This. It’s such a simple, little word, one that we all use countless times per day. But used the wrong way in a commercial lease, “this” can bite a landlord in the backside. If you don’t believe it, ask the Arizona landlord that lost a juicy rent increase because of “this.”

This. It’s such a simple, little word, one that we all use countless times per day. But used the wrong way in a commercial lease, “this” can bite a landlord in the backside. If you don’t believe it, ask the Arizona landlord that lost a juicy rent increase because of “this.”

Like many owners, you may require your tenants to pay a proportionate share of your operating costs in maintaining the common areas. If the intent is to include site security in these costs, you better spell it out; simply assuming that security is an implied part of “maintenance” costs passed to the tenant may prove to be a costly mistake.