Commercial Property Solicitor

Commercial Property Solicitor

We are recruiting for a Commercial Property Solicitor to be based in our office in Chelmsford.

The main purpose of the role is to assist the Group Legal Estates Director in providing expert and strategic legal advice for the Board on Estate Agency matters. You will respond efficiently to business requests to secure new sites on the most advantageous basis for the Group and minimise disposal costs for closed branches by acting as quickly as possible on the transaction.

Main Duties:

• Acting for the Group on property portfolio management, grant and renewal of commercial leases and the transfer of existing commercial leases. Dealing with applications for consent to assignment, under-letting or alterations to premises. Varying and surrendering leases. Settlement agreements. Acquisition disposal of all types of commercial property. Options, conditional contracts and pre-emption agreements. Exclusivity and confidential agreements. Wayleave agreements, deed of easements, car parking licences and assured shorthold tenancies.
• Assisting with the management of the portfolio with lease, legal, and maintenance issues, liaising with Group Estates Director as necessary.
• Responsible for acquisition and disposal of properties in accordance with Board approvals.
• Responsible for minimising costs and dilapidation liabilities for closed branches by acting on instructions promptly.
• Deal with queries of business rates, service charges and insurance invoices.
• Keep abreast of legislative changes.

Key Accountabilities:

• Deal with the Group portfolio of properties and act on the non-contentious aspect of the property renewals.
• Improve the quality of Group leases by ensuring our concessions from Landlords on lease terms and also reviewing existing lease terms.
• Supervise the contentious aspect of the lease renewals including Section 25, Section 26, Calderbank offers and Court Direction Hearings.
• Deal with the completed rent reviews, including preparing the memoranda, dealing with the completion statements and sending out the completion e-mails to the Group.
• Protect the Group leases by ensuring that there is regularity and a uniformity of approach, and on most favourable terms dealing with balanced break clauses, alienation and restrictions and the like.
• Following completion of the lease renewal or the rent review, deal with the preparation of the completion e-mail, informing the Group of the transaction.
• Assist the Group Legal Estates Director to deal with new branch opportunities and relocations as required.
• Liaise with the Group Health & Safety Manager on acquisitions, ensuring that the Asbestos, Legionella, Electrical & Gas Certificates are provided, reviewed and consider their findings.
• Seek most cost effective routes to dispose of surplus branches/offices.
• Deal with the under-lease portfolio to ensure that they complete as quickly as possible to bring in a relevant income stream.
• On corporate acquisitions, to act for the Group on the pure property side and to take all action to investigate the titles and ensure that the Group are fully aware of the interest that they are acquiring.
• On dilapidations claims, dealing with settlement orders and ensuring that our position is protected and that they are in full and final settlement.
• Respond to operation requests to deal with new branch opportunities and relocations.
• Following completion of the lease acquisition or disposal, variation or property management issue, prepare the completion e-mail for the Group Legal Estates Director, informing the Group of the transaction and ensuring that all departments are up-dated and records are maintained.
• Assist producing Board Reports and Property Terriers.