Jurisdiction(s):
United Kingdom

Pro-tenant playbook: negotiating tenant break clauses in commercial leases of part, with preferred and fallback drafting, compliance conditions, and rent and service charge reimbursement guidance (UK)

Published by a LexisNexis Property expert

Practice notes

Introduction

This playbook sets out guidance on negotiating the terms of a tenant’s break right (also called a tenant’s break clause or option to break/determine) where the lease covers part of a larger building, for example an office block or a shopping centre (or a comparable retail setting), with the aim of making the terms more favourable for a tenant (‘tenant‑friendly’ or ‘pro‑tenant’). It contains preferred provisions, fallback wording, and drafting commentary that are designed to favour the prospective tenant. The playbook is intended for lawyers representing prospective tenants and in‑house counsel, who should adapt it as required to address client‑specific matters and to ensure that client’s interests are fully protected. The degree of risk referenced in the playbook may differ according to the client. Note that it does not provide drafting for situations where the tenant has a significant bargaining advantage (eg where the tenant is an anchor tenant). This document forms part of a suite of pro‑tenant playbooks. For details of the other playbooks in the suite, together with a list of other content related to commercial tenancies, refer to the Commercial tenancies subtopic...

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Web page updated on 21/05/2026

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