Business Legal Services
Commercial Property Solicitors
Clear, commercially focused legal support for buying, selling, leasing and managing business premises.
Whether you are expanding, refinancing, exiting or restructuring, we help you complete property transactions smoothly while protecting your wider commercial position.
Finding the right legal partner
Why work with Harper James
Choose a legal partner you can trust: we’ll help protect your goals, your business and your people so you can move forward with confidence and focus on growing your business.
Affordable, transparent and predictable pricing
Clear itemised invoices, subscription plans with up to 50% discount, and fixed fee products help you plan and manage legal spend – with no nasty surprises.
Proven track record and measurable results
We’ve supported over 7,000 businesses since 2014, with an ‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot and a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 60+ from monthly client surveys.
Straight-talking, responsive advice
That means fast response times, practical expert legal advice delivered in plain English, and dedicated client service and account management support.
Risk and compliance assured
We’re an SRA regulated firm, but more importantly, we build quality, data, and compliance best practice into everything we do.
Commercial Property Legal Advice
Helping your business through property decisions
The decisions you make about property rarely sit in isolation. They can affect cashflow, borrowing, regulatory compliance and overall deal value. Our role is to protect your commercial position, while progressing documents efficiently and without delay. We’re here to support you:
When you need to acquire commercial premises to support growth, investment or relocation, and want the deal structured properly from the outset.
When you are selling or disposing of business property and need a smooth transaction that protects value and limits post-completion risk.
When you are negotiating a commercial lease as landlord or tenant and want clear, commercially workable terms that reflect how your business actually operates.
When you are developing, refinancing or restructuring property assets and lender requirements or group structure add complexity.
When you are renewing, varying or terminating a lease and need to understand your options, obligations and potential exposure.
When property issues arise during corporate transactions such as funding rounds, M&A or exits, and due diligence needs to be managed carefully.
Property transactions can feel document-heavy and technical. We keep the process structured and straightforward.
- Share your situation
Tell us what you are buying, selling or leasing, your timelines and any funding or corporate context. We will review the key documents and background. - Clear scope and next steps
We will outline the legal work required, key risks to consider and the practical steps involved so you can make informed decisions. - Managed process to completion
We handle negotiations, due diligence and documentation, keeping you updated and flagging issues early so there are no unnecessary surprises.
If your situation involves multiple sites, regulated premises, group structures or tight completion deadlines, we will align the legal work to your commercial priorities.
Meet our team
Why choose our commercial property solicitors?
Our commercial property solicitors work with scaling SMEs across tech, healthcare, manufacturing, professional services and other regulation-heavy sectors. Many have experience in larger firms or in-house, so they understand board pressure, funding milestones and operational realities.
That means advice that reflects how your business actually runs – not just what the textbook says.
See who could be acting for you:
Our commercial property expertise
Specialist support across your property lifecycle
From day-to-day lease management to complex transactions and disputes, our team supports you at every stage of your property strategy. Find more detail on specific services:
Understanding commercial property law
Common questions
Commercial property law can raise broader strategic questions. Here are some of the issues businesses often ask about.
How does property affect funding or investment transactions?
Property can be a key part of due diligence in funding rounds, acquisitions and exits. Issues such as lease terms, break clauses, restrictions and compliance can affect valuation and deal structure. Early review helps reduce last-minute complications.
What does due diligence involve when buying commercial property?
This usually includes reviewing title, searches, planning status, environmental matters and any occupational leases. The aim is to identify legal or practical issues that could affect value, use or future disposal.
What happens if we need flexibility across our property portfolio as we scale?
Growth, consolidation or hybrid working models can change space requirements quickly. Break options, assignment rights, subletting provisions and alienation clauses should be considered in light of your likely future plans, not just your current footprint.
How can repairing obligations affect the overall cost of a commercial lease?
Repairing obligations can significantly increase your total exposure over the life of a lease, particularly if you are responsible for putting premises into full repair regardless of their condition at the start. The drafting of these clauses should reflect the age, condition and value of your interest in the property. Clear structuring at the outset helps ensure liabilities remain commercially proportionate.
How should we structure property ownership across a group of companies?
For businesses operating through multiple entities, property can be held or leased in different parts of the group. The structure affects liability exposure, tax position, lender security and future disposals. It is important that the property arrangement supports your wider corporate strategy rather than creating unnecessary cross-risk between entities.
If you would like to discuss a specific property matter, speak to a commercial property solicitor to explore your options in more detail.
Testimonials
What our clients say
Our clients value clear advice, commercial awareness and a responsive team that understands how property decisions affect the wider business.
Friendly, helpful and efficient. Thank you!
Beverly Clough
Group HR Director,
The Guild of Property Professionals
Outstanding so far. Please keep it like this!
Dimitri Konstantindi
Director,
Homely Appartments
Harper James never fail to impress with the speed and efficiency of their service, no matter the query. The team are friendly, knowledgeable and always on hand.
Karis Walker
Project Managing Officer,
Thyssenkrupp
Speed of turnaround and clear advice
Ian Rose
Head of Networks,
AllStar Business Solutions
Harper James Solicitors provides excellent value for money and helps to cover gaps in specialist areas of legal practice. Using an outside legal provider enables us, as a business, to better manage our internal resources, the volume of work we have and to deal with our level of overall risk. I would undoubtedly recommend them to others.
Robert Cowling
General Counsel,
FleetCor
10/10, very happy with the service and the relationship … comments from Sam are presented in a way that is easy to understand – rather than being blinded by legal jargon! Very approachable, pragmatic and efficient, especially as we had to do substantial chasing on the recent legal engagement
Karen Page
Office Manager,
DenseAir
I really value Sam’s pragmatic approach to getting things done but also the lack of ‘dryness’ when getting information across to help me make decisions. I’m completely happy with the service and have already recommended Harper James to others!
Abby Edwards
Team Lead,
RLP Resourcing
Extremely helpful, very communicative and got the job done promptly. We were under time pressure, and on a tight budget - HJ dealt with both perfectly.
Andrew Slater
MD,
Kin Partners Ltd
Harper James is the right fit for us, I was attracted to the firm by the experience and reputation of their large team of specialist solicitors. And best of all, I have this support at a price point that’s very competitive compared to their competition.
Andrew Worsley
Chairman,
Harbour Healthcare
Matt and Paul understand the brief, and they understand our business. Their attention to detail and joined-up approach is excellent. They’re able to understand exactly what we need and the vision of the group going forward. Growing at this rate presents some risk, so having a legal team that appreciates this and supports us with the legal advice we need to take on every challenge in our mission to scale is key.
Alex Newey
Chairman,
Greosn
The new format of the Summary Report that is provided with a property lease is commendable - this is the type of document that non-legal people can read and quickly understand the important points about the property.
Matthew Dreaper
CFO,
Oxford Space Systems
Rachel Jones and Sam Paxton have been efficient, proactive and communicate well. Very nice to work with!
Andrew Worsley
Chairman ,
Harbour Healthcare
Kara has really become a part of our team. She has been meticulous in following up with the other side and is extremely proactive in reviewing our lease agreements. I liked that we were always working with Kara on every occasion, she understands our business goals and that was very important to us when seeking legal advice.
Florence Roosendaal
Head of Expansion and Projects,
The Park Playground
The Corporate Finance and Property team at Harper James are always responsive and take a pragmatic approach when needed.
Leon Foxwell
Lending Director,
Bloomsbury Property Finance Limited
Having Rachel’s help has been invaluable. I’ve previously negotiated the property terms myself, but due to the complexities that came with leasing this property, I didn’t know where to start. Rachel went through the agreement with a fine-tooth comb and picked up on crucial aspects that I wouldn’t have noticed. There’s so much to think about while moving premises while still fulfilling orders and Rachel was great at putting my mind at ease throughout the process.
Ruby Sheldon
CEO,
Slime Party UK
We’re recent customers of the Enable plan, but from our experience working with Rachel, I know that I can call on Harper James for any other legal work we may need as we’re constantly thinking of new ways we can grow the business
Ruby Sheldon
CEO,
Slime Party UK
Sam really understood that the lease was a big commitment from us and she was patient in her approach. Sam was always looking to make sure we were protected from any clauses that were not in our favour. We are very grateful to Sam for her help as we could not have done it without her.
Chris Woods
Operations Manager,
Playtonic Games
Brigitta, Alex, Genevieve, Adam and the wider team always helpful and understanding of borrowers expectations. They are efficient and diligent in all property and corporate finance documentation.
Leon Foxwell
Lending Director,
Bloomsbury Property Finance Limited
Alex Curtis is a super star. He helped us out at short notice on a lease renewal where the landlord had redrafted the terms of the lease in their own favour. Not only did he provide excellent counsel but he supported us in negotiating the terms back in our favour - which we successfully did. Thanks Alex.
Mic Miller
CEO,
Easyfundraising
We needed some urgent commercial property advice at the end of 2024 and instructed Harper James to assist. Sam Paxton acted on our behalf and was thankfully able to provide the advice we needed as a priority. Sam was always on hand to turn documents around urgently and/or to discuss any last minute queries. She is a credit to the team and we can highly recommend.
Rupert Winter-Moore
Director,
Zebra Machinery
In 2024 we instructed Harper James to assist with two commercial property acquisitions. We were introduced to Sam Paxton who has kindly guided us through both transactions. Sam has taken the time to understand the needs of our business and always makes herself available should we have any queries. She is personable and explains legal jargon/concepts in a way that is easy to understand. We very much look forward to working again with Sam in the future and would highly recommend.
Alan Redpath
Managing Director,
RedteQ
Great advice, great outcome. Harper James are consistently good lawyers.
Ashley Seager
Director,
Sun4Net Ltd
Both Sam and Callum have been amazing to work with over the past few years, so patient, thorough and they explain everything so clearly. So easy to talk to and completely understood what needed to be done and just did it. Super efficient. Thank you both, you have been the best!
Sonia Cernecca
Director,
Town of Ramsgate
I have worked with Harper James solicitors on a range of commercial and corporate finance assignments for our businesses over the last 10 years. We have benefitted from access to skilled lawyers with plenty of valuable experience who are well tuned in to how early-stage growing companies operate and what is important to businesses like ours.
Matthew Draper
Chief Financial Officer,
Oxford Space Systems
Friendly, helpful and efficient. Thank you!
Beverly Clough
Group HR Director,
The Guild of Property Professionals
Outstanding so far. Please keep it like this!
Dimitri Konstantindi
Director,
Homely Appartments
Harper James never fail to impress with the speed and efficiency of their service, no matter the query. The team are friendly, knowledgeable and always on hand.
Karis Walker
Project Managing Officer,
Thyssenkrupp
Speed of turnaround and clear advice
Ian Rose
Head of Networks,
AllStar Business Solutions
Harper James Solicitors provides excellent value for money and helps to cover gaps in specialist areas of legal practice. Using an outside legal provider enables us, as a business, to better manage our internal resources, the volume of work we have and to deal with our level of overall risk. I would undoubtedly recommend them to others.
Robert Cowling
General Counsel,
FleetCor
10/10, very happy with the service and the relationship … comments from Sam are presented in a way that is easy to understand – rather than being blinded by legal jargon! Very approachable, pragmatic and efficient, especially as we had to do substantial chasing on the recent legal engagement
Karen Page
Office Manager,
DenseAir
I really value Sam’s pragmatic approach to getting things done but also the lack of ‘dryness’ when getting information across to help me make decisions. I’m completely happy with the service and have already recommended Harper James to others!
Abby Edwards
Team Lead,
RLP Resourcing
Extremely helpful, very communicative and got the job done promptly. We were under time pressure, and on a tight budget - HJ dealt with both perfectly.
Andrew Slater
MD,
Kin Partners Ltd
Harper James is the right fit for us, I was attracted to the firm by the experience and reputation of their large team of specialist solicitors. And best of all, I have this support at a price point that’s very competitive compared to their competition.
Andrew Worsley
Chairman,
Harbour Healthcare
Matt and Paul understand the brief, and they understand our business. Their attention to detail and joined-up approach is excellent. They’re able to understand exactly what we need and the vision of the group going forward. Growing at this rate presents some risk, so having a legal team that appreciates this and supports us with the legal advice we need to take on every challenge in our mission to scale is key.
Alex Newey
Chairman,
Greosn
The new format of the Summary Report that is provided with a property lease is commendable - this is the type of document that non-legal people can read and quickly understand the important points about the property.
Matthew Dreaper
CFO,
Oxford Space Systems
Rachel Jones and Sam Paxton have been efficient, proactive and communicate well. Very nice to work with!
Andrew Worsley
Chairman ,
Harbour Healthcare
Kara has really become a part of our team. She has been meticulous in following up with the other side and is extremely proactive in reviewing our lease agreements. I liked that we were always working with Kara on every occasion, she understands our business goals and that was very important to us when seeking legal advice.
Florence Roosendaal
Head of Expansion and Projects,
The Park Playground
The Corporate Finance and Property team at Harper James are always responsive and take a pragmatic approach when needed.
Leon Foxwell
Lending Director,
Bloomsbury Property Finance Limited
Having Rachel’s help has been invaluable. I’ve previously negotiated the property terms myself, but due to the complexities that came with leasing this property, I didn’t know where to start. Rachel went through the agreement with a fine-tooth comb and picked up on crucial aspects that I wouldn’t have noticed. There’s so much to think about while moving premises while still fulfilling orders and Rachel was great at putting my mind at ease throughout the process.
Ruby Sheldon
CEO,
Slime Party UK
We’re recent customers of the Enable plan, but from our experience working with Rachel, I know that I can call on Harper James for any other legal work we may need as we’re constantly thinking of new ways we can grow the business
Ruby Sheldon
CEO,
Slime Party UK
Sam really understood that the lease was a big commitment from us and she was patient in her approach. Sam was always looking to make sure we were protected from any clauses that were not in our favour. We are very grateful to Sam for her help as we could not have done it without her.
Chris Woods
Operations Manager,
Playtonic Games
Brigitta, Alex, Genevieve, Adam and the wider team always helpful and understanding of borrowers expectations. They are efficient and diligent in all property and corporate finance documentation.
Leon Foxwell
Lending Director,
Bloomsbury Property Finance Limited
Alex Curtis is a super star. He helped us out at short notice on a lease renewal where the landlord had redrafted the terms of the lease in their own favour. Not only did he provide excellent counsel but he supported us in negotiating the terms back in our favour - which we successfully did. Thanks Alex.
Mic Miller
CEO,
Easyfundraising
We needed some urgent commercial property advice at the end of 2024 and instructed Harper James to assist. Sam Paxton acted on our behalf and was thankfully able to provide the advice we needed as a priority. Sam was always on hand to turn documents around urgently and/or to discuss any last minute queries. She is a credit to the team and we can highly recommend.
Rupert Winter-Moore
Director,
Zebra Machinery
In 2024 we instructed Harper James to assist with two commercial property acquisitions. We were introduced to Sam Paxton who has kindly guided us through both transactions. Sam has taken the time to understand the needs of our business and always makes herself available should we have any queries. She is personable and explains legal jargon/concepts in a way that is easy to understand. We very much look forward to working again with Sam in the future and would highly recommend.
Alan Redpath
Managing Director,
RedteQ
Great advice, great outcome. Harper James are consistently good lawyers.
Ashley Seager
Director,
Sun4Net Ltd
Both Sam and Callum have been amazing to work with over the past few years, so patient, thorough and they explain everything so clearly. So easy to talk to and completely understood what needed to be done and just did it. Super efficient. Thank you both, you have been the best!
Sonia Cernecca
Director,
Town of Ramsgate
I have worked with Harper James solicitors on a range of commercial and corporate finance assignments for our businesses over the last 10 years. We have benefitted from access to skilled lawyers with plenty of valuable experience who are well tuned in to how early-stage growing companies operate and what is important to businesses like ours.
Matthew Draper
Chief Financial Officer,
Oxford Space Systems
