WHAT DO LANDLORDS NEED TO KNOW?
If you manage your own commercial property, either as an owner/occupier or an owner with tenants, you’ll have a range of ongoing responsibilities. To help you navigate the challenges commercial landlords face, here are three important areas to become an expert in.
1. THE CURRENT MARKET SITUATION
If you’re managing new or potential tenants, lease agreements and rental income, you’ll want to be sure you’re attracting high-quality tenants while achieving strong rental returns. Undertake a comparative market analysis to see the rental returns local properties are gaining of a similar size and type. Take the opportunity to contact a range of commercial property agents and find out the properties they have on their books.
2. COMMERCIAL PROPERTY INSURANCE
Finding the right commercial property insurance policy can take considerable research and a detailed understanding of your property. The first thing to do is assess all the risks the property is exposed to, taking into account its current condition, what it’s used for and where it’s situated. Every policy is different, but the majority will exclude claims for physical loss, destruction of or damage to the property caused by:
- flood, water damage, wet rotting
- insect or bug infestation
- contamination, pollution or corrosion
- wear-and-tear and material deterioration
- design and construction errors
3. NEGOTIATING LANDLORD & TENANT DISPUTES
Australia has seen an increase in actions taken against landlord on behalf of tenants. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is in charge of policing these cases, so it’s vital every landlord knows the tenancy laws and landlord responsibilities. This includes things like mandatory disclosure statements for tenants, access arrangements, healthy and safety requirements, and other aspects of lease agreements which may be considered unlawful or disputed. If a lease falls under one of the Business Tenancy Acts, then mediation between landlords and tenants can occur for issues relating to leasing, rent payments, evictions and business conducted on the premises.