Shopping Center Lease Agreement: Everything You Need to Know

A shopping center lease agreement is used to solidify the terms between the landlord of the shopping center and the individual leasing the space.3 min read

A shopping center lease agreement is used to solidify the terms between the landlord of the shopping center and the individual leasing the space. A shopping center lease, also called a private contract, will state the agreed-upon rent and the length of time the lease will cover. When entering the agreement, the tenants may be at a disadvantage, owing to the landlord having more experience negotiating commercial contracts. The lease the landlord provides will not favor the tenant. Therefore, an attorney should review the contract to look for stipulations that are of a detriment to the tenant.

Tenant Responsibilities and Limitations

The responsibilities of the tenant include the following:

• Pay a base rent that is based on the store's square footage.
• Pay a percentage of gross sales (in some cases, not all).
• Pay a portion of expenses spent to maintain the shopping center's common areas.
• Pay a portion of the shopping center's property taxes.

The tenant may request that the lease includes an "option to renew" clause, which provides the ability to stay in the space when the original lease ends. Additional details that may be specified in the lease include the limitations of what changes can be made to the space, such as:

• Reorganization.
• Redecoration.
• Repainting.

The lease agreement may limit what types of businesses can run in the space and the distance the business is to any competitor's business.

What to Consider Before Renting a Shopping Center Space

The lease agreement should be reviewed for clauses that impact the tenant. Some examples of the clauses and specifics to look out for include:

• Tenant reimbursement of taxes and additional governmental charges.
• Poorly written clauses that alter how much the tenant owes (can be an increase or a decrease).