Commercial property transactions are becoming increasingly complex. Legislative changes and more sophisticated developments demand comprehensive legal advice. Our approach combines common-sense pragmatism with technical know-how and superior customer service.
Or call +64-9-486-2169
Your commercial property partners
Property developers, purchasers, vendors, landlords, and tenants can feel confident about Turner Hopkins' commercial property expertise and trust in our team's experience and diligence.
Working with property developers
Our team is proficient in dealing with property developments of all sizes, from one premises to one hundred (or more), including Unit Title, residents' association, and body corporate requirements.
Additional areas of specialty:
Subdivision
Correcting /collapsing or freeholding a cross-lease
Working with property purchasers
Whether this is your first or twenty-first commercial property purchase, our team can guide you safely through the whole process to ensure you fully understand your obligations and responsibilities relating to:
The agreement for the sale and purchase
Your funding agreement (e.g., guarantees)
Being an owner occupier
Continuing compliance requirements as a property owner
We can also advise on the other professionals you may require, such as engineers, valuers, and electricians.
Working with commercial tenants
If you are looking to enter into a lease of commercial premises, we can help you:
Negotiate the terms of the lease to ensure it reflects your particular needs
Understand your obligations under the terms of the lease
Strategise negotiations with the landlord, including rent reviews and lease variations
Working with commercial landlords
We regularly assist landlords seeking to lease a vacant property or negotiate with an existing tenant.
Considering pre-lease issues (e.g., compliance issues) that a commercial tenant may require, such as fire ratings, which permit racking above three metres in warehouse areas
Reviewing the creditworthiness of a tenant or guarantors
Preparing the lease documentation
Working with property vendors
When you sell your commercial premises, you want to maximise your return. We can help you:
Identify the crucial steps required prior to the sale (e.g., negotiating the lease renewals and rent reviews)
Prepare due diligence packages for prospective purchasers
Review contractual paperwork, such as tender documents
Negotiate preferred terms with marketing and real estate agents
Why choose Turner Hopkins to assist with your commercial property matters?
Our team's experience means we can avoid potential pitfalls and mitigate risks relating to the transaction.
We operate an ongoing legal education programme to keep our personnel up-to-date with the latest legal developments.
We are committed to open, honest, timely communication with our clients so that we know what they are seeking to achieve and they understand what we need from them to get the job done.
Reach out to our team below to find out more.
Or call +64-9-486-2169
Your Commercial Property specialists
John Stirling
Partner
Phil Shannon
Partner
Joy Yuan
Principal
Kate Chivers
Partner
Dawn Fullam
Senior Solicitor
Frequently asked questions
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By working out a budget of what you can afford. There are a vast range of investment options from modest shares in property syndicates to large stand alone buildings worth over $10 million.
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The return is calculated as a percentage of the value of your investment and will depend on the term of the lease, the financial strength of the tenant and the position of the building. Top quality investments will return approximately between 5-6% and those of a lesser quality between 8.5-10% per annum.
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Generally a trading bank will lend to a maximum of 60-65% of the property's value and will require in addition to interest for the principal to be paid off over a relatively short period of time e.g. 6 years. Many clients initially enter the commercial property market by using their home as collateral security which will enable them to borrow a greater proportion of the property's value.
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An Agreement to Lease normally is a preliminary document, which is prepared by a commercial real estate agent and contains the basic information agreed on by the Landlord and Tenant, e.g. term of lease, rental and brief description of premises.
The formal Deed of Lease is normally prepared in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Agreement to Lease and may relate to various commercial premises such as retail premises, industrial premises, and the like as opposed to residential tenancies of a dwelling house.
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It is essential to define the premises accurately in the lease document including:
Its physical configuration;
Its exact size in square metres and the method of measurement used to define the premises, e.g. is it to the inside or exterior walls? This can have a significant effect on the rental charged;
What carparks are available for use by the Tenant and what is the value on an annual basis attaching to these carparks.
The condition of the premises at the lease commencement date.
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This is an issue which is subject to negotiation with the general rule a tenant will want flexibility by having an initial term with rights of renewal to enable them to depart the premises if their needs change.
