Tenant lease portfolio management

Our specialist team of solicitors is focused on tenant lease portfolio management in the real estate sector. We support well-known brands and household names such as FatFace, Burger King and Lidl, helping them deliver real estate solutions in support of their core business. Many of our clients have a large portfolio of leased premises, which can include retail stores, leisure destinations, corporate premises, branch offices, or warehouse storage and distribution.

We can help you maximise your property portfolio, however your premises are used. From large portfolio restructuring projects to one off advice on a dispute with your landlord, our expert team has the knowledge and experience you require to help your business succeed. We will work hard to understand your business and to come up with commercial solutions, tailored to making your portfolio work for you.

Our clients include: FatFace, Farrow & Ball, Burger King, Orvis, Turtle Bay, Lidl, The Cornish Bakery Shops.

Areas of expertise

We cover all aspects of the tenant and landlord relationship to assist you in the management of your lease portfolio. These include:

• Reviewing and advising on heads of terms
• Negotiating leases inside and outside the 1954 Act
• Collateral security including rent deposits and guarantors
• Day to day requests to landlords including alienation, alteration and temporary licences
• Variation of leases
• Landlord disputes and serving notices – 1954 Act notices, lease termination and break notices
• Dilapidations settlement
• Landlord and tenant insolvency events including handling liquidations, administrations and Company Voluntary Arrangements
• Acquisitions and disposals of leasehold assets and portfolios
• Planning, environmental and health and safety advice

Recent work highlights

FatFace

We advised FatFace Limited in respect of the negotiation and completion of an agreement for lease and lease together with connected licence for alterations and storage licence at a prestigious new retail premises within the St. Pancras International Station, London. This included full due diligence against the demise and amendments to transaction documentation to best protect the client’s interests.

We also acted on behalf of FatFace Limited on a large number of occasions regarding multiple of their stores in dealing with documenting separate agreements reached in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The work included advising on and negotiating and completion side letters, deeds of variation, reversionary leases and lease renewals of existing store leases, often on a time critical basis. We also advised on throughout on real estate legal points to assist the client in the challenging and changeable current economic climate.

Lidl UK

We acted for Lidl in an internal group transfer of all properties in England and Wales – freehold and leasehold. The matter entailed liaising with mortgagees, landlords, and others. We drafted all of the transfers, SDLT returns, Land Registry forms and approved all necessary licences to assign.

Farrow & Ball

Clarke Willmott has acted on behalf of Farrow & Ball in negotiating, approving and completing a lease and ancillary side letter for a Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 contested lease renewal for showroom premises in Oxford.

Orvis

We are the sole legal advisers to Orvis. Working closely with the Board and external surveyors we play an active role in the management of Orvis’ retail stores and warehouse. Examples of our work includes lease renewals, strategic advice on store closures, including dilapidations and other liabilities towards lease end, resisting a landlord’s claim for fees for a fire escape licence and various rent reviews.

Our commitment to you

• Tailored service to suit you and your agents
• Partner led with clear and regular communication
• Fair and competitive fixed fee pricing
• Effective cost management throughout
• Proactive can-do attitude
• Added value through training, resources and technology

What our clients say about us:

• ‘They are dedicated and diligent.’ – Legal 500 2025
•  ‘Consistent advice in all aspects of a commercial property deal.’ – Legal 500 2025
• ‘The team provides solid and solutions-focused advice.’ – Legal 500 2025
• ‘A strong team with good knowledge and pragmatic approach’ – Legal 500 2025
• ‘The team is extremely collaborative and supportive and goes out of its way to assist.’ – Legal 500 2025
• ‘Good at building relationships and provide a prompt service.’ – Legal 500 2025
• ‘They continue to adopt a practical and commercial approach on the works undertaken. Approachable, friendly and straight forward.’ – Legal 500 2025
• ‘Technically capable, responsive and commercial. The team includes a good mix of juniors and seniors, meaning they are both well resourced but are also able to offer the right level of experience for any given matter.’ – Legal 500 2025

Contact us

For further advice and guidance please contact one of our lawyers directly, call us on 0800 652 8205 or get in touch online.