Commercial Property
Our Commercial Property solicitors at AWB Charlesworth have a wealth of experience in assisting businesses and individuals with all legal aspects involved with dealings in commercial property. We explain the complex nature of commercial property transactions in plain English so that the client fully understands the position.
Commercial property can involve complex financial structures, leasehold arrangements and title issues. It is vital to get the right advice.
From our offices in Bradford, Skipton, Keighley and Bingley we offer expert legal advice to our wide range of commercial property clients in the Aire Valley, Yorkshire and beyond.
We are active in all commercial sectors and happy to assist individuals, partnerships and companies.
Please look at our testimonials for feedback on our commercial property services.
Our Commercial Property team:
Skipton office | Keighley office | Bradford office |
Auction Work
Buying a commercial property at auction is rather different to the traditional way of purchasing property via a commercial agent. The point at which the hammer falls signals the formal exchange of a legally binding contract to purchase the property. With large sums of money involved it is vital to thoroughly review the contents of the auction and legal pack provided by the auction company.
We offer a cost effective service to review auction packs and provide a brief report on the key points involved. It is better to incur potentially a small amount of legal costs but not proceed than to take a chance and potentially be left with a devalued or unsaleable asset.
If you would like any further advice on Auction Work, please contact:
Buying a Commercial Property
Whether it is the purchase of an office, buying an investment property, acquiring a shop or assembling a development site our commercial property specialists are here to help.
We have extensive experience in dealing with purchases of commercial property and can provide you with speedy, easy to understand advice to help make the process of purchasing commercial property manageable and clear. Our competitive fee structures help us ensure that clients receive the right advice at the right price.
The key steps involved in a commercial property purchase can be summarised as:
- Heads of terms – normally an agent will agree the basic terms of your purchase e.g. price, target timescales, any pre-conditions and provide a summary of this to your solicitors.
- Review of the title – one key part is reviewing the title to the property to identify any relevant rights, reservations, covenants and other matters affecting the property. In particular commercial property can entail detailed leasehold structures and it is important to know that you are acquiring what you expect to.
- Searches – as part of the process property searches will ordinarily be carried out. These are enquiries of various bodies on matters as wide ranging as local authority enquiries, drainage queries, environmental history, coal mining and utilities. We can advise on the right searches to carry out for your purchase.
- Raising enquiries – this entails obtaining as much information as reasonably possible in relation to the property by raising both standard and bespoke enquiries.
- Review of finance arrangements – commercial mortgages are generally more complicated than their residential equivalents. A clear understanding of the points involved is absolutely critical.
- Reporting to you on the Property – we will work with you as to your preferred method of reporting. Whether it be by written report or at a face to face meeting it is our goal to ensure that you fully understand all aspects of the transactions and can feel confident in your decision.
- Exchange of contracts – this is the point at which you are legally bound to purchase the property and a completion date is fixed.
- Completion – the property is legally transferred into your name.
Recent instructions to our Commercial Property solicitors include:
-The acquisition of a large retail investment property.
-The purchase of a site for residential development.
-The purchase of a large industrial building as a new corporate HQ.
For further advice on buying a Commercial Property please contact:
Skipton office | Keighley office | Bradford office |
Development Work
We act on behalf of developer clients in the Aire Valley and more widely. Our specialist commercial property solicitors advise developers on all aspects of development work including:
- Site assembly.
- Easements and wayleaves.
- Conditional contracts
- Options
- Joint venture agreements
- Planning promotion agreements
- Collaboration agreements
- Purchases
- Sales
- Plot sales
- Management structures
- Planning agreements
- Highways agreements
- Water adoption agreementsWe also act for land owners on agreements with regional and national developers and can help protect your position in relation to the sale of your land. We can help you understand the subtle differences between conditional contracts and option agreements.
If you have any queries about Development work please contact:
Industrial Properties
We act for owners and occupiers of industrial buildings large and small. With industrial property can come complex issues relating to property condition, repair obligations, planning matters and complicated rent review mechanisms. Our commercial property solicitors provide affordable and understandable advice to help you with your industrial building requirements.
If you would like to speak to a Solicitor regarding Industrial Properties please contact:
Leasing of Commercial Property
Be it the grant of a lease or the taking of a lease our commercial property solicitors are happy to assist.
We have extensive experience acting for both Landlord and Tenant in the complex market of commercial leases. Whilst not the same as a purchase or sale the cumulative amount of money paid in rent during the lifetime of a lease can often be similar to a purchase price. Consequently it is crucial to fully understand your commitments. Our commercial property experts provide the right advice at the right fee.
Commercial leases are generally complex and can run to many pages in length. Each lease is unique but some key terms that are common to most leases are:
- Rent – how much is paid, how often is it payable and by what method?
- Term – how long is the lease to run for? What is the start date? Is there a break clause? (See below)
- Repairs – who is responsible for the repair of the structure and the interior of the building? what about existing disrepair? Is there a schedule of condition?
- Alienation – can the lease be assigned, underleased or used as the subject of a charge?
- Break clause – is either the Landlord or the Tenant able to terminate the lease earlier than its intended end date? On what terms is this allowed?
Recent instructions to our Commercial Property solicitors include:
-The grant of a new lease of large industrial premises in West Yorkshire.
-The leasing of office premises in Skipton.
-The leasing of a public house.
The following blogs written by our AWB Charlesworth Commercial team might be worth a review:
For further advice about Leasing of Commercial Property please contact:
Skipton office | Keighley office | Bradford office |
Licensed Property
Our commercial property partner James Dunn has a number of years of experience in dealing with all aspects of licensed property work including purchases, sales, leases and purchasing agreements. We are familiar with the leases of the major pub companies and can advise you on the unique features involved with a licensed property transaction including treatment of the premises licence, purchasing obligations, amusement machines and fixtures and fittings agreements.
AWB Charlesworth have recently written a blog that you might find of interest:
If you would like to discuss licenced property work please contact:
Mortgages and Refinancing
From time to time it is necessary to review the financing options in relation to your commercial property. Our solicitors have experience acting on refinancing projects involving single properties up to large estates. We provide cost effective and timely solutions to assist you with your refinancing instructions.
If you need any further advice about Mortgages and Refinancing of Commercial Property the please contact:
Pension Fund Transactions
As part of investment planning a number of people choose to acquire commercial property through their SSAS or SIPP. This is often in the context of separating the ownership of the property from the company or trading entity through which the property is operated.
The requirements of pension trustees are detailed and complex and our commercial property solicitors have recent and detailed experience acting in relation to matters involving pension funds and professional trustees. We understand the special requirements that transactions of this nature provoke and give commercial and pragmatic advice at the right cost to help move transactions forward in an area where matters can be rather protracted in some cases.
For further advice on pension fund transactions, please contact:
Professional Partnerships
Dealing with property matters for architects, doctors, dentists and veterinary surgeries can create additional complexities which are specific to that professional area. We have experience acting on behalf of a range of professional practices in relation to sales, purchases, leases and refinancing and can provide considered advice on your next property move.
If you would like any more information about professional partnerships, please contact Commercial Partner James Dunn for more information.
Retail Properties
Whether you are buying or selling a single high street shop, to leasing a unit in a shopping centre, to acquiring a large superstore our team of retail property experts will give you the right advice for your specific situation.
We have a wealth of experience of turnover based rent calculations and have acted in relation to leases to large high street retailers and leases of units in local shopping centres.
If you wish to speak with a Solicitor with regards to retail properties please contact:
Selling a Commercial Property
Our Commercial Property solicitors have extensive experience in dealing with sales of commercial property from the sale of a single shop to dealing with sales of large portfolio properties.
When selling commercial property the key factor is often the speed of the transaction. With our experience we can seek to ensure that the transaction completes within your required timescale and at the right fee.
The key steps involved in a commercial property sale can be summarised as:
- Heads of terms – normally an agent acting on your behalf will agree the basic terms of your sale e.g. price, target timescales, any pre-conditions and provide a summary of this to your solicitors.
- Provision of title documents – we will review your title deeds and provide to the other side the relevant documents that establish your ownership of the property and the matters affecting it.
- Replying to enquiries – we will assist you in preparation of replies to both standard and bespoke enquiries raised by your purchaser’s legal representatives.
- Review of finance arrangements – we will liaise with your lender as appropriate in terms of achieving redemption of your mortgage and its removal from you title.
- Exchange of contracts – this is the point at which you are legally bound to sell the property and a completion date is fixed.
- Completion – the property is legally transferred into your name.
Recent instructions to our Commercial Property solicitors include:
-The sale of a large industrial property.
-The sale of a public house
-The disposal of a modern office block.
For further advice about selling a Commercial Property please contact:
Skipton office | Keighley office | Bradford office |