Call us now:
Most tenants focus solely on price per square foot – but at Langley & Co. Solicitors, we’ve seen businesses lose thousands from poorly negotiated lease terms.
This guide reveals:
✔ 5 make-or-break lease clauses
✔ How landlords exploit common oversights
✔ Negotiation tactics that save money
✔ When to walk away from a bad deal
The 5 Most Negotiable (and Dangerous) Clauses
1. Repair Obligations – The Hidden Bankruptcy Trap
- Standard wording: “Put and keep the property in good repair”
- Why it’s risky: Could force you to rebuild crumbling walls or replace ancient wiring
- Our fix: Negotiate:
→ “Fair wear and tear excluded”
→ Schedule of Condition attached
2. Break Clauses – Your Escape Route
- Critical for: Startups, growing businesses, uncertain markets
- Demand:
→ At least one tenant-only break option
→ Clear notice periods (not tied to landlord approvals)
💼 Case Study:
*We secured a 3-year lease with 18-month break clause for a tech startup – they exited penalty-free when scaling required new premises.*
3. Service Charges – The Bottomless Pit
- Red flags:
→ No annual cap
→ Vague “sundry expenses” wording - Solution:
→ Demand audited accounts
→ Exclude capital improvements
4. Alienation Clauses – Can You Sublet?
- Trap: Absolute prohibitions on assignment
- Better wording:
→ “Not to be unreasonably withheld”
→ Permitted sharing with group companies
5. Rent Review Mechanisms
Push for:
→ Market value resets
→ RPI-linked increases (capped at 3-4%)
Avoid: “Upwards-only” reviews in stagnant markets
3 Negotiation Power Moves
- The Delay Tactic
- Landlords hate voids – use their urgency to your advantage
- The Comparables Play
- Research nearby vacant units to challenge excessive terms
- The Professional Gambit
- “My solicitor advises this clause is unusually onerous…”