How a Lawyer Can Help with Renting Commercial Real Estate

Whether you have recently started a new business or you are looking for a new space for your existing business, it is important to seek legal assistance when you are going to be renting new commercial property. While there are some similarities between residential and commercial leases, there are also many distinctions that can affect your rights and responsibilities as a tenant. An experienced Summit real estate attorney can assist you in various ways when you are planning to rent commercial property, and our firm can help you in the months or even years after you sign a commercial lease if a breach of contract occurs or a dispute arises. The following are just some of the key ways that a lawyer can help with renting commercial real estate in New Jersey.

Drafting and Negotiating the Terms of Your Commercial Lease 

For business owners in the process of seeking commercial property for rent, the sooner you begin working with an attorney, the better the likelihood that we can be involved in drafting the commercial lease and negotiating the terms of the commercial lease in a way that is favorable to your business. It is essential to know that commercial leases have many distinctions from residential leases. Most significantly, commercial leases tend to be much longer than residential leases (typically multi-year leases for commercial property), they are often tailored to the business and its needs, and they are not easy to modify. In addition, commercial tenants do not have the protections that residential tenants have in New Jersey landlord-tenant law.

Many lease terms can be made more favorable to the business owner through negotiation, and our firm can assist with all aspects of negotiation.

Reviewing Your Commercial Lease 

If you have already found a commercial property you want to rent, and the owner has provided you with a commercial lease, our firm can review the terms. It is certainly possible to consider negotiating some of the terms before you sign, and our New Jersey real estate lawyers can assist with that process. We can also discuss any existing terms with you to clarify any questions or concerns you have about your rights and responsibilities under the terms of the lease. While some aspects of commercial landlord-tenant law are governed by New Jersey statute, such as the removal or eviction of a commercial tenant, most matters will be governed by the terms of the commercial lease.

Breach of Contract Issues and Dispute Resolution 

Once you have signed the lease, whether you have yet to move your business into the commercial property or have been in the commercial property for an extended period of time, an issue or dispute may arise. If the commercial landlord breaches a term of the lease, or if there is another dispute that you need to resolve, our firm can help. We will begin by attempting to resolve the dispute informally, but if necessary, we are ready to litigate your commercial real estate dispute.

Contact a Summit Real Estate Attorney 

If you have any questions about commercial leases, one of the experienced New Jersey real estate attorneys at Dempsey, Dempsey & Sheehan can speak with you today. Our firm is here to assist you with all aspects of drafting, negotiating, and reviewing commercial leases before you rent, and handling disputes after you have started renting your commercial property. Contact us today for assistance.

Sources:

law.justia.com/codes/new-jersey/title-2a/section-2a-18-53/

njcourts.gov/self-help/landlord-tenant#toc-laws-and-legal-research