The Default
Sometimes Landlord or Tenant, either inadvertently or deliberately, don’t abide by the terms of the commercial real estate lease, resulting in a breach. A breach, if not cured (fixed), can create an event of default. If there is a default, then the damaged party can seek remedy. Landlord remedies could be everything from hefty financial penalties to lockout to termination of the lease and suing for the monetary balance. If Tenant has any default rights, they are often limited to actual damages or specific performance.
The Notice
It’s not fair to have consequences without knowing what the action is, right? That’s why notice is important. The defaulting party should be informed of default by the damaged party, so the offending party can take action to fix it- this is notice.
The commercial real estate lease should clearly state Landlord and Tenant’s address for notice. Negotiation tip: don’t make the premises Tenant’s sole notice address. If Tenant is locked out or doesn’t otherwise receive mail at the space, then notice may be legally delivered, but not actually received!
Notice can be delivered in different ways:
– By hand
– By email
– By mail (US Mail, certified, or registered)
– By courier service
Notice should always be required to be in writing; it’s hard to prove a phone call occurred in court. Certified mail or courier service are often the most reliable ways to document that delivery occurred, and it’s important to understand the entire notice provision to confirm when the clock starts ticking on any cure period in the event a notice of default is received.
The Cure
Once the damaged party has provided notice, there should be some time for the offending party to fix the damage, known as the cure period. That’s not always the case! In an improperly negotiated commercial real estate lease, Landlord can theoretically tell Tenant that Tenant is doing something wrong (even if it’s easy to fix), then default Tenant and immediately pursue its remedy. That’s default without a cure period!
Each party to the commercial real estate lease has an incentive to make sure that defaults are remedied as quickly as possible- Tenant wants a safe place for its employees and customers to enter into business transactions, and Landlord wants to make sure that Tenant is paying its rent. Both parties enter the lease expecting the other to abide by the agreement, but if there is a breach, it does take a little time to fix the problem.
With a notice and cure period, Tenant has to be told something is wrong AND has an opportunity to remedy the default. Negotiation tip: Non-monetary defaults usually need more time to cure than a monetary one. State the exact amount of days for cure that each default has in the commercial real estate lease.
Disclaimer:
This article does not create an attorney-client relationship. This article is for general education purposes only and is not legal advice. You should consult with a qualified attorney before you rely on this information.