Commercial Lease Lawyers — Melbourne
Melbourne commercial and retail leases done properly — landlord or tenant, new deal or renewal, Retail Leases Act 2003 (Vic) compliant, on a fixed fee.
Fixed fee. Senior lawyer.
Every engagement is quoted upfront and led by a senior lawyer — never a paralegal-first pipeline.
- hello@envisionlegal.com.au
- Sydney · Melbourne · National
How we help
What we handle for you.
Concrete deliverables — not a general "advice" retainer. Each item can be scoped as a one-off fixed-fee package or bundled into a monthly counsel arrangement.
01
New lease review (tenant)
Full review of the lease, disclosure statement and personal guarantees — with a plain-English risk sheet before you sign and before fit-out money is committed.
02
Landlord lease preparation
Landlord-side drafting for Melbourne CBD, suburban strip and industrial premises — make-good, outgoings, bank guarantee and default machinery that actually works.
03
Retail Leases Act 2003 (Vic) compliance
Disclosure statements, the 5-year minimum term, prohibited outgoings, land tax recovery ban, and the protections the Act implies whether the lease says so or not.
04
Assignment, sub-lease & licence
Assignments on sale of business, sub-leases and short-term licences — with proper landlord consent, updated disclosure and release of outgoing guarantors.
05
Rent reviews & option exercise
Market and CPI reviews, option-to-renew notices, and the Victorian Small Business Commission process when the parties can't agree.
06
Lease disputes & make-good
Bank guarantee calls, end-of-lease make-good claims, VSBC mediation and VCAT proceedings for retail lease disputes.
Who this is for
Clients we work best with.
- Melbourne tenants signing a first CBD or strip retail lease
- Landlords preparing lease packs for commercial or industrial premises
- Businesses assigning a lease on the sale of the business
- Tenants facing a make-good or bank guarantee claim on exit
How we work
No surprises. Ever.
Fixed fees quoted upfront. Senior lawyer on every file. Clear next steps at every stage.
01 — Brief
Send a short brief or book a 15-minute call. We'll confirm scope and what you actually need — often that's less than you think.
02 — Fixed-fee quote
You get a written scope and a fixed fee before we start. No hourly billing, no scope-creep invoices.
03 — Senior lawyer, on the tools
The lawyer you scoped with is the lawyer doing the work. We turn drafts around fast and stay reachable throughout.
FAQs
Common questions.
- Is my Melbourne lease a 'retail lease' under Victorian law?
- It usually is if the premises are used wholly or predominantly for the retail provision of goods or services and occupancy costs are under the statutory threshold. Retail leases attract mandatory protections — 5-year minimum term, disclosure statement, prohibited outgoings, no land tax recovery — that a pure commercial lease does not. It is the first question we answer on any review.
- How is Victoria different from NSW on leases?
- Victoria runs under the Retail Leases Act 2003 (Vic) with the Victorian Small Business Commission as the mandatory first stop for disputes, and VCAT rather than NCAT. Landlords also cannot pass on land tax for retail premises in Victoria — a common and expensive error in interstate lease templates.
- Do I have to sign a personal guarantee?
- Most Melbourne landlords ask; most tenants should negotiate. We push the guarantee down to a capped amount, a fixed number of months' rent, or release on assignment where the incoming tenant's covenant is strong.
- What does make-good actually cost?
- A loose make-good clause on a Melbourne tenancy can cost $50k–$200k+ on exit. We negotiate it at the start — a photographic condition schedule, exclusions for fair wear and tear, and a cost cap — rather than on the day you hand back the keys.
- How quickly can you turn a lease review around?
- Standard lease reviews are quoted on a fixed fee and returned within 3–5 business days. You will hear from a senior lawyer within one business day of sending the lease through.
Talk to us
Legal built for commercial lease lawyers — melbourne.
Send us a note about what you're working on. We'll respond within one business day and, if we're a fit, book a free 15-minute consultation with a senior lawyer.