Commercial and retail leasing lawyers in Newcastle

We prepare, review and negotiate leases for landlords and tenants across the Hunter.
Commercial lease being signed for a Newcastle shopfront

We act for landlords and tenants on commercial, industrial and retail leases: preparing, reviewing and negotiating the lease, advising on your rights and obligations, and resolving issues during the term. Retail leases in NSW carry extra tenant protections under the Retail Leases Act 1994. We advise from our offices in Newcastle, and act for landlords and tenants across NSW.

How we help

A lease is often a business’s largest fixed commitment, so it is worth getting right before you sign. We:

  • Prepare, review and negotiate commercial, industrial and retail leases.
  • Explain your rights and obligations in plain language.
  • Advise on rent reviews, options, outgoings and make-good.
  • Handle assignments, surrenders and disputes during the term.

Why landlords and tenants choose Mullane Lindsay

Our leasing work is led by Michael McGrath and Lachlan Page. Since 1976, we have acted for both landlords and tenants, which means we know how the other side thinks and where the real risks sit, and we bring that to your negotiation.

What is the difference between a commercial and a retail lease?

Most shop and shopping-centre leases are retail leases, governed by the Retail Leases Act 1994 (NSW). That Act gives retail tenants extra protections, including a disclosure statement from the landlord before the lease starts and limits on certain costs. Other commercial and industrial leases, such as offices and warehouses, are not covered by that Act, so the lease terms themselves matter even more.

What should a tenant check before signing?

The term and any option to renew, how and when the rent is reviewed, the outgoings you are responsible for, the permitted use and any fit-out requirements, and your make-good obligations at the end. We review the lease, explain these in plain English, and negotiate the terms that matter to you.

FAQs

Retail leases, broadly for premises selling goods or services to the public, are regulated by the Retail Leases Act 1994 (NSW), which adds tenant protections such as a pre-lease disclosure statement and limits on certain costs. Other commercial and industrial leases rely on the terms of the lease itself, so those terms warrant close attention.

The term and renewal options, the rent and how it is reviewed, which outgoings you pay, the permitted use, fit-out and make-good obligations, and any personal guarantee. We review and negotiate these before you commit, so you understand the full cost and risk.

Under the Retail Leases Act 1994 (NSW), a landlord must give a retail tenant a disclosure statement before the lease starts, setting out key terms such as rent, outgoings and the term. Getting disclosure right matters for both sides, because errors can affect the tenant’s rights and the lease.

If the lease has an option, you usually must exercise it in writing within a set window before expiry, so diarising that date is important. Without an option, you negotiate a new lease or vacate and meet your make-good obligations. We manage the notices and the negotiation either way.

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