Leasing a shopping-centre unit: a three-part guide
Shopping centres are complex ecosystems. Every lease is more than just a contract between landlord and tenant, it is a thread in the wider fabric that holds the centre and its operational environment together. Rent models, service charges, trading obligations, and redevelopment rights all interact to shape whether a centre thrives or struggles. At Newmanor…
Read MoreWhen the tills fall silent: Navigating retail distress in 2025
The challenges facing Britain’s high street have rarely felt so acute. In May 2025 alone, 2,238 companies in England and Wales entered insolvency – a 15% increase on the previous year and part of a sustained pattern of elevated failures. The retail sector, already navigating the shift to online shopping, felt that pressure sharply, with…
Read MoreA guide to understanding preliminaries in construction contracts
In any construction project, the focus often falls on the visible outputs: the steel, the bricks, the finishes. But behind the scenes, a critical part of the build is quietly powering every stage: the preliminaries. Often misunderstood or dismissed as background costs, preliminaries are in fact a core part of every construction contract. They can…
Read MoreDilapidations at Lease End
When a commercial lease ends, it’s not just a matter of handing back the keys. For both landlords and tenants, this moment can trigger one of the most technical and financially significant issues in commercial property – dilapidations. Put simply, dilapidations are claims made by a landlord when a tenant hasn’t complied with lease obligations…
Read MoreMartyn’s Law: What commercial property owners and occupiers must know
The quiet progression of a vital piece of public safety legislation became official on 3rd April 2025 with the passing of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act – better known as Martyn’s Law. Its formal enactment represents not only the fulfilment of a government promise, but also the culmination of years of determined campaigning by…
Read MoreFlex office leases: Negotiating with commercial landlords
As flexible workspace becomes a mainstream office model, providers are stepping into increasingly complex lease negotiations with commercial landlords. This was certainly our experience during our negotiations for our landlord client at Victoria, where the provider had a lot of operational requirements to accommodate. These aren’t your standard institutional leases. Operators offering short-term licences to…
Read MoreBDW v URS Simplified: The Case Every Property Professional Should Understand
Why This Case Matters In May 2025, the Supreme Court handed down a major judgment in BDW v URS, now regarded as one of the most important construction cases in recent years. The central issue was this: can a developer recover the cost of fixing dangerous building defects, even after the building has been sold,…
Read MoreInsurance rent and the Picturehouse dispute: What the Trocadero case teaches us about transparency in commercial leasing
In late May 2025, the High Court delivered a decision that has profound implications for the way commercial landlords and tenants handle insurance costs. In London Trocadero (2015) LLP v Picturehouse Cinemas Limited [2025] EWHC 1247 (Ch), Mr Justice Richards determined that landlords cannot simply tack on undisclosed broker commissions to their tenants as part…
Read MoreThe rise of semi-commercial property investments
The UK property market is in a state of transformation. While traditional commercial and residential investments remain prevalent, a new contender has steadily risen to prominence over the past years: semi-commercial properties. Combining residential and commercial elements within a single development, these hybrids bridge the gap between two sectors and offer opportunities for both diversification…
Read MoreAre private members’ clubs the future of commercial property investment?
The landscape of commercial property is constantly evolving, but one of the most intriguing trends in recent years has been the rise of private members’ clubs. Formerly the domain of exclusive circles and elite society, these clubs are experiencing a renaissance, marking their significance not just in hospitality but as pivotal drivers of real estate…
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