Rhode Island Commercial Lease Agreement Template




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A Rhode Island Commercial Lease Agreement is fundamentally a reciprocal contract between you and your property owner. This pact bestows upon you the privilege to utilize a property for your trade activities, for a negotiated duration and cost. It's customized to the exact operations your business plans to undertake. It's vital to comprehend every segment of it before affixing your signature.

What are the related laws for Commercial Lease Agreements in Rhode Island?

Chapter 6A-2.1 of the Title 6A in Rhode Island's Uniform Commercial Code deals explicitly with leases. It comprises multiple procedures, definitions, and stipulations steering the creation, alteration, execution, and violation of lease contracts.

Outlined in several parts of the chapter:

  • Section 6A-2.1-201 articulates definitions, enumerating various lease contract-related terms along with their associated interpretations.
  • Section 6A-2.1-219 manages risk of loss scenarios, underlining when and under what terms the risk of loss from goods takes place.
  • Section 6A-2.1-506 establishes the statute of limitations in addressing lease contract issues. It points out that parties can diminish the limitations period to at least one year.

Laws — Title 6A, Chapter 6A-2.1: Rhode Island Uniform Commercial Code

 

What's included in a Rhode Island Commercial Lease Agreement?

Here are some key components that are typically included in a Rhode Island Commercial Lease Agreement:

  1. Permitted Uses
  2. Term and Option to Extend
  3. Repairs and Maintenance
  4. Alterations
  5. Insurance
  6. Events of Default
  7. Holdover

How to write a Commercial Lease Agreement

As a business proprietor, the intricate legal language might be intimidating. Yet, armed with a comprehensible plan and proper direction, you can skillfully craft your lease agreement. Let's delve into the fundamentals of a commercial lease agreement and discover how to customize it to suit your necessities—think of this as a warm, easy-to-follow resource for venturing into the domain of commercial leases in Rhode Island.

1. Permitted Uses

The "Approved Uses" provision instructs you on the appropriate use of the leased space. It unambiguously details the permissible operations, which include industrial activities, administrative tasks, storage, dispersion, and manufacturing and supplying of goods.

It's essential to precisely enumerate all your proposed business actions in this segment. This transparency aids in evading potential legal complications and guarantees fruitful utilization of resources. Register every particular to prevent unforeseen situations. This comprehension steers your business towards success.

Industrial and light manufacturing, warehousing, office, distribution, and assembly, including designing, manufacturing and distributing branded merchandise and promotional products, including all activities incident or ancillary thereto and all other lawful uses and purposes.

2. Term and Option to Extend

(a) This points to the lease duration and extensions. It commences on the Commencement Date and concludes on the Termination Date. You are empowered to prolong it for two additional two-year terms retaining the same conditions, though the rent might ascend. To extend, convey written notification to the landlord 30 days prior to the term conclusion.

(b) "Duration" denotes both your original lease span and any subsequent extensions.

Explicit lease durations are indispensable for strategic business planning and effective operations, as well as for potential extensions.

(a)    The initial term of this Lease will commence on the Effective Date and expire on the Expiration Date. The Tenant may extend the Term of this Lease for [two] additional [two]-year extension term(s), on all the same terms and conditions (except for Rent, which will increase during extension Terms as provided below) contained in this Lease, by notifying the Landlord in writing of the Tenant’s election to do so not less than 30 days before the expiration date of the then-current Term, as the case may be.


(b)    The initial term and any applicable extension term are referred to in this Lease as the “Term.”

3. Repairs and Maintenance

The "Maintenance and Repairs" provision in the lease outlines who takes charge of fixes. It envelopes both indoor and outdoor problems, such as malfunctioning piping or impaired masonry. The financial burden is the landlord's responsibility, not yours.

If a repair is not attended to promptly, you're allowed to facilitate repair services and deduct the expenditure from your rent. It's prudent to keep a record of these occasions for future reference. This stipulation is essential as it delineates repair duties and safeguards you from unplanned costs.

From and after the Effective Date, and for the remainder of the Term, the Landlord shall perform ordinary maintenance and repair of the interior of the improvements on the Premises. In addition, the Landlord shall, at its own cost and expense without reimbursement by the Tenant, keep and maintain in good condition and repair, and make all necessary repairs and replacements to, the exterior walls, building slabs, foundations, structural parts and components, parking lots, gutters, downspouts, roof, roof membrane and coverings and any other part, component or system on the exterior of the Premises. The Landlord shall, at its own cost and expense without reimbursement by the Tenant, keep and maintain in good condition and repair, and make all necessary repairs and replacements to the sprinkler system, mechanical, HVAC, electrical and plumbing systems of the Premises. If the Landlord fails to perform any repair or replacement required to be made by the Landlord in this Lease, and the Landlord fails to cure such failure within 15 days after receipt of a written demand from the Tenant (or immediately, in the case of emergency repairs, including loss of heating and air conditioning), then the Tenant may make such repair or replacement and the Landlord shall reimburse the Tenant for the cost thereof. If the Landlord fails to pay such amount, then the Tenant may offset against the Rent due hereunder the amount so expended.

4. Alterations

"Modifications" delineates your entitlements to adjust the leased premises. You may implement alterations without the landlord's approval, but significant changes become the property of the landlord. You are allowed to remove personal belongings such as shelving or equipment, provided it doesn't harm the property. Comprehending this provision aids in averting disagreements and enables you to effectively strategize your business arrangement.

The Tenant may, at its own cost and expense and in a good workmanlike manner, make such alterations, additions, or improvements or erect, remove, or alter such partitions, or erect such racks, shelves, bins, machinery, furniture, fixtures, trade fixtures, equipment, and other personal property as it may deem advisable, without the consent of the Landlord. All fixtures and permanent alterations, additions, improvements, and partitions erected by the Tenant will be and remain the property of the Landlord during the Term, and will be abandoned by the Tenant at the expiration of this Lease. All racks, shelves, bins, machinery, furniture, equipment, and other personal property located in the Premises as of the Effective Date or otherwise installed by the Tenant may be removed by the Tenant at any time if the Tenant so elects. All such removals and restoration shall be accomplished so as not to damage the primary structure or structural qualities of the buildings and other improvements situated on the Premises.

5. Insurance

The "Coverage" stipulation safeguards the tenant and landlord alike. As the lessee, you're required to maintain property and liability coverage, listing the landlord as an additionally covered entity. The landlord assures insurance for the premises' damage.

'Surrenders of recovery rights' avert insurance providers from seeking compensation from the other party after a loss. Your insurance carrier should send the landlord a notice 30 days prior to policy termination. Grasping these terms fortifies your business financially.

(a)    At all times during the Term, the Tenant shall maintain, at its sole cost and expense, policies of insurance containing the following insurance coverages (which policies shall name the Landlord as an additional insured):

 

(1)    Property insurance with premiums paid in advance insuring the Tenant’s property using the standard Special Causes of Loss Form or equivalent for the full replacement value. The foregoing is referred to in this Lease as “Property Insurance.”

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(2)    Commercial general liability insurance with respect to the Premises in amounts not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 aggregate limit using current ISO forms or equivalent.

 

(b)    The Landlord shall obtain and keep in force during the Term of this Lease a policy or policies of insurance covering loss or damage to the Premises, in the amount of the full replacement value thereof, as the same may exist from time to time, but in no event less than the total amount required by lenders having liens on the Premises, against all perils included within the classification of fire, extended coverage, vandalism, malicious mischief, flood (in the event same is required by a lender having a lien on the Property), and special extended perils ("all risk" as such term is used in the insurance industry). Such insurance must provide for a payment of loss thereunder to the Landlord or to the holder of mortgages or deeds of trust on the Premises.

 

(c)    The policies required by this section must provide for standard waivers of any right of subrogation that the insurer of such party may acquire against the other party to this Lease, for losses that are actually insured against, even if the loss results from a negligent act or omission. The Tenant’s insurance company must provide the Landlord with a certificate of insurance on form ACORD-27 (for Property Insurance required to be carried under this Lease), or its equivalent, and ACORD-25 (for liability insurance required to be carried under this Lease), or its equivalent, which provides that the insurance may not be cancelled without giving the named insured at least 30 days’ prior written notice (or at least ten days’ written notice of cancellation in the event of the non-payment of premium). The Tenant may carry any required insurance under a blanket policy if that policy complies with the requirements of this Lease.

6. Events of Default

The "Instances of Default" provision enumerates actions acknowledged as violations of your lease. Common instances encompass falling short of rent commitments, experiencing insolvency, or neglecting to adhere to lease provisions. Acquaint yourself with this segment and circumvent these pitfalls to uphold a favorable rapport with your landlord and to streamline your business operations.

The following events will be deemed to be Events of Default by the Tenant under this Lease:
(1)    The Tenant fails to pay any installment of the Rent hereby reserved when due, or any other payment or reimbursement to the Landlord required under this Lease when due, and such failure continues for a period of 30 days after the Tenant’s receipt of written notice of such nonpayment;
(2)    The Tenant becomes insolvent, or makes a transfer in fraud of creditors, or makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors;
(3)    The Tenant files a bankruptcy petition or Tenant is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent in proceedings filed against the Tenant;
(4)    A receiver or trustee is appointed for all or substantially all of the assets of the Tenant; and
(5)    The Tenant fails to comply with any term, provision, or covenant of this Lease (other than the foregoing in this section 18), and does not cure such failure within 30 days after written notice thereof to the Tenant, or such longer period as may be necessary to cure such default provided the Tenant has promptly commenced curing such default and is diligently proceeding to obtain such cure.

7. Holdover

The "Exceeding Tenure" provision addresses scenarios where you exceed your lease. If you fail to vacate by the termination of your lease duration, you'll be charged 125% of the usual rent for each month of exceeding stay. It's imperative you comprehend the financial implications of exceeding stay and accordingly devise your departure plan.

If the Tenant holds over after the expiration of the Term and does not surrender the Premises prior to the expiration of the Term, then for each such month that the Tenant is holding over, the Tenant shall pay to Landlord 125% of the Rent due under this Lease for each month.

What happens when a Commercial Lease Agreement expires?

When a commercial lease agreement comes to an end, a few turns of events can unfold. I've discovered some excellent sources that explain potential developments:

  • Extend or Conclude: Enterprise lessees ought to make a decision whether to extend or conclude their lease agreement significantly before its end. Getting the ball rolling 6 to 12 months before is deemed as a best practice.
  • Shift to Month-to-Month: If the initial lease isn't extended or a subsequent lease isn't formalized, the tenant might manage to shift into a month-to-month tenancy, assuming the landlord concurs.
  • Landlord Assumes Possession: In certain instances, subsequent to the end of a commercial lease, the landlord might decide to inhabit the property themselves, be it for personal or business reasons.
  • Possibility of Legal Proceedings: Should issues crop up around lease termination, for instance, if a tenant has regularly defaulted on rent payments or hasn't abided by the lease conditions, the lease termination might result in legal proceedings.

What are the penalties for breaking Commercial Lease Agreements?

Indeed, penalties for prematurely ending a commercial lease agreement can fluctuate, but there are a few typical sanctions:

  • Unpaid Rent: One of the chief penalties for terminating a commercial lease is that the tenant is accountable for the unpaid rent due as per the lease duration, even after leaving the property.
  • Advisory Period: The majority of commercial landlords request an advisory period varying between 30, 60, to 90 days when the tenant opts to end the lease.
  • Cancellation Charges and Extra Expenses: Subject to what has been specified in the lease agreement, commercial leases might levy cancellation charges, as well as hold the tenant liable for any promotional expenses incurred for securing a new tenant and potential cleaning charges.
  • Legal Ramifications: Subject to the circumstances and nature of the breach, if dispute resolution methods within the lease are depleted, the matter may escalate to a legal proceeding or end up as a dispute in court.

Given that the specifics of penalties might differ based on the lease agreement, it's essential to meticulously review the lease contract to comprehend the precise terms and conditions concerned with early termination.