Archives for September 2020

When meeting with a small business owner as a part of the SBS Commercial Lease Assistance Program, the first question an attorney usually asks is: Do you have a lease, and can I see it? That’s according to Gregg Bishop, Commissioner of the NYC Department of SBS. In his experience, landlord-tenant issues often arise after a lease has expired and the landlord continues to accept the rent without providing new lease terms. “The lease is the most important instrument in terms of protecting you for future potential issues that you’ll have with your landlord,” said Bishop. “It spells out how each party will respond.”

The SBS program recently introduced its free legal help for commercial leases, and so far, its attorneys have helped negotiate contracts — new or renewed — to procure fairer terms for about 400 enrollees.

If you’re the owner of a successful brick-and-mortar business, you may one day face a “good problem”: Is it the right time for you to expand and/or renovate?

If indeed the time is right to expand or overhaul your current space, or even move to a new location, your business is likely thriving. That’s the good part. The problem is that buying or renovating commercial space can be an expensive endeavor.