Documents for Business

In excess of 1,000 customisable documents covering every conceivable business issue.

Introduction to this document

Deed of surrender

Your landlord’s agreed that you can bring the lease to an end. To do this you’d be well advised to enter into a deed of surrender. Use our precedent to do it formally and safely.

Advice

Unless your landlord’s in breach of covenant, the only way that you can end your lease is with their permission. Unless they’re itching to get you out, e.g. because your rent’s ridiculously low and can’t be increased, they will want something from you before agreeing to a release. At the very least they will expect you to pay their legal costs.

Tip

Before entering into any deed of assignment, it’s important that all the loose ends are first tidied up. You must make sure that the landlord is happy with the state of repair, redecoration etc., that you’re leaving the premises in.

If you end up agreeing to pay your landlord’s solicitor’s costs, see if you can put a limit on them, or at the very least, only agree to pay their “reasonable” costs. That way there’s less likelihood of being stung.

Note. Make sure that you double-check the wording of the “release” clause in the deed of surrender. It’s important that you are released entirely from all your obligations under the lease so that there’s no likelihood of the landlord trying anything on later.