Written by Ole Mitrevski on July 1, 2017
Under the Retail Leases Act 2003 (Vic) (RLA) “retail premises” are defined to mean premises that are used, or are to be used, wholly or predominately for the sale or hire of goods by retail or the retail provision of services.
So what does this actually mean?
Last year, the case of IMCC Group (Australia) Pty Ltd v CB Cold Storage Ltd [2017] VSCA 178, made it clear that the ‘ultimate consumer’ test is now the principle test to be applied to determine whether a tenant is undertaking a ‘retail’ business for the purposes of the RLA.
As a result of this case, a large number of leases that were previously not thought to be retail, will now be governed by the RLA.
Case law has established that “retail” essentially means the provision of a good or service to the ultimate consumer for a fee or reward.
The “ultimate consumer” does not need to be a member of the public. In other words, it does not matter if the good or service is provided to another business who uses that service for their own business purpose. A business to business transaction could result in retail business.
In short, if the answer to either of the following questions is “yes”, then it is likely that the business will be a retail business and the RLA will apply:
Accordingly, this means that:
It is important to note that including an acknowledgment in your lease that the RLA does not apply will not save you from application of the RLA.
Landlords and tenants should carefully review any leases that may be subject to the RLA and consider if the RLA will apply.
The RLA is generally considered to be “tenant friendly”. In other words, tenants will usually have more protections under a lease governed by the RLA, than one which isn’t.
For those leases that are already on foot, some key things for both parties to consider are:
For those leases that are currently being negotiated, the parties should carefully consider if the RLA will apply and if so, take the provisions of the RLA into account when negotiating clauses. Landlords may wish to narrow the permitted use to make it clear that premises cannot be used for a retail purpose.
If your lease was entered into prior to commencement of the RLA in 2003, it is good idea to speak to a lawyer before agreeing to any variation of that lease (as a variation may result in the RLA applying).
If you suspect that any of your Victorian leases may now be found to be “retail”, and would like further advice on the implications under the RLA, please contact us.
Be careful when asking for a “non-refundable” deposit in a heads of agreement that has all the hallmarks of a binding contract, it might just lock you in to the deal. In this case Mr. Patel paid a non-refundable $50,000 deposit under an HoA, and when the vendor withdrew claiming the HoA was non-binding, Mr Patel sought (and was granted) specific performance. A good reminder that it’s important for your HoA to be explicitly non-binding if that is your intention.
https://pinpoint.cch.com.au/document/legauUio3697613sl1502889120/patel-v-sengun-investment-holdings-pty-ltd-2023-aplc-23-046
August 9, 2024
This recognition is a tribute to all of the hard work carried out by our lawyers and support staff, and also to our wonderful clients who have been a pleasure to work with, and who provide us with such rewarding transactions.
We look forward to enjoying a fun night with our peers at the LawyersWeekly Awards ceremony in August!
July 15, 2024
Not all guarantees are created equal: understanding the risks associated with guarantees in property transactions and whether you might be forced to ‘pay the price’ for a purchaser’s non-completion.
June 18, 2024
Sincere thanks to our wonderful clients and hard-working team for supporting our inclusion in the Legal 500 (Asia Pacific) Guide as a leading firm in Real Estate for 2023
The Legal 500 has been analysing law firm capabilities across the world for more than 3 decades in over 150 jurisdictions. Their research is based on: “feedback from 300,000 clients worldwide, submissions from law firms and interviews with leading private practice lawyers, and a team of researchers who have unrivalled experience in the legal market.” – https://www.legal500.com/about-us/
February 10, 2023
We are delighted that Massons has been selected as an “Excellence Awardee” in the category of “Boutique Firm of the Year” at the 2022 Australasian Law Awards.
Thank you to all of our wonderful clients who have supported our nomination in this category, and to our amazing lawyers and support staff for making this possible!
Wishing all the other Awardees the best of luck and looking forward to the Gala Dinner. A night out with our team is always cause for celebration – win, lose or draw!!
March 23, 2022
We are excited about our inclusion in Doyle’s Guide for 2022 for NSW in the following categories:
Massons – Leading Property & Real Estate Law Firms
Jodie Masson – Leading Property & Real Estate Lawyers and Leading Leasing Lawyers
Leisha de Aboitiz – Leading Property & Real Estate Lawyers and Leading Leasing Lawyers
Ben Malone – Property & Real Estate Law Rising Stars
Thank you to all of our peers and wonderful clients who have helped to achieve this recognition.
March 14, 2022