Many people presume engaging a solicitor is only required once the terms of a deal are agreed. With commercial property, this could unnecessarily (and usually inadvertently) create risk.
Instructing a solicitor earlier can help to flag title, access, planning, environmental or lease issues at the outset or identify unexpected repair and service charge liabilities. Deals can also then be properly structured for investment or development purposes. This can feed into tax planning.
Quite often, commercial property solicitors are seen as just dealing with the paperwork, but, using us earlier helps to manage risk and minimise surprises.
We sometimes hear of individuals and companies resorting to AI to draft documents, or, even, prepare stamp duty land tax returns, leading to errors being made and solicitors only being approached at the point issues have arisen. Whilst useful, AI does not replace the expertise of a solicitor to tailor documents to your specific needs and sometimes it can be too late for us to effectively help you.
When negotiating terms, taking or granting a lease or buying a property it is sensible to engage a commercial property solicitor as soon as possible. Early advice can often lead to faster, cheaper resolution.
Please contact our Commercial Property team on 0345 646 0406 or complete our online enquiry form and a member of the team will be in touch.