Choosing the right retail or leisure premises
Retail businesses often stand or fall on their choice of premises. So what four key questions do you need to ask when choosing retail premises? Here are four of the most critical. 1. Will your business work in the location? Guaranteed footfall from passing trade is an obvious benefit of choosing a prime pitch, but […]
Risk Management for Commercial landlords
Investing in commercial property can offer more predictable returns than other asset classes. But as a commercial landlord you also take on important legal liabilities and risks. One thing you need to decide is whether to manage these risks yourself or use a managed service. In this article Your precise responsibilities and liabilities depend on […]
Commercial Leases – How to Negotiate the Best Outcome and Understand Your Options
A commercial lease is a serious legal commitment. To successfully achieve the best outcome of a rent review, lease renewal or re-gearing of an existing lease requires advisors with technical knowledge and the ability to negotiate on your behalf. Rent Reviews Lease Expiries and Renewals Lease Re-Gearing By engaging Hicks Baker to help you with […]
Finding premises for Life Sciences companies Solving the conundrum
Investment volume in 2022 exceeded £2.45 Billion for Life Sciences real estate in the UK, demonstrating real confidence in this specialist market. However current availability of suitable space is critically low, particularly in and around Oxford. New developments are in the pipeline but the style and technical specification of buildings will vary as investors interpret […]
Finding the Right Commercial Property for Your Business
Finding the right commercial premises is crucial for your business success. Here are some key points to look out for. 1. Property Requirements: Size, layout, location, parking and access to amenities 2. Budget: Occupational budget must cover rent, service charge rates and utilities 3. Multi-Let Building or Self-contained: Check for any ‘hidden extras’ 4. Utilities: […]
EPC Regulations – A commercial property update for 2023
Landlords – 1st April 2023 Are you ready? Landlords will be familiar with the fact that since 2018 all commercial properties to be let must have a valid certificate at E or above. They may not be aware however that from 1st April 2023, where properties have a current EPC certificate (certificates have a life […]
Lease Re-Gearing Opportunities, Issues and Risks
In normal times amending commercial lease terms tends only to happen when there is a break or renewal due. But Covid-19 has resulted in times that are anything but normal and has resulted in a lot of re-gearing activity over the last 12 months. It’s worth noting that there is a lot of uncertainty in […]
The Retail Landscape from the Landlord’s Perspective
Much is written in the current times, about the plight of retailers, however very little column space is given to the plight of the commercial retail landlord – an exception to this was the startling collapse in Q2 2020 of Intu, who were one of the largest shopping centre owners in the UK, owning schemes […]
Client Money Protection Schemes What Commercial Landlords Need to Know
From April 1 2019 it became mandatory for all letting agents to sign up to a registered Client Money Protection scheme. We welcome this step as it provides reassurance for landlords and tenants that any funds being handled by their property agent – whether commercial or residential – are fully protected if the agent were […]
7 things Landlords should understand about Rent Reviews
Most longer-term commercial leases give landlords the right to review the rent at fixed intervals to ensure it is in line with prevailing values. And of course, there may be an opportunity to revise the rent at the end of the term, if a tenant renews its lease. Rent reviews are an invaluable mechanism to […]
