How a Leasing Lawyer Helps Brisbane Businesses Secure Better Lease Terms

Introduction

For many Brisbane businesses, the lease is one of the most significant financial commitments they’ll make. Whether you’re opening a café in Paddington, setting up a retail shop in Westfield Chermside, or leasing an office in the Brisbane CBD, the terms of your lease can make or break your business success.

A well-negotiated lease can help you manage costs, protect your investment, and provide flexibility for growth. A poorly drafted lease, however, can lead to hidden expenses, restrictive obligations, or even early termination risks.

That’s where engaging a leasing lawyer in Brisbane, like Greyson Legal, makes all the difference. We help business owners secure better, fairer lease terms that reflect their commercial needs and comply with the law.

Why Lease Terms Matter to Every Brisbane Business

Your lease is not just a rental agreement — it’s a legally binding contract that governs how you can occupy and use the premises, your financial obligations, and your rights if something goes wrong.

From rent and outgoings to make-good obligations and renewal options, each clause can have long-term financial consequences. Even small oversights can turn into costly disputes.

A skilled Brisbane leasing lawyer can help you identify risks early, negotiate more favourable conditions, and ensure the lease terms are clear, balanced, and legally enforceable.

Negotiating Rent and Rent Review Clauses

One of the most common areas of negotiation in Brisbane commercial and retail leases is rent.

A leasing lawyer can:

• Review proposed rent.

• Explain how rent review mechanisms (CPI, fixed percentage, or market reviews) will affect you over time.

• Assist you to negotiate rent-free periods, eg. during the fit-out phase.

• Ensure clarity on when and how market rent reviews are conducted, especially under the Retail Shop Leases Act 1994 (Qld).

This professional guidance helps prevent sudden rent hikes and promotes predictable cash flow for your business.

Reviewing Outgoings and Hidden Costs

Outgoings are a frequent source of confusion — and disputes — in Brisbane lease agreements.

Common outgoings include:

• Council rates, water, and insurance

• Cleaning and maintenance of common areas

• Body corporate levies and marketing fund contributions

At Greyson Legal | Brisbane Leasing Lawyer we review these clauses to ensure they’re clearly itemised and compliant with Queensland’s retail leasing laws.

For example, under the Retail Shop Leases Act, landlords cannot pass on certain expenses, such as land tax, to tenants. Ensuring this compliance protects tenants from paying costs they shouldn’t.

Clarifying Make-Good and Fit-Out Obligations

At the end of your lease, you may be required to restore the premises to its original condition — a clause known as “make-good.”

Without clear wording, make-good obligations can become expensive and lead to disputes over the scope of work required.

Greyson Legal helps businesses:

• Negotiate realistic make-good terms;

• Ensure obligations are proportional to the tenancy size and fit-out value;

• Avoid broad or ambiguous wording that unfairly shifts cost to the tenant.

For new tenancies, we also review fit-out obligations — who pays for construction, approvals, and compliance with building and safety regulations.

Ensuring Fair Renewal and Option Clauses

A lease with a well-drafted option to renew provides long-term stability and business continuity.

Our Brisbane leasing lawyers help:

• Verify when and how the renewal notice must be given;

• Ensure the option period aligns with your business growth strategy;

• Negotiate for market rent reviews on renewal that are transparent and fair.

If the option notice period is missed, the tenant can lose their right to stay — a common yet avoidable issue. Greyson Legal ensures clients understand and diarise critical lease dates.

Reviewing Termination, Default, and Relocation Provisions

Every business needs clarity on what happens if the lease ends early or the landlord redevelops the property.

We assess clauses covering:

• Early termination rights and notice periods;

• Relocation and demolition clauses under the Retail Shop Leases Act;

• Default procedures and grace periods;

• Tenant rights to compensation or notice in redevelopment scenarios.

Our legal advice ensures your lease isn’t one-sided and that your business has adequate protection in the event of unforeseen changes.

Handling Assignments and Sub-Leases

If your business changes direction or you sell your operations, you may need to assign or sub-lease your premises.

At Greyson Legal Brisbane Leasing Lawyers we ensure:

• Proper consent processes are followed;

• Landlord approval isn’t unreasonably withheld;

• You’re released from liability once the lease is assigned;

• All documentation, including Deeds of Assignment or Deeds of Release, are correctly prepared and executed.

These steps protect you from ongoing liability for a new tenant’s default — a risk many business owners overlook.

Ensuring Compliance with Queensland Leasing Laws

The Retail Shop Leases Act 1994 (Qld) imposes specific disclosure and procedural requirements on retail leases, including strict timelines for providing disclosure statements and limits on recoverable outgoings.

Greyson Legal’s Brisbane leasing lawyers check that disclosures have been properly met.

The Greyson Legal Advantage

At Greyson Legal, we combine extensive legal expertise with local Brisbane market knowledge. Our leasing lawyers assist with:

• Commercial and retail lease drafting, review, and negotiation

• Disclosure statements and compliance advice

• Assignments, renewals, and variations

• Lease disputes and termination advice

We act for both landlords and tenants — helping them achieve fair, practical, and commercially sound lease outcomes.

Conclusion

A lease should support your business, not hinder it. By engaging Greyson Legal Brisbane Leasing Lawyers, you gain a trusted advisor who ensures your lease terms are balanced, transparent, and legally compliant.

At Greyson Legal, our goal is simple — to help Brisbane businesses secure lease terms that protect their interests today and position them for growth tomorrow.

Need better lease terms for your business? Contact Greyson Legal | Brisbane Leasing Lawyers for clear, practical legal advice before you sign.