The Landlord's Lease Was Written by the Landlord's Attorney
Every commercial lease in Florida starts as a document designed to protect one party — and it isn't you. Before you sign, you need a commercial lease review attorney who reads these agreements the way the other side writes them.
What You're Actually Agreeing To
Most small business owners read a commercial lease looking for the rent amount and the term length. That's the part the landlord wants you to focus on. The provisions that will matter most when something goes wrong — a personal guarantee that follows you personally for five years, CAM charges with no cap, a permitted use clause so narrow it limits how you can operate — those are buried in the back half of a document the landlord's attorney spent years refining.
Florida law offers commercial tenants almost no statutory protections. Unlike residential leases, commercial leases are governed almost entirely by contract. Every provision is negotiable, but only before you sign. Once you've signed, you've agreed to the landlord's terms.
What I Review — and What I'm Looking For
A commercial lease review isn't a read-through. I work through the lease provision by provision with a specific focus on the terms that create the most risk for small business tenants. Here's where I spend my time:
Personal Guarantee Scope
Most commercial leases require the business owner to personally guarantee the lease — meaning if your business can't pay, you pay. What most tenants don't realize is that the scope of that guarantee is negotiable. I look at whether the guarantee is full or limited, whether it can be burned down over time, and whether there are carve-outs you can negotiate before you sign. A five-year lease with a full personal guarantee is a five-year personal financial commitment. You should know exactly what you're taking on.
CAM Charges and Expense Caps
Common area maintenance charges are one of the most misunderstood costs in commercial leasing. The base rent is only part of what you'll pay. CAM charges can include property taxes, insurance, landscaping, parking lot maintenance, and management fees — and without a cap, they can escalate significantly year over year. I review the CAM definitions, audit rights, and whether any cap language exists or can be negotiated in.
Permitted Use, Exclusivity, and Relocation Rights
A permitted use clause that's too narrow can restrict how you operate your business — or give the landlord grounds to claim a default if your operations evolve. Exclusivity clauses, when you can get them, prevent the landlord from leasing adjacent space to a direct competitor. And landlord relocation rights — common in shopping center leases — can allow the landlord to move your business to a different suite with limited notice. These provisions get little attention at signing and enormous attention when they're triggered.
Early Termination and Subletting Rights
If your business grows faster than expected, or contracts, or closes, you need to know what your exit options are. Most landlord-drafted leases make early termination expensive and subletting difficult. I look at what the lease actually permits, what the penalties are, and whether there's room to negotiate more flexibility before you're locked in.
Lease Renewals Are a Negotiation, Not a Formality
If you're renewing a commercial lease, your leverage is at its highest right now — before you sign. Landlords often present renewals as routine paperwork. They're not. Rent escalation clauses, tenant improvement allowances, personal guarantee renewals, and modified CAM structures are all on the table at renewal time. Once you sign, they're settled. I review renewal terms with the same attention I bring to new leases, and I can help you identify what's worth pushing back on before you commit to another term.
Why Work With a Business Attorney — Not a General Practitioner
Commercial lease review attorney Brandon FL searches will return a range of results. What matters is whether the attorney reviewing your lease understands how small businesses actually operate. I've spent 30 years working exclusively with small business owners across the Tampa Bay region. I understand what a retail tenant needs from a permitted use clause, what a service business needs from a subletting provision, and what a first-time tenant needs to understand before they sign a personal guarantee.
I don't handle personal injury cases or family law. My practice is built around the legal needs of businesses with 1 to 50 employees — formation, contracts, acquisitions, and the day-to-day legal decisions that determine whether a business survives its early years. Commercial lease review is one of the most consequential decisions a small business owner makes, and I treat it that way.
Flat-Fee Pricing, Published in Advance
I publish my fees openly because I think business owners deserve to know what they're paying before they agree to anything. Commercial lease review is available at a flat fee — no hourly billing, no surprise invoices. If you see the fee and it doesn't work for you, I'm not the right fit. If it does, you'll know exactly what you're getting and what it costs.
You can review current fees on the Fees & Pricing page before booking.
Common Questions About Commercial Lease Review in Florida
What's in a typical commercial lease in Florida?
A Florida commercial lease covers rent, lease term, renewal options, permitted use, CAM charges, personal guarantee requirements, subletting rights, early termination provisions, and landlord remedies for default. Unlike residential leases, commercial leases are almost entirely governed by what the parties agree to in writing — Florida law provides minimal tenant protections, which means every provision matters and most are negotiable before signing.Can I negotiate a commercial lease?
Yes — and you should. Landlords present their standard lease as a starting point, not a final offer. Rent, CAM caps, personal guarantee scope, improvement allowances, permitted use definitions, and early termination rights are all negotiable. Your leverage is highest before you sign. Once you're in, the landlord has little incentive to revisit terms.What is a personal guarantee in a commercial lease and how do I limit it?
A personal guarantee makes you personally responsible for the lease obligations if your business defaults. In a five-year lease, that's five years of rent exposure attached to your name, not just your business entity. The scope of a personal guarantee is negotiable — you may be able to limit it to a set number of months, have it burn down over time, or negotiate carve-outs. These conversations happen before signing, not after.What are CAM charges in a commercial lease?
CAM stands for common area maintenance. In addition to base rent, tenants in multi-tenant commercial properties typically pay a share of operating costs for shared spaces — parking lots, lobbies, landscaping, property management fees, and sometimes taxes and insurance. Without a cap, CAM charges can increase significantly from year to year. Reviewing the CAM definitions and negotiating a cap or audit right is one of the most financially meaningful things you can do before signing.Do I need an attorney to review a commercial lease in Brandon or Tampa Bay?
Florida law doesn't require it, but the economics almost always justify it. A commercial lease is typically a multi-year financial commitment — often with a personal guarantee attached. The cost of a lease review is a fraction of what a problematic provision can cost you over the life of the lease. If you're signing a lease for your business, having a commercial lease attorney review it before you commit is straightforward risk management.
Ready to Review Your Lease Before You Sign?
If you've found a space and a landlord has sent you a lease, the time to act is now — before you sign, not after. I work with small business tenants across Brandon, Riverview, Valrico, and the broader Tampa Bay area, and I'm available remotely for clients throughout Florida. Schedule a consultation and we'll go through the lease together.