The great majority of us still have some pretty old fashioned ways of thinking about property.

Just the very words landlord and tenant come from a bygone era when we stop to think about it. It was a time of feudal land ownership when there really were lords with peasant tenants who were completely subservient to them.

Language is a powerful thing, and using these words today always implies a power structure. In the subconscious mind (more…)

I’m predicting the commercial tenancy market is about to become a bloody battlefield as times get really tough for investors and landlords managing commercial property portfolios.

There are five key factors that will cause this warring between landlords.

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The commercial rental property market in New Zealand continues to be very much a tenant’s market… but there are many landlords who simply don’t get it.

Negotiating myopia
It amazes me in the many negotiations I conduct for clients how many landlords take such a short-term view and, by playing hard ball, lose out on securing long-term tenants. (more…)

It is extremely easy for most of us to be lulled into thinking a quoted rental price is the main cost when entering into a commercial property lease. But lurking beneath that highly visible tip of the iceberg are some nasty extras.

I frequently experience people who enter into long term commercial property leases focussed on the rental cost per square metre. They see that as their main cost and don’t consider (more…)

All is not what it seems to prospective tenants signing an agreement to lease space of a certain size and measurement in a commercial building.

There are a few tricks that some unscrupulous landlords play when it comes to measuring the space you lease, and if it is to their advantage – which it most often is – they can resort to pulling the wool over your eyes.

And before I start getting hate mail, I do emphasise SOME unscrupulous landlords, not all.

The trick can work two ways. The first is (more…)

Desperation is biting in the commercial real estate industry.

There are very few commercial tenants looking for space right now, and many agents that specialise in commercial leases are consequently struggling.

With tough times come dirty tricks.

One ploy that is on the rise is where a (more…)

With frosts on the ground it might seem a little early to be talking about spring.

But when it comes to the property lease market and looking out to the future, the market’s current sway in favour of tenants is an ideal time to  (more…)

To steal a line from the well-known telco ad, now is good for having a close look at reviewing commercial leases across New Zealand. There are a number of reasons why now is good.

Firstly, I think it’s time we moved on from a wait and see attitude about the markets and international economic conditions.

Secondly, there are very few new leases being drawn up at the moment. Many new building projects are on hold, and the majority of Parallel Direction’s work with tenants right now is getting better outcomes on renewals and rent reviews. (more…)

Subleasing or assigning space in commercial property is an area of great interest to commercial tenants right now.

More and more commercial tenants are finding they would like to sublease or assign space that has become surplus to their requirements. (more…)

The ratchet clause has long been a dirty word to businesses with commercial tenancies.

More than 95 percent of leases have a ratchet clause. Traditionally they never advantage the tenant. (more…)

When it comes to financial matters, most of us like to keep the detail close to our chests.

It’s often considered foolhardy to (more…)