Buying Commercial Property

When purchasing commercial property, our experienced and knowledgeable Commercial Property department can assist you, your business or your pension scheme with the following transactions:

• The purchase of property as part of a business
• The purchase of commercial property including factories, warehouses, shops and offices
• The purchase of development land including conditional contracts and option agreements
• The purchase of investment property including property portfolios
• The purchase of agricultural land or woodland

The Process of Buying Commercial Property

The purchase of commercial property is a complex area and we will, in particular, assist you with the following aspects of the transaction:

• Negotiating and agreeing Heads of Terms, liaising where necessary with the agents and other solicitors involved in the transaction
• Approving the sale contract and advising you of its terms
• Checking the seller’s title to the property and advising you of any rights, easements, restrictive covenants or other matters affecting the property that might affect your decision to buy the property or its subsequent use by you
• Raising standard commercial property enquiries and other enquiries specific to the transaction
• Making the appropriate searches and enquiries including local search, water and drainage enquiries, environmental and coal mining reports
• Advising you on the planning aspects of the transaction
• Advising you on the environmental aspects of the transaction
• Advising you on the Value Added Tax implications of the transaction, liaising where necessary with your accountant
• Corresponding with your lender, if applicable, satisfying their requirements and obtaining mortgage funds
• Advising you on your Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) liability and preparing the SDLT return
• Completing the purchase and registering you as the owner of the property at the Land Registry

How to proceed

At the outset of any transaction we would like to meet with you at the earliest possible opportunity so that we can best understand your specific needs and requirements. Once we have clearly understood these, we can give you an indication of the likely timeframes and expense involved. We have many years of experience in purchasing commercial property and will be able to give you a realistic estimate of both of these at the beginning of your transaction. 

We are conscious of the requirement to provide a commercial, proactive and cost effective service to you, whilst not losing sight of the need to address the detail inherent in most commercial property transactions.