Commercial Property Conveyancing for Businesses Selling Without a Related Purchase
If your business is selling premises it owns and is not buying elsewhere at the same time, you need a solicitor set up to move quickly on the disposal itself, not one geared around a linked acquisition. Commercial sales rarely involve the residential-style chain of a mortgage-dependent buyer, so the process should move at a pace that reflects that.
Gurve Legal handles the sale of commercial property in London as a standalone instruction, whether you are disposing of an office, a retail unit, an industrial site, or mixed-use premises. We manage due diligence, contract negotiation and completion, keeping the transaction moving without the delays a linked purchase can introduce.
Our commercial clients are typically business owners, investors and directors who need clear, commercially minded advice rather than a generic residential-style conveyancing process applied to a business asset.
Our Commercial Property Sale Services
Freehold and Leasehold Commercial Disposals
We handle the sale of both freehold and long leasehold commercial property, preparing the contract pack and managing the buyer’s due diligence requests through to completion. Where the buyer is a cash purchaser or investor rather than a mortgage-dependent buyer, we structure the timeline to reflect that.
- Title and contract preparation
- Due diligence responses on planning, environmental and structural matters
- Coordination with your accountant on any VAT or capital gains implications
Sale of Business Premises
Selling premises that also form part of a wider business sale involves coordinating the property transaction with the sale of the business itself. Our mergers and acquisitions team can act alongside us where the property forms part of a larger deal.
- Structuring the property element of a business sale
- Apportionment of price between property and other business assets
- Handling any tenant fixtures and fittings included in the sale
Selling Tenanted Commercial Property
If your premises are let to a tenant, selling with the lease in place requires careful handling of the tenant’s rights and any consent provisions in the lease. Our commercial landlords and tenants team can advise on the lease position before you go to market.
- Reviewing lease terms for change of landlord provisions
- Advising on rent apportionment at completion
- Coordinating notices to the tenant where required
Sale as Part of a Property Portfolio Disposal
Where you are selling more than one commercial property, whether as a single transaction or a phased disposal, we structure the sale to protect your position across each property. Our property investment team can advise on the wider portfolio strategy alongside individual sales.
- Coordinating simultaneous or phased completions
- Cross-referencing title and lease positions across multiple properties
- Structuring sale agreements to reflect portfolio-wide terms
Auction Sales of Commercial Property
Selling commercial premises at auction moves faster than a private treaty sale, with legal packs prepared in advance and a binding contract on the fall of the hammer. Our auction property solicitors can prepare your legal pack ahead of the sale date.
- Pre-auction legal pack preparation
- Responding to pre-auction enquiries from prospective bidders
- Fast-turnaround completion within the standard auction timescale
Why Choose Gurve Legal
A Disposal-Focused Service, Not a Bundled Process
Where many commercial property teams assume every sale runs alongside a purchase, we treat disposals as a distinct instruction. That means your timeline is set by your buyer’s readiness, not by a linked acquisition you are not making.
Commercial Awareness Built In
We act for SMEs, investors and business owners as our core client base, not as an occasional sideline to residential conveyancing. Every recommendation is made with your wider commercial position in mind, not just the legal mechanics of the transfer.
Direct Access to the Solicitor Handling Your Sale
You deal with the same solicitor throughout, not a rotating team of case handlers. For a business disposal, that continuity matters when questions come up quickly and need an answer that reflects the full picture of your transaction.
A Full Commercial Practice Under One Roof
Where your sale touches on corporate, employment or dispute resolution matters, those teams are available within the same firm. You are not left coordinating between separate advisers on different sides of the same deal.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a commercial property sale take?
A straightforward freehold sale to a cash or investor buyer typically completes in six to ten weeks. Sales involving tenanted property or a linked business sale can take longer.
Do I need a solicitor if my buyer is a cash purchaser?
Yes. Even without lender involvement, you still need a solicitor to prepare the contract, handle title and due diligence, and manage completion correctly.
Can you act if the property is let to a tenant?
Yes. We regularly handle sales of tenanted commercial property and will advise on any consent or notice requirements under the lease before you go to market.
What if the sale is part of a wider business sale?
We can act on the property element alongside our corporate team handling the sale of the business, so both transactions are coordinated rather than run separately.
Is VAT charged on the sale of commercial property?
It depends on whether an option to tax has been made on the property. We will confirm the position early and advise your accountant accordingly.
Speak to Our Commercial Property Team Today
If you are ready to sell commercial premises, or want a clear view of the process before you go to market, get in touch for a fixed-fee quote and a realistic timeline for your sale.