Landlords and tenants in commercial properties need to understand the responsibilities they have toward one another before signing anything. Florida legislation tends to favor landlords over tenants, so landlords can expect prospective tenants to put up a fight over certain issues.

It is typical for tenants to negotiate on the most prevalent items in a lease, such as rent. However, that is only the beginning. Here are other factors landlords should anticipate coming up in negotiations.

Remedies

For the most part, landlords are responsible for fixing any problems that come up around the building. However, landlords can negotiate terms so that a tenant has more duties. For instance, a tenant may be accountable for actually contacting a professional to fix the problem, and the amount becomes deducted from the rent that month.

Relocation

Issues can come up where a tenant needs to vacate the premises for a set amount of time. For residential landlords, this can involve putting a tenant up in a hotel momentarily. However, commercial properties have a much more difficult situation at hand. The landlord may be responsible for providing another space for the tenant to do business in, which is more difficult. Make sure to outline these terms in detail.

Subletting

Many commercial landlords want to have a say in exactly who can do business on the property. Others do not mind as long as rent comes in. Therefore, the lease needs to state how the tenant can sublet if at all.

Terms

One of the most basic things that need to exist on any lease relates to when the term begins and ends. However, there also needs to be language about what the tenant can do to extend the terms of the lease. Perhaps the tenant needs to provide a set amount of notice if he or she wishes to extend. By hammering out these details in advance, the landlord and tenant can have a better relationship.