circumstances have become, we will know exactly how to help you navigate matters successfully and find a resolution by way of mediation, court processes, or both. Our priority will be to look out for you and cost-effectively resolve matters.

Throughout your time with us, we can provide cost estimates and guidance for funding your case. For a quick guide to pricing, please see our pricing page. At any stage, our specialist solicitors can step into place to mediate the conflict and prevent further escalation, and no matter what, we will always protect your legal rights and ensure that every obligation is fully explained to you.

Our breach of commercial lease services

| Commercial rent arrears disputes

Commercial rent arrears disputes arise when a tenant disputes the amount of rent that they owe to the landlord or fails to pay.

If this happens, there are several options available to the landlord.

Our solicitors can help when the tenant’s breach of commercial lease involves rent arrears. We understand the urgency of collecting owed rent and can assist you in issuing a statutory demand or commencing court proceedings to recover the rent.

We also help with Commercial Rent Arrears Recovery (CRAR) and forfeiture as a result of commercial rent arrears or pursuing a guarantor or original tenant under an AGA.

Our solicitors help tenants to contact their landlords and negotiate a payment plan or settlement. Receiving demands for payment can be intimidating, and we can ensure that you do not react out of a panicked place but with a carefully thought-out approach to the situation.

A service charge is a fee for the use of services or the maintenance of a property. Disagreements can arise between landlords and tenants over how reasonable a service charge expense is.

For commercial landlords, if your tenant fails to pay their service charge, we can advise you on your options and help you recover the commercial service charge arrears.

| Non-payment of insurance

A commercial lease will usually include a clause stipulating that the tenant pays the landlord’s costs of insuring the building. Failure to pay this insurance could constitute a breach of lease by the tenant.

The consequences of non-payment of insurance can range from risking exposure to both landlord and tenant to a breach of commercial lease and may even trigger the landlord’s right to terminate the agreement.

Our solicitors can assist with checking the lease clauses relating to insurance and advise on if and how they were broken. The repercussions for non-payment of insurance under a commercial lease can be wide-ranging and so you are advised to contact a legal professional if you or one of your tenants have failed to pay their insurance.

| Nuisance claims

It is common for a commercial lease to include a clause that the tenant must not cause a nuisance to neighbouring property owners or other tenants in the building. Therefore, if a tenant causes a private or public nuisance, they are likely to be in breach of the lease.

We can assist both landlords and tenants with securing compensation and immediate relief with an injunction. If the tenants of a commercial property are the cause of a nuisance, such as a loud restaurant, then we can look at your lease and advise on the best course of action.

| Alterations without consent

A tenant cannot make certain alterations to the property without the agreement of the landlord. Before making any significant changes, we advise that tenants check the lease and get permission from the landlord where required.

If your landlord believes you have made unauthorised alterations and you are facing a claim or forfeiture, we can advise you on your options and help you defend your position.

If your tenant has breached their lease by making alterations to the property without consent, we can assist landlords in communicating with their tenants that they must restore the property (specific performance). Failing that, we will help you to seek compensation and, if necessary, assist you in forfeiting the lease so that you may reclaim the property and restore its condition.

| Subletting or assigning without consent

As a landlord you are likely to have included a clause prohibiting your commercial tenants from subletting without your prior written consent. The potential risks for a tenant subletting without consent include the forfeiture of lease, that the landlord may claim damages, and the potential for court action.

We can assist tenants in fulfilling their business needs without breaching their commercial lease, such as exploring alternatives or seeking consent from their landlord.

Levi Solicitors also work with landlords to ensure that their properties are not used in ways that would risk their value. If you suspect that your commercial tenant is subletting or assigning without consent, we can help you investigate and advise you on what steps to take from there.

| Disrepair claims or dilapidations

Disrepair claims or dilapidations can constitute a breach of a commercial lease. They typically occur when a tenant fails to maintain the property in a reasonable condition, which will be set out in the repairing obligations in the lease.

Levi Solicitors can help landlords to act quickly and recover their property or enforce repairing obligations whilst the tenancy is still in its fixed term. If the dilapidations are discovered at the end of the lease (known as terminal dilapidations), then we can assist you in seeking compensation.

We understand that it can be unclear as to who is responsible for upkeep of a property and what constitutes to reasonable wear and tear compared to damage. Sometimes leases can be interpreted many ways. Our specialists can assess the lease you are already under and advise you on your obligations.

Key questions about a breach of commercial lease