Every aspect of dealing with commercial property is fraught with legal risk, and it is essential that you get the very best advice at each stage of the process.
You may be buying, selling or leasing commercial property as an owner, occupier, investor or developer. Whatever your requirements are, you will have a single key contact in our commercial property team who will work with you from start to finish.
At Underwood & Co, we take great pride in the personal service we deliver. By taking the time to understand your situation and particular requirements, we are able to oversee a smooth process and deliver the right outcome for you.
We have an enormous amount of experience in commercial property. We act on behalf of private and business clients, banks and other secured lenders. The properties in question range from shops and offices to industrial units and commercial trading estates, as well as hotels, care homes, retail and leisure developments.
The range of expertise covered by the lawyers in our team includes the following areas:
- Collateral warranties
- Compulsory land purchase
- Disputes and property litigation
- Estate development & plot sales
- Estate management
- Leases
- Mineral leases
- Options and overage agreements
- Planning law
- Property development
- Sale and leaseback
- Sales and purchases
- Secured lending
One particular area of commercial property law in which we specialise is the relationship between landlords and tenants – which may not always be harmonious.
If there are contentious aspects to a commercial property relationship, the influence and insight of an expert lawyer can make all the difference to its resolution.
We bring an outstanding level of insight to a range of areas including:
- Agricultural tenancies
- Assignments and sub-letting
- Assured shorthold tenancies
- Enforcement of covenants
- Forfeiture
- Issuing proceedings for the possession of premises
- Issues arising from the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954
- Landlords’ consents
- Lease extensions
- Lease negotiation
- Lease renewal
- Lease surrenders and variations
- Leasehold enfranchisements
- Recovery of rents and service charges
- Recovery of possession
- Removal of unauthorised occupants
- Rent reviews
- Repairing issues and schedules of dilapidations
Some examples of our experience in Commercial Property
- Advising a major estate agent on a ten-year lease in relation to premises for their city office for a yearly rent of circa £500k including advising on a licence to alter and comprising an area of approximately 7500 square ft.
- The firm advised in relation to a development of a block of commercial offices with a value of circa £20 million, to include acting on the purchase, and construction documentation, the project being procured on a design and build procurement route. Drafting of building contract; drafting of consultant’s warranties; drafting of collateral warranties.
- Acting in relation to a development of residential and office premises in relation to the construction documentation, the project being procured on a construction management route. Drafting of Construction Management Agreement. Drafting of trade contracts; drafting of consultants’ appointments; drafting of collateral warranties; satisfying funder’s requirements.
- Acting in relation to the purchase and subsequent development of a circa 60 room luxury hotel. Drafting of construction documentation, the project being procured on a traditional contract with contractor’s design portion. Drafting of JCT Design and Build contract with bespoke amendments thereto; drafting of consultants’ appointments; drafting of collateral warranties; satisfying funder’s requirements £18m.
- Acting in relation to a redevelopment of a block of luxury flats worth circa £8m. To include drafting of construction documentation, the project being procured via a design and build route. Drafting of JCT Design and Build contract with bespoke amendments thereto; drafting of consultants’ appointments; drafting of collateral warranties.
- Drafting of promotion agreements relating to proposed redevelopments of properties as nurseries.
[We’ve had] a very successful partnership with Underwood and Co for over 30 years on property matters. The funding, purchase, development and successful sale of a City of London office block is one example of close work with the Underwoods team.”
Architect & Property Services
