Feature
March 29, 2018
If you’re close to the end of your lease for space at an office building or shopping center, and you’ve had a good experience with the owner, you might not foresee any issues. Or maybe there have been various problems on either your or the owner’s side of the deal. But regardless...
Drafting Tips
March 29, 2018
Conscientious shopping center and office building tenants should be aware of the responsibilities they agreed to in their leases and make every effort to stick to them. But don’t hyperfocus during negotiations on your end of the bargain; make sure that if the owner doesn’t also live up...
Tenant Loses
March 29, 2018
Facts: After a retail tenant stopped paying rent, the owner of the center asked a trial court for an “unlawful detainer” so that it could physically evict the tenant. An unlawful detainer action is a summary proceeding designed to adjudicate the right of immediate possession; the only...
Tenant Wins
March 29, 2018
Facts: A dry cleaning business subleased space in a shopping center. The business owner was also the guarantor on the sublease. The subtenant prematurely vacated the space. The landlord sued the subtenant. A trial court ruled in favor of the landlord, awarding it $343,000 in damages. The damages...
Feature
February 28, 2018
Sometimes, tenants get tunnel vision when negotiating leases; they tend to focus on certain issues, like those that will affect them on a day-to-day basis or are pretty likely to happen in the future. But don’t put an emphasis on just tenant improvement allowances, common area maintenance...
Traps to Avoid
February 28, 2018
Unfortunately, the owner of the space you lease might not respond promptly to a problem in your space that needs repair. That’s a serious issues because it could get worse—possibly disrupting your business and damaging your property. So what can you do if you’ve reported that...
Tenant Loses
February 28, 2018
Facts: A landlord served a notice to cure on its tenant, claiming that the tenant had failed to have the space’s fire sprinklers inspected. A dispute as to responsibility for the sprinklers ensued between the landlord and tenant. The tenant asked a trial court to issue a Yellowstone...
Tenant Loses
February 28, 2018
Facts: A tenant that operated two retail kiosks within a mall property thought that the owner of the center wasn’t providing adequate security. It sued the owner for breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing and constructive eviction after the owner took possession of the...
Feature
January 31, 2018
While the rental rate for retail or office building space seems cut and dried, many factors go into the ultimate amount you’ll end up paying. Any rent abatement, free rent negotiated, or other concessions will bring down rent figures. But so-called “face rates” can be a driving...
