A commercial lease may not appear to be much different than an apartment lease, but in reality a commercial lease usually puts more of a financial burden on the commercial tenant. Here are five reasons you should have your commercial lease reviewed by an attorney:

1. Terms written in your favor. An attorney experienced in business law will review the lease and give legal advice as to what changes should be made to protect your interests. An apartment lease is usually for one year, and in most cases any repairs are done by the landlord. In a commercial lease, however, the term of the lease is at least five years with the potential to renew the term for up to 20 more years. And the landlord may try to make the repairs the responsibility of the tenant. An attorney can spot terms such as these and suggest changes in your favor.

2. Know which terms you should negotiate. A business law attorney reviews leases on a consistent basis, so he or she knows which terms should be negotiated and which terms are less important to negotiate.

3. Makes you more professional. It’s all about perception: if the landlord sees you spending time and money on an attorney for your lease, the landlord will see that you are taking the lease and your business seriously.

4. Terms are correct.  An attorney will review the lease to ensure all the terms are correct, even the seemingly small items such as dates.

5. Assistance with additional documents.  Not only can an attorney help you with the lease, but also the attorney can identify additional business documents you may need like forms, permits, licenses, and the correct legal entity to enter into the lease.

Are you now thinking maybe you should have your commercial lease reviewed by an attorney? Please give our office a call at (216) 635-0002, and our attorneys would be happy to assist you in reviewing your commercial lease to safeguard you and your business.