Commercial leases for offices, shops & business premises
Legal advice on UAE commercial leases, including permitted use, fit-out, rent obligations, assignment, renewal and exit arrangements for business premises.
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Make the premises support the business plan
A business lease should be reviewed with the intended activity, licence and fit-out requirements in mind. Access dates, service charges, reinstatement and restrictions on alterations can be as important as the headline rent.
Dubai Land Department provides tenancy-registration services through Ejari and authorised channels. The applicable regime must be identified for the premises; rules and processes can differ across emirates and special jurisdictions.
How the firm can assist
Hyam El Hachem Law Firm can review or negotiate a commercial lease and help address renewal, transfer or termination. The legal work can be coordinated with company formation, a franchise or an acquisition.
- Review use, landlord authority, possession and fit-out obligations.
- Clarify rent, charges, deposits, maintenance and insurance allocation.
- Address assignment, subletting, break rights and reinstatement on exit.
- The draft or existing lease and all side agreements.
- Premises details, business activity and fit-out plans.
- Notices, registration records and any renewal or opening deadline.
An initial outline is enough. Detailed records can follow through a process agreed with the firm.
Questions clients often ask
Should I sign the lease before checking the licensed activity?
Check the intended activity and premises requirements together. A signed lease does not itself authorise the business to operate.
Can a business lease be transferred with a company sale?
The transaction structure and lease terms matter. Assignment, change-of-control or landlord-consent provisions should be examined before completion.
Define the mandate
Clarify your objectives, the jurisdictions involved and any immediate deadline.
Review the legal position
Examine the relevant documents and identify the decisions requiring advice.
Agree the next steps
Set out the work, professional responsibilities and practical sequence.
Experience with a personal point of contact
Hyam El Hachem is an Attorney at Law with the Beirut Bar Association. Following her training at Awada Tyan Law Firm, she established her own firm in 1996 and expanded her practice to the UAE in 2005.
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