Overage, sometimes called clawback, is a contractual obligation requiring a buyer to pay the seller an additional sum if specified trigger events occur after the sale of property, typically the grant of planning permission. It bridges the gap between the current value of land and the uplift in value if development becomes possible. Without an overage […]
If you own commercial property in Cheshire and the wider North West, 2026 is the most consequential year for the commercial lease market I have seen in nearly a decade of practice. Five things have moved since January. Two of them are now law. One is statutory guidance that has just been published. The other
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 is the biggest shake-up of the private rented sector in nearly forty years. Section 21 “no fault” evictions are gone. Fixed-term assured shorthold tenancies have ended. Almost every existing tenancy in England has automatically converted into a new form of assured tenancy. If you let residential property in Cheshire, whether it’s
Renters’ Rights Act 2025: What It Means for Landlords Read More »
A commercial lease is a legally binding agreement that commits a business to a property – its obligations, its costs and its risks – for the full duration of the term. The key dangers sit in the break clause conditions, the repairing obligations and the total cost exposure, all of which are routinely underestimated by
What to Check Before Signing a Commercial Lease in Cheshire Read More »
Planning Permission for Padel Courts How landowners and industrial property owners can diversify land or warehouses into padel facilities – and the planning and property risks to consider. Key Takeaways Padel courts are driving new land diversification opportunities across the UK, particularly on under-utilised land and within vacant industrial units or warehouses. Planning permission is usually
Planning Permission for Padel Courts Read More »
A break clause is one of the most valuable rights a commercial tenant can negotiate. It provides the flexibility to exit a lease before its contractual end date, in theory protecting the business from being locked into premises it has outgrown, can no longer afford, or simply no longer needs. In practice, break clauses fail
When leasing commercial property, heads of terms are routinely treated as a formality – a short document agreed in principle before solicitors are instructed and ‘the real work’ begins. Because they are stamped ‘subject to contract’, the assumption is that they carry little legal or commercial weight. That assumption is mistaken. Poorly drafted heads of
Heads of Terms in Commercial Property: Why ‘Non-Binding’ Doesn’t Mean Low Risk Read More »
Acquiring commercial premises, whether by purchase or lease, is one of the most important decisions a business owner will make. Get the legal framework right and your premises will support growth, flexibility and long-term value. Get it wrong and you can find yourself locked into unsuitable space, exposed to liabilities you did not anticipate, and