For tenants  ·  All of Australia

Sign with confidence.
Not crossed fingers.

A commercial lease is a big commitment for your business. Before you put pen to paper, let us read it with you — we'll explain what it actually means and make sure there's nothing in there that could come back to bite you.

Things we hear from tenants
Sound familiar?
We've heard it before.
Whatever's on your mind about your lease — you're not the first person to feel this way. And there's almost always something we can do to help.

"I've got a lease to sign and it's doing my head in."

Totally understandable — they're not written for normal people. Send it to us and we'll go through it with you in plain English. No confusion, no guessing.

"I'm stressed about what I'll owe when the lease finishes."

Good that you're thinking about it now — early is the best time to sort this out. We'll tell you exactly what you're up for and how to manage it sensibly.

"My rent's gone up and it doesn't feel fair."

You might have more say in this than you think. We'll check how it was worked out and tell you honestly whether there's a case to push back.

"I'm selling the business and the lease is stressing me out."

It's a common sticking point — but a solvable one. We'll handle the whole thing so your sale can keep moving without the lease getting in the way.

"I got a letter from my landlord and I don't know what to do."

Don't sit on it. Let us have a look first. More often than not it's manageable — but you need to know what it means and respond the right way.

"I want to stay on but the new terms don't feel right."

A renewal is your chance to get a better deal for the next stage of your business. We'll help you go into those conversations knowing exactly where you stand.

How we look after you
From day one
to moving out.
We're with you at every stage of your lease — making sure your business has the protection and certainty it deserves the whole way through.

Reading the lease with you

We'll go through the whole thing, explain what it means for your business and make sure you know exactly what you're signing up for.

Negotiating a better deal

We'll do the negotiating for you — rent, rent-free time, make-good, the personal guarantee and anything else that's worth a push.

Rent reviews

We'll check that the review was done correctly and push back if the numbers don't stack up — because sometimes they don't.

When you're selling the business

We'll handle the lease side of the sale — the landlord's approval, the paperwork, all of it — so it doesn't become the thing that derails your deal.

Make-good at the end

We'll tell you early what you actually have to do when you leave — and stand up for you if your landlord asks for more than they're entitled to.

When you get a notice

We'll read it, explain what it means and respond in a way that looks after your right to stay in the space your business calls home.

Renewals and staying on

We'll make sure you exercise your option at the right time and lock in terms that give your business a good run for the next period.

When things get really messy

If it needs to go to tribunal, we'll go with you — to NCAT, VCAT, QCAT, SAT or SACAT, wherever your premises are.

Retail tenants — know your rights

If you're in a retail space, the law gives you more protections than most tenants realise. We'll make sure you're getting every one of them.

Free to keep
Five things worth
knowing before you sign.
The parts of a lease most people don't read carefully enough — explained simply, so you know what to look for before you commit. Yours to keep, no strings attached.
Grab your free copy

Tell us what's
going on.

You don't need to have the right words. You don't need to know whether it's a legal problem yet. If something about your lease is sitting on your mind, just reach out — we're genuinely glad when people do.

We get back to most people the same day.

Send us an email info@docetlegal.com.au
Book a free 30-min chat — no prep needed, promise

No commitment, no bill for saying hello. We'll come back to you soon.

Just so you know — sending us a message or having a chat doesn't mean we're officially your lawyers yet. That happens once we've agreed in writing to work together. Everything you share with us at this stage is kept completely confidential. The information on this website is general in nature — it's a good starting point, but it's not the same as advice for your specific situation. The Leasing Lawyer is a trading name of Docet Legal.