Commercial leasing
Commercial leasing lawyers in Melbourne.
A lease is a long-term financial commitment dressed up as paperwork. CMK Legal in Richmond acts for tenants and landlords across retail, office, industrial and warehouse premises in Victoria, reviewing, negotiating, renewing, assigning and, when it comes to it, resolving disputes. You get plain-English advice on what the lease actually costs and what happens when circumstances change.
Solicitor-reviewed
Every lease is reviewed closely by a Victorian commercial lawyer.
Fast turnaround
Advice back within 2 to 3 business days in most cases.
Fixed fee, quoted first
You know the cost before we open the document.
Victorian leasing law
Advice grounded in the Retail Leases Act 2003 and VCAT practice.
Our commercial leasing services.
What our commercial leasing team does.
We advise on the full life of a lease: the agreement to lease and disclosure statement before you commit, the lease terms themselves, variations and incentives during the term, options and renewals, assignments when a business changes hands, and make-good and bond release at the end.
For tenants, the focus is total occupancy cost, statutory protections under the Retail Leases Act 2003 (Vic) where it applies, and keeping exit routes open. For landlords, it is enforceable rent recovery, clean security, sensible repair obligations and documents that survive a sale of the property.
Most work is fixed fee and quoted before we start. Where a matter becomes contested, arrears, repairs, an unlawful termination or a make-good claim, we run it commercially, at VCAT or through negotiation, with the cost of the fight always weighed against the size of the issue.
Retail and non-retail leases are governed by different rules. Whether the Retail Leases Act applies changes outgoings recovery, minimum terms, disclosure and dispute pathways, so it is the first thing we confirm.
Why leasing advice pays for itself.
The real cost is rarely the headline rent
Fixed increases, CPI or market reviews, outgoings, promotion levies, management fees and air-conditioning charges compound across a term. We total the likely cost over the whole lease so your budget matches reality.
Your exit is decided on day one
Assignment rights, options, relocation and demolition clauses and make-good all decide what happens when you sell, grow or close. They are cheap to fix before signing and expensive to argue about later.
Statutory protections confirmed, not assumed
Where the Retail Leases Act applies it limits land tax recovery, requires outgoings estimates and reconciliations and restricts lease preparation costs. We check the document is not quietly contracting around what cannot be contracted out of.
Negotiation handled by someone who does it weekly
Agents and landlord solicitors negotiate leases constantly. Having a lawyer take up rent-free periods, guarantee caps, repair splits and option terms usually recovers more than the fee.
Talk to us if.
- You have been sent a lease and asked to sign this week
- You are taking your first commercial or retail premises
- There is an incentive, rent-free period or fit-out contribution on offer
- Your option deadline is approaching
- You are buying or selling a business with a lease attached
- Outgoings have jumped and you want to know what is recoverable
- A breach notice, arrears claim or repair dispute has landed
- The term is ending and the landlord has raised make-good
If you have already signed, we will still tell you exactly where you stand and what can realistically be renegotiated at the next review, option or assignment.
How we work on a lease.
- 01
Send us the documents
Lease, disclosure statement, plan, and any heads of agreement, incentive letter or correspondence from the agent.
- 02
Scope and fixed fee
We confirm whether the Retail Leases Act applies, scope the work and quote before starting.
- 03
Solicitor review
The document is read against the legislation and against what you tell us about the business and its plans.
- 04
Advice
A plain-English report with risks rated and a clear list of amendments worth asking for.
- 05
Negotiation
If you instruct us, we take the points to the landlord's agent or solicitor and settle the wording.
- 06
Signing and beyond
Execution, registration where needed, and a diary note of your option and review dates so nothing is missed.
Fixed fees for leasing work.
Lease reviews, assignments, renewals and option exercises are quoted as fixed fees covering the documents and advice, with a call included. Negotiation and contested matters are quoted separately once we know what is actually in issue, and we tell you before costs move.
FAQs
Commercial leasing FAQs.
Still unsure? Call us on (03) 9008 7224 and speak to a lawyer, not a call centre.
Is my lease a retail lease?
How long does a lease review take?
Can the landlord pass on land tax and legal costs?
What happens if I miss my option date?
Do I have to give a personal guarantee?
Do you act for landlords as well as tenants?
Related services.
Retail lease review
A lawyer's review of your retail lease and disclosure statement before you commit.
Learn moreCommercial lease review
Office, industrial and warehouse leases reviewed for cost, risk and exit.
Learn moreLease negotiation
We negotiate rent, incentives, options and repair clauses with the other side.
Learn moreLease renewal & option exercise
Exercise your option on time and on the right terms, or renegotiate a new term.
Learn moreLease assignment & transfer
Transferring a lease when a business is bought or sold, with consent handled properly.
Learn moreLease disputes
Breach notices, rent arrears, repairs and VCAT proceedings resolved commercially.
Learn moreRetail Leases Act advice
Whether the Act applies to your premises, and what it changes for both sides.
Learn moreMake-good obligations
What you must return the premises to at the end of the term, and what you can resist.
Learn moreGet your lease looked at properly.
Start online or book a consultation with a CMK Legal commercial leasing solicitor in Richmond, Melbourne.