Commercial property purchase solicitors in Scotland

Commercial property we help clients buy

Buying commercial property is very different from buying a home. The investigations are more detailed, the contract terms are negotiated, and the tax and VAT position can be complex. We act on the purchase of:

• Offices
• Shops and retail units
• Industrial units and warehouses
• Licensed premises and hotels
• Care homes and surgeries
• Development land
• Mixed-use buildings
• Tenanted investment property

Due diligence before you commit

Before you buy, you need to understand the property’s commercial potential and its risks. We agree the right level of investigation with you, review the information provided and give you a clear, practical report. Our checks usually cover:

• TitleOwnership, boundaries, rights of access and any burdens or restrictions on use.
• SearchesProperty and personal searches, and a property enquiry certificate from the council about roads and planning notices.
• Planning and building controlPlanning permission for the current use and building warrants and completion certificates for alterations.
• Environmental and energyContamination risk, the Energy Performance Certificate and, for buildings over 1,000 square metres, any action plan requirements on sale.
• LeasesFor tenanted property, the terms of each lease, the rent and the strength of the tenants.
• VATWhether VAT is payable on the price and whether the sale can be treated as a transfer of a going concern.

Funding your purchase

It is important to have funding in place before you commit. We work with your bank or lender from the start, deal with their requirements and prepare the standard security over the property. We also work with your accountant, surveyor and architect so the transaction runs smoothly.

If the purchase includes a business, we work with our corporate colleagues so that the business, its staff and any premises licence transfer to you along with the property. See our business sale and purchase page.

Buying commercial property as an investment

Whether you are buying for rental income or to diversify a portfolio, it is worth taking advice on the right structure for the purchase. We act for individual investors and companies, and we can set up a new company or other vehicle to hold the property if that suits your plans.

Many people buy commercial property through a self-invested personal pension, or SIPP. We can advise the SIPP trustees on the purchase and then on letting the property to tenants. We can also prepare the paperwork if you are buying at auction.