The Blog

Have you ever paid your phone bill, credit card, or owners corporation rates past their due date…? Your creditor likely issued interest charges or late fees. So, with that in mind, are Landlords also entitled to other fees if their tenant is late paying rent or outgoings?   The short answer is ‘yes’ and the […]

Whether you’re a Landlord or Tenant, understanding the difference between commercial and retail leases is pretty important; whilst the rules are similar, they are also quite different regarding the obligations from the Tenant. Let’s break it down in simpler terms:   What is the difference? A retail lease is used where there is a sale […]

I attended an appointment this week with a potential new landlord of a terrace-style premises on a prominent strip not too far out of Melbourne’s CBD. The owners were absolutely lovely and had been self-managing the premises for 30 years having (very fortunately) only a few problem tenants, but it is now time for them […]

This week we have a special guest, Nathan Coad, to answer some of our burning finance questions. As agents we are not allowed to give financial advice, so we brought in an expert. Nathan is a finance broker with over 15 years of consumer and commercial banking experience. How does LVR typically differ between commercial and residential loans? […]

Wanting to know if a space will be suitable for your business?  Understanding and addressing key factors such as location, competition, and the local community are all important points to consider when trying to find the right the perfect location for your business. Clear and informed decisions made during the property search promote a sense […]

“My commercial tenant wants to break their lease. What now?” Most retail and commercial leases in Victoria make it clear in their conditions that a tenant must cover all their landlord’s reasonable out-of-pocket expenses when it comes to terminating before the end of a fixed term. This would be inclusive of (but not limited to) […]

Water, council rates, and body corporate fees are examples of statutory outgoings that a Landlord pays to operate their premises. Though the Landlord may not have been charged GST for these outgoings, the tenant may be charged GST for the ‘on supply’ of this service. Many of our Tenants ask us how this could possibly […]

The Retail Amendment Act 2020 is now in effect and has been put in place to clarify the obligations of landlords and tenants under retail leases per the Retail Leases Act 2003. We previously covered the changes made to the Building Act 1993 regarding Essential Safety Measures (click here to see post). One of the […]

With the Retail Leases Amendment Act 2020 now in effect, many retail tenants have found themselves uncertain about the additional costs that they may be charged. The amendments have been put in place to clarify the obligations of landlords and tenants under retail leases per the Retail Leases Act 2003 (which we will cover at a […]