If you want to open a retail franchise, you will likely need to lease some commercial space. And as with anything, you will want to get the best terms for your deal that you can. Hiring a seasoned attorney will give you a stalwart defender who will be by your side and support you in all retail commercial lease negotiations.

Though a franchisor will give you all the tools of the trade, and you will have the business model and training schedule you need to follow, they typically do not help you with a lease agreement. A lease agreement document can be between 40-50 pages, and with all of those critical details that it holds, you will definitely want a competent franchise attorney to work through the process with you! The landlord is trying to get the best deal and have realtors and attorneys on their side, and you should also have someone with your best interest in mind.

There are many ways a franchise attorney can help you negotiate your retail commercial lease, and just having a trained professional by your side will help you to feel more confident. The following are some perks of hiring a franchise attorney.

  1. They understand the importance of the first round. After years of experience, a quality franchise lawyer understands how important the first round of negotiations is. Anything you want changed needs to be dealt with in this round if you want to make it happen.
  2. They know what landlords are willing to give up so they don’t waste anyone’s time. Because they have handled so many cases, franchise lawyers understand where to push a landlord, and where he is likely to stand firm. This will save everyone time and aggravation.
  3. They can help you lower the deposit. Your franchise attorney will try to negotiate a better deposit price for you. Large deposits are not required, but many landlords will still try to get them in order to recoup some of the money they pay out for taxes, etc. There is nothing set in stone, so let your lawyer help you lower the deposit number.
  4. They will stand by you when you refute the first offer, and the second, and the third. Realtors and landlords are used to many offers and counter-offers, so don’t give up too soon. Whatever the landlord offers first is a lowball offer and you should at least play the game to see how far he will go. Your franchise lawyer will advise you on how to raise your bids in increments, and how to always ask for more than what you want.
  5. They will let you know the risks of the Lease. Is there a personal guaranty? What if you need to terminate the lease early?

A franchise attorney can help immensely with your retail commercial lease negotiations. Contact us today to see how we can help.