Whether you are a landlord granting a lease or a tenant entering one, the terms you agree to today will govern your rights for years. Our team reviews and drafts commercial, retail, and residential leases with care and precision.
We work with landlords and tenants across commercial, retail, and residential lease matters throughout Victoria.
Office, industrial, and warehouse leases. We review rent, term, options, make-good obligations, permitted use, and assignment rights - advising you before you sign.
Retail leases in Victoria are governed by the Retail Leases Act 2003. We advise landlords and tenants on disclosure obligations, rent reviews, and statutory protections under the Act.
We draft new leases for landlords with clear, enforceable terms tailored to your property and tenancy arrangement. We can draft commercial, retail, and residential lease agreements.
Transferring a lease to a new tenant as part of a business or property sale. We manage the assignment process, landlord consent, and ensure the incoming tenant is properly protected.
Exercising an option to renew, negotiating new rent, or extending a lease. We advise on the correct process, deadlines, and your rights when the option period approaches.
Surrendering a lease early by mutual agreement. We document the surrender correctly, deal with outstanding obligations, and ensure both parties are properly released from liability.
A lease is often the most significant ongoing financial commitment your business or investment will carry. We review every clause with care.
The lease term, option periods, option exercise deadlines, and conditions that must be met to exercise your option. We flag any procedural traps that could cost you the right to renew.
Base rent, rent review mechanisms (CPI, fixed percentage, market review), and outgoings obligations. We clarify exactly what you are responsible for paying throughout the lease term.
Whether the permitted use clause allows your intended business activity, and whether it is broad enough to protect your flexibility as your business evolves during the term.
What you must do at the end of the lease - reinstatement, removal of fitout, repainting, repair. These obligations can be costly and are often negotiable before you sign.
Your ability to assign the lease to a purchaser of your business, sublet part of the premises, or transfer to a related entity - and the conditions the landlord may impose on consent.
Any additional terms agreed between the parties - fit-out contributions, rent-free periods, exclusivity clauses, demolition clauses, and other specific arrangements that should be properly documented.
Most lease disputes arise from poorly understood or poorly documented terms. Whether you are granting a lease or signing one, our review identifies the risks before they become problems.
Retail Leases Act 2003 (Victoria): Retail leases in Victoria carry mandatory disclosure obligations for landlords. Failure to comply can give a tenant the right to avoid the lease. We advise landlords on compliance requirements before leases are executed.
For landlords: We draft leases that properly protect your asset, document the agreed terms, and comply with disclosure obligations under the Retail Leases Act 2003.
For tenants: We review what you are being asked to sign, explain the obligations in plain English, and identify any terms that should be negotiated before you commit.
Business buyers: If you are buying a business with a lease, we review the lease as part of your due diligence - covering assignment conditions, remaining term, and renewal rights.
Bilingual service: We advise in both English and Vietnamese, making lease review accessible for Melbourne's Vietnamese business community.
Having a professional review a commercial or retail lease before you sign is strongly recommended. Lease terms can bind you for years and carry significant financial obligations. We identify risks, explain your obligations, and advise on terms that can often be negotiated before you commit.
A retail lease is governed by the Retail Leases Act 2003 (Vic) when it covers premises used for retail purposes and the annual rent is below the threshold specified in the Act. Retail leases carry specific protections for tenants, including minimum lease terms, disclosure obligations for landlords, and restrictions on certain outgoings recovery. We advise on whether the Act applies to your lease and what protections it provides.
Most commercial leases allow assignment with the landlord's consent. The lease will set out the conditions for consent - usually financial checks on the incoming tenant and a formal assignment deed. We manage the assignment process as part of a business sale, ensuring the lease is correctly transferred and your liability under the original lease is properly addressed.
A make-good obligation requires a tenant to return the premises to a specified condition at the end of the lease - often the original condition, which can mean removing fitout, repainting, and repairing any damage. The scope of make-good obligations varies widely and can be negotiated. We review and advise on make-good clauses before you sign so you understand the potential cost at lease end.
Call our team to talk through your matter. We provide clear advice on your lease, explain your rights, and give you a fixed fee quote before we begin.