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The purchase and a future lease are negotiated separately.
Buying a commercial unit gives you a property. A tenant, a rent and a lease term come later, from a separate negotiation with a separate party, on terms that depend on the market at that time.
So judge the purchase on its own evidence: the project's registration, the approved use of the unit, the full cost and the recurring charges. Then treat any future lease as a separate question, reviewed by a qualified lawyer when a real tenant and a real draft exist.
This page is general guidance, not legal advice, and BPPL does not offer leasing or tenant-placement services through it.
READING A LEASE
Four areas where lease terms usually matter most
Know what each clause does before you rely on a lease for your plans.
Permitted use
What the tenant may use the unit for, and whether that matches the approved use of the building and any association rules.
Term, lock-in and renewal
How long each side is committed, when either side can leave, and how renewal and its terms are decided.
Rent, revisions and deposit
How rent is set and revised, when it is paid, and how the security deposit is held and returned.
Charges, fit-out and exit
Who pays maintenance and utilities, who funds fit-out, what happens to it at the end, and what reinstatement is required.
CHECKLIST
Questions to settle before a lease shapes your decision.
Ask these of the unit first, then of any draft lease with your lawyer.
- Approved use of the specific unit and any association rules
- Which charges fall on the owner and which on a tenant
- Fit-out responsibilities and reinstatement at the end
- Lock-in, notice and exit terms for both sides
- How rent revisions and the security deposit are handled
- Stamping and registration requirements for the lease term
- Independent legal review of the actual draft
REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS
Do not build the purchase on an assumed tenant.
No brochure, render or conversation guarantees that a unit will be let, how quickly, at what rent, or for how long. Vacancy periods, rent-free fit-out periods and changing market conditions are normal parts of commercial ownership.
Plan your finances so the purchase still works if a tenant takes longer to find than you hope. Ask a qualified lawyer about stamp duty, registration and tax treatment of any lease when the time comes, because these depend on the term, the state and your circumstances.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Leasing questions buyers often ask
General orientation only, not legal or investment advice.
Will BPPL find a tenant for my unit?
This guide does not offer leasing or tenant placement. Ask the team directly about any services, and get the answer in writing.
Is rental income guaranteed?
No. Rent, occupancy and lease terms depend on future negotiations and market conditions, and should never be treated as guaranteed.
Does a lease need to be registered?
It can, depending on the term and state rules. Ask a qualified lawyer about stamping and registration for the specific lease.
Who pays maintenance when a unit is let?
Whatever the lease says. Agree it clearly in the draft, including utilities, common-area charges and any increases.
Can a tenant use a unit for any business?
Only within the approved use of the unit and building and any association rules. Check these before signing.
Should I buy based on a projected rent?
Judge the purchase on its own documents, costs and access. Treat any projected rent as an assumption to test, not a fact.
NEXT STEP
Get the documents that answer these questions.
Ask the team for the approved use, cost sheet and draft agreement for the unit you are considering, and review them with your own lawyer.
