Commercial Rent Review Solicitors

A rent review clause lets a landlord adjust rent during the lease term, usually every three to five years. How it is drafted determines whether the process runs smoothly. Our commercial rent review solicitors negotiate and explain rent review terms, so you know what you are agreeing to.

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Why the Review Mechanism Matters

The mechanism matters as much as the headline figure. An upward only rent review means the rent can rise but never fall below the current level, which suits landlords and needs careful negotiation from a tenant’s side. Open market reviews assess what the property would achieve if relet today, based on assumptions and disregards set out in the lease. Index linked reviews tie increases to inflation, giving both sides more certainty but less flexibility if the market moves sharply. Our commercial rent review solicitors working with landlords and tenants across Manchester and the UK negotiate the review mechanism at lease stage and explain what a notice means when a review falls due, rather than leaving you to interpret it alone. Retail leases often add turnover rent on top, which we cover in our retail lease advice.

How Our Rent Review Solicitors Help Landlords and Tenants

A rent review clause can sit quietly for years, then suddenly matter a great deal. Here is where our support typically comes in.

Negotiating the Review Mechanism

We negotiate the rent review mechanism at lease stage, whether upward only, open market or index linked, so it reflects a fair position for whichever side you are on.

Reviewing Rent Review Notices

We review rent review notices and explain what they mean, including the timeframe for any counter-notice and what happens if the new rent is not agreed by the review date.

Advising on Assumptions and Disregards

We advise on the assumptions and disregards written into an open market rent review clause, since these can significantly affect the figure a valuer ultimately reaches.

Checking the Resolution Process

We check whether your lease requires an independent surveyor or arbitrator to determine the rent if agreement cannot be reached, and what that process involves.

What This Means for You

Clarity on how your rent will change over the lease term
A review mechanism negotiated in your favour, not just the landlord’s
Confidence in what a rent review notice requires of you
Reduced risk of a costly dispute over assumptions and disregards
A clear route to resolution if agreement cannot be reached

When To Seek Advice

You are negotiating a new lease, and the rent review terms are unclear
You have received a rent review notice and are unsure how to respond
A review date is approaching, and you have not agreed the new rent
You are unsure whether your review clause is upward only or two ways
You want the assumptions and disregards checked before a review

Meet the Founder

Marium brings 22 years of experience advising businesses on corporate, employment, dispute resolution and regulatory matters across the UK. A Solicitor regulated by the SRA (ID: 277854), she founded MAR Legal to give businesses direct access to senior business legal advice without the overhead of a traditional firm.

Marium Razzaq
Solicitor & Director Mar Legal
MCIArb

Why Businesses Choose MAR Legal for Rent Review Advice

Solicitor Led Negotiation

Every rent review clause is negotiated and checked by our solicitors, not a template tool.

Clear Notice Explanations

We explain what a rent review notice requires, in plain terms.

Fixed Fee Pricing

Fixed Fee pricing is available for straightforward rent review work, agreed before work starts.

Commercial Focus

We advise landlords and tenants across Manchester and the UK.

Trusted by landlords and tenants across the UK for practical rent review advice.

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How Our Rent Review Process Works

Initial Consultation

Tell us whether you are negotiating a new lease or dealing with a review under an existing one.

Clause or Notice Review

We review the rent review clause or notice and explain what it means for your position.

Negotiation

We negotiate directly with the other side or their advisers on the mechanism or the figure in dispute.

Resolution

Our rent review solicitors confirm the agreed rent, or the route to independent determination if agreement cannot be reached.

What Our Clients Say

    
 
 
         
   KOTA 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. They handled it wonderfully.
  
 
        
   George Alexopoulos 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Umar Razzaq at MAR Legal is sharp, honest and responsive, and excellent on the detail. Great outcome. Highly recommended.
  
 
        
   Olamide Aribigbela 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Really happy with the service from MAR Legal. They were very professional, helpful and efficient throughout the whole process. They handled all my documents quickly and carefully, and made everything simple and stress-free.

Would definitely recommend MAR Legal to anyone looking for a reliable and professional solicitor!
  
 
        
   Mrs Whitbread 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great service. Very responsive and great at explaining everything I needed. Thanks
  
 
        
   Rachel Marsden 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Very professional and clear advice. Easy to understand and handled with appropriate sensitivity and confidentiality.
  
 
        
   Gillian Fletcher 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Excellent Service, quick and efficient and clear communications throughout. Thank you.
  
 
        
   Faye McCarthy 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I used MAR Legal for a commercial lease on a property in Stockport. Had my initial consultation at their Spinningfields office, where I dealt directly with Marium, one of the directors. She walked me through the lease terms and the timeline upfront, so I knew what to expect at each stage. Would use them again for commercial property work in the Manchester area.
  
 
        
   Chris Johnson 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. MAR legal helped with ILA which my mortgage lender required. They acted very quickly and at a good price. Great service.
  
 
        
   Arsa Syed 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Very professional and helpful. I would definitely recommend using them and will be back if I need any legal work done!!
  
 
        
   Amir Abbou 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. They provided professional, sharp, and responsive counsel.  their contractual analysis was strong, and their advice was genuinely practical and commercially minded.
  
 
  
  
 
 
      Verified by Trustindex  Trustindex verified that these reviews were published on MAR Legal Limited's Google Business Profile. Learn more

Rent Review FAQs

A rent review clause allows the rent under a commercial lease to be adjusted at set intervals, commonly every three to five years, so it keeps pace with changes in the property market. Without one, rent stays fixed for the full term regardless of market conditions. Most leases longer than a few years include some form of rent review provision, and how it is worded significantly affects how straightforward the process is when a review date arrives.

An upward only rent review means the rent can increase at review but can never fall below the rent already being paid, even if market rents have dropped. It is the most common structure in UK commercial leases and generally favours the landlord. Tenants can sometimes negotiate a collar and cap, or an upward and downward review, but this depends on bargaining position and market conditions at the time the lease is agreed.

An open market rent review assesses what rent the property would achieve if it were relet on the open market at the review date, based on a set of assumptions and disregards written into the lease. Assumptions might include the property being vacant and available to let, while disregards commonly exclude the value of any improvements the tenant has made. Getting this wording right at lease stage has a direct effect on the figure reached years later.

If the landlord and tenant cannot agree the new rent by the review date, most leases provide for an independent surveyor or arbitrator to determine it instead. Rent continues to be paid at the previous rate until the new figure is settled, with any shortfall usually payable retrospectively with interest once it is agreed. Checking how your lease resolves this before a dispute arises is worth doing well ahead of the review date.

There is no fixed rule. Many leases specify that each party bears their own costs of the rent review process, though some leases make the tenant responsible for the landlord’s reasonable costs, particularly where an independent surveyor is appointed. The exact position depends on the wording of your specific lease, which is worth checking before a review is triggered rather than after.

Rent review clauses and rent-free periods serve different purposes and usually appear separately in a lease. A rent-free period is an initial incentive at the start of the lease, often to allow for fit-out, while a rent review clause governs how the ongoing rent changes later in the term. Both are worth negotiating carefully but at different stages of agreeing the lease. If you are thinking about ending the lease early instead, see our advice on break notices.

There is no legal requirement to use a solicitor but rent review clauses are often the most heavily negotiated part of a commercial lease, and a poorly drafted one can be costly to live with for years. A solicitor can negotiate the mechanism at lease stage, explain a notice you have received, and check the assumptions and disregards that will shape the figure a valuer eventually reaches.

MAR Legal provides advisory and drafting support in relation to rent review clauses and notices under commercial leases. Where a matter proceeds to a dispute over the rent figure, we work alongside appropriately regulated professionals to support you through to completion.

Commercial Rent Review Lawyers

Why the Review Mechanism Matters