Uncollected goods: what should landlords do upon termination of a retail lease?

October 09, 2018 by JW in Commercial Leases, Landlord, Property Law Act, Retail Leases Act, Retail Leasing, VCAT, Landlord and tenant, Uncollected Goods, Tenant fixtures, Landlord obligations

This question arises in almost every retail lease matter involving rental arrears, termination and possession. The regime regarding uncollected goods is governed by the principles of bailment and by the Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012. The ACL stipulates three value categories of uncollected goods (low, medium, high) and outlines requirements for disposal of uncollected goods in each category.

Landlords: What are your repair and maintenance obligations?

November 22, 2017 by JW in Retail Leases Act, Retail Leasing, Landlord, Commercial Leases, Repair and maintenance, Section 52 RLA

Commercial tenancies, particularly for large properties with long tenancies that may extend over decades, can present challenges for landlords and tenants when it comes to repairs and obligations.

What are your repair and maintenance obligations? What is fair wear and tear? What does section 52 of the Retail Leases Act provide?

Relief against forfeiture - saving a commercial tenancy

October 16, 2017 by JW in Retail Leasing, VCAT, Tenant, Landlord, Commercial Leases, Supreme Court of Victoria, Relief against forfeiture, Retail Leases Act, Property Law Act

Relief against forfeiture protects a tenant against the loss or determination of an estate or interest in property, or a proprietary right, either in consequence of a failure to perform a covenant or condition or in consequence of the determination of the contract for some other reason. This article summaries the key principles and provides tips for tenants applying for relief, and landlords opposing an application.

How to evict a commercial tenant - Part 2 of 2

February 13, 2017 by JW in Commercial Leases, Landlord, Retail Leasing, Tenant, VCAT, Supreme Court of Victoria, Retail Leases Act

Evicting a commercial tenant - Part 2 of 2

The full article (5214 words) considers:

Re-entry by proceedings
Making an ‘unequivocal claim’ for possession
Fundamental breach and repudiation
When is a breach fundamental?
Repudiation
Loss of bargain damages
Waiver
Notice requirements
Defective Notices
Time limits for remedying a notice
Service of a notice
What if the tenant has a counterclaim?
The nature of set-off
Equitable set-off
Effect of ouster clauses

How to evict a commercial tenant - Part 1 of 2

November 14, 2016 by JW in Retail Leasing, Landlord, Tenant, Commercial Leases, Supreme Court of Victoria, VCAT, Retail Leases Act

Whether acting for a landlord or tenant, the eviction of commercial tenants is vastly different to the rules governing the eviction of residential tenants. This is because the Courts and VCAT consider commercial tenancies to be long-term binding contracts between commercial parties.

While residential tenancy rules in Victoria allow landlords to evict tenants for little reason or no reason at all (in 120 days), the law treats commercial tenancies very differently. There are more protections in place for commercial tenants to ensure they can build a business from a premises and potentially sell any goodwill attached to a particular location.

Termination of commercial tenancies involves knowledge of the principles of contract law, termination and waiver, notices, the Property Law Act (section 146), equitable set-off, exercise of options, and other common law concepts such as taking possession and conversion of goods.