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Business, Commercial & Disputes

Commercial & retail leasing: protecting your position in every lease.

Commercial leases are among the most significant legal commitments a business makes. Orange Legal Group advises landlords and tenants across all aspects of commercial and retail leasing — from new leases to disputes.

500+
Leases advised on
VCAT
Retail lease representation
VIC
Victoria wide
Discuss Your Matter
Confidential consultation
Your information is strictly confidential
About This Practice Area

The Lease Terms That Will Govern Your Business

A commercial lease is not just an administrative formality. The terms — rent, outgoings, permitted use, make-good obligations, renewal options and rent review mechanisms — can have a profound and lasting impact on your business operations and financial position.

Orange Legal Group advises landlords and tenants across the full lifecycle of commercial and retail leases. Whether you are taking a new lease, negotiating a renewal, dealing with a dispute or seeking to exit early, we provide clear, practical advice to protect your interests.

For retail leases, we also advise on the specific obligations under the Retail Leases Act 2003 — including disclosure requirements, key money prohibitions and the VCAT dispute resolution process.

What We Help With
New commercial and retail lease drafting and review
Lease negotiations: rent, outgoings, term and conditions
Rent reviews: CPI, fixed percentage, market review advice
Lease renewals and options to renew
Assignment of lease: transferring your lease obligations to a new tenant
Early termination: advice on exit options and make-good obligations
VCAT proceedings: retail lease disputes
Landlord and tenant disputes: rent arrears, breach, termination
Retail leases are regulated by the Retail Leases Act 2003, which imposes specific obligations on landlords — including disclosure requirements and restrictions on outgoings recovery.
What We Handle

The Disputes We Handle

01

New Leases (Landlords)

Drafting and negotiating new commercial and retail leases that protect your income, asset value and ability to recover possession.

LandlordDraftingNew lease
02

New Leases (Tenants)

Reviewing and negotiating lease terms before you sign — including rent, outgoings, make-good, options and permitted use.

TenantReviewNegotiation
03

Lease Renewals

Advising on option to renew rights, market rent reviews and renegotiation strategies for both landlords and tenants.

RenewalOptionMarket review
04

Assignment & Transfer

Acting for assignors, assignees and landlords on the assignment and transfer of commercial and retail leases.

AssignmentTransferConsent
05

Lease Disputes

Representing landlords and tenants in commercial and retail lease disputes — including VCAT proceedings under the Retail Leases Act.

DisputeVCATRetail Leases Act
06

Early Termination

Advising on the legal options for early lease termination — including surrender, assignment and negotiated exit.

TerminationSurrenderMake-good
Our Process

How We Handle Your Matter

01
Review & Advise
We review the lease or heads of agreement and advise on the terms, risks and negotiating points.
02
Negotiate
We negotiate on your behalf — rent, outgoings, term, options, make-good and other key terms.
03
Draft
We prepare or revise the lease documentation to accurately reflect the agreed terms.
04
Execute
We manage execution and registration where required.
05
Ongoing Advice
We provide ongoing advice on lease obligations, renewals, disputes and exit options throughout the lease term.
Why Choose Us

The Orange Legal Difference

Landlord & Tenant

We act for both landlords and tenants, giving us deep knowledge of both perspectives — and the strongest negotiating positions.

Retail Leases Act

Specific expertise in Victoria's Retail Leases Act 2003 — including disclosure, key money and VCAT representation.

Commercial Pragmatism

Our advice is practical and commercially grounded — we understand that a lease is a long-term business commitment.

VCAT Representation

We represent landlords and tenants in VCAT retail lease proceedings with efficiency and purpose.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

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Commercial leasing question?

Whether you are taking a new lease, renewing or dealing with a dispute — Orange Legal Group provides clear, practical advice to protect your position.

Book a Consultation
Or call us: 03 8330 5983