What's Involved
What we handle
Contract review
Commercial contracts often include GST adjustments, existing tenant leases, development conditions, and vendor warranties. We review every element and advise accordingly.
Commercial searches
In addition to standard searches, commercial transactions may require company searches, PPSR searches, and body corporate or strata searches.
GST and duty
GST treatment varies depending on the nature of the transaction. We coordinate with your accountant to ensure the contract is structured correctly.
Settlement
Commercial settlements require coordination of more parties. We manage the process through PEXA, keeping all parties aligned through to completion.
Real-world experience
Tenant right of first refusal — found before exchange
A business was purchasing commercial premises in Brisbane. Buried in the original lease was a right of first refusal giving the tenant the ability to match any purchase offer before the sale could complete. The clause had not been disclosed in the contract. We identified it during a full lease review before exchange, raised it with the vendor's solicitor, and obtained a deed of surrender from the tenant. Settlement proceeded on the original terms. Had the issue been discovered after exchange, the buyer would have faced months of delay and significant legal costs.
From the fileWhat catches people out with Commercial Conveyancing
Not reviewing existing tenant leases before exchange. Rights of first refusal, options to renew, and rent review mechanisms follow the property — and any one of them can complicate or derail a transaction.
Misapplying the going concern GST exemption. Whether GST applies to a commercial transaction is a fact-specific question. Get your accountant across it before contracts are finalised.
Underestimating the coordination involved. Commercial settlements involve more parties — vendor, buyer, multiple lenders, tenants, managing agents. Starting that coordination early avoids the delays that cause most commercial settlement failures.