If your lease has security of tenure under the Act, a formal notice needs to be served to start the renewal process, and there are strict statutory timeframes for doing so — either your landlord or you as the tenant can be the one to serve it, depending on who wants to move things forward first. Miss the correct window and you risk losing your statutory right to renew, so the exact notice and timing should always be confirmed with a solicitor rather than assumed.
Because of this, we’d recommend engaging a solicitor and surveyor to represent you well ahead of expiry. A solicitor ensures the right notice is served correctly and at the right time, while a surveyor negotiates the commercial terms — and reviewing the lease at this point gives you the opportunity to realign it with current market conditions, rather than simply rolling over old terms that may no longer reflect the market or suit your business.
Notice periods and procedures under the 1954 Act are precise and subject to legal interpretation — always confirm the correct approach with a solicitor before taking action.
