Signing a commercial lease involves having a clear picture of what you are about to sign. It may like too much work, but in your best interest, do your due diligence before putting pen to paper. Make sure you ask questions, read the lease agreement word by word and line by line. Do not assume the content of the lease because, most times, it does not contain the things that you expect.
Check below for tips on how you can protect yourself when signing a commercial lease. Doing these things will help you understand what you are getting into better and also avoid misunderstanding or trouble with your landlord. Let’s get to it;
- Read the lease over and over
The first thing to do when you receive the lease papers is to create time to read them. Maybe you have discussed some things with the landlord before, such as reducing the cost of the lease or providing certain utilities as part of the lease. Whatever it is that you may have discussed with him or her, read the lease to make sure he or she has included it in the written lease agreement. Also, check the leasing date and every other term that you negotiated to see if they are in writing. Do not take the word of your landlord for it. Anything you want your lease payment to cover, make sure the landlord puts it into writing. This way, you will be preventing future arguments.
- Understand the lease terminology
It is one thing to read a lease agreement while it is another to get a full grasp of what you have read. There are numerous terminologies that lease agreements contain, which may be outside of the regular dictionary. Do not assume the meaning of a word. Make sure you understand the full meaning of every word you read in the agreement. If you need further help with interpreting a lease agreement paper, get in touch with your property attorney at Chang Legal LLC Attorneys at Law.
- Is the lease flexible?
You should factor in some uncertainties or eventualities beyond your control. If, at some point, you decide to move your business elsewhere or sell your business, can you sublease the facility? You should put these into consideration and discuss them with your landlord so he or she can include them in the lease terms.
- Work with your attorney
Your attorney is the only person that you should trust when signing a lease or contract. Your attorney is well-grounded in the law and will spot any unfair or unreasonable term in your lease agreement. Involving your attorney will help you stay ahead and avoid any issues in the future.To ensure that you have a good tenant-landlord relationship, take time to understand your lease and do not be blindsided into signing something you do not understand. Chang Legal LLC Attorneys at Law is the best you can work with when signing a commercial lease. Call 847 907 4971 to talk to a lawyer.