The due diligence most commercial investors overlook
Before you sign anything on a commercial property — have someone independently review the lease. Most buyers skip this step. It’s often the most expensive mistake in the deal.
MANAGING
$1.2B+
WORTH OF ASSETS
95%
OCCUPANCY RATE AVERAGE
Free
LEASE REVIEW – no strings attached
Joyce Elkouberci
Director | Asset Management
BOOK YOUR FREE LEASE REVIEW
Joyce will review your lease and flag any risks, income exposures or hidden clauses — before you commit.
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Level 1, 15-17 Argyle Street, Parramatta, NSW 2150
*If submitted during business hours; otherwise, a response will be provided the next business day.
Not all leases are created equal.
Investors often miss:
Lease terms that quietly shift risk back to the owner
- “Net” leases that aren’t truly net (landlord still pays for capex or structural repairs)
- Caps on outgoings recoveries
- Landlord obligations buried in schedules (HVAC replacement, roof, etc.)
Remaining lease term vs. real security
A “5-year lease” sounds safe, but:
- Are there tenant break options?
- Is the term already halfway through?
- Are renewal options at market rent (not fixed)?
Rent sustainability (over- or under-market rent)
If rent is above market, you’re exposed at renewal. If it’s below market, investors sometimes assume upside—but miss:
- Rent review mechanisms (e.g. only CPI increases)
- Restrictions on lifting rent to market levels
Incentives and side agreements
This is a big one. Investors sometimes don’t uncover:
- Rent-free periods still running
- Fit-out contributions amortised into rent
- Side letters (informal agreements not obvious in the lease)
These can distort the true income.
What Joyce reviews before you sign
RENT REVIEW CLAUSES & ESCALATION TERMS
CPI adjustments, fixed increases, market reviews — and whether the terms are owner or tenant-favourable.
LEASE EXPIRY & OPTION TERMS
When the lease expires, how options to renew work, and what your exposure is if the tenant doesn’t exercise them.
OUTGOINGS & RECOVERY STRUCTURE
What you’re liable for, what can be recovered from the tenant, and any gaps in the outgoings schedule.
TENANT COVENANT STRENGTH
Who the tenant is, their trading history, lease obligations and any red flags that affect income security.
MAKE GOOD & RISK OBLIGATIONS
What the tenant is required to reinstate at lease end — and what happens if they don’t comply.
HIDDEN CLAUSES & INCOME RISKS
Any non-standard terms, exclusivity provisions, permitted use limitations or other clauses that affect value.
Our asset management framework
Income protection and arrears control
Daily arrears monitoring, rent reviews, escalations, CPI adjustments, and enforcement of lease obligations.
Tenant relationships and retention strategy
Proactive communications, issue resolution, negotiation, renewals, and improving tenant satisfaction to protect income stability.
Vacancy reduction and leasing integration
When a space becomes vacant, our leasing team mobilises immediately with pricing guidance, marketing strategy, and tenant targeting.
Maintenance, repairs and outgoings control
Facility management with approved contractors, preventative maintenance, risk mitigation and competitive quoting for cost efficiency.
Compliance, safety and risk management
Fire safety, WHS, insurances, essential services, audits and documentation – everything required to keep your property fully compliant.
Strategic planning and long-term asset performance
Capital works planning, budgeting, repositioning recommendations and portfolio-level strategy.
Asset management tips and case studies
Mandatory building works are a fact of property ownership. But when one tenant tried to turn a routine compliance project into a formal business disruption claim, the easy path would have been to concede. We didn't. Here's how a fact-based approach protected the landlord's position, kept the tenant trading, and avoided a costly tribunal dispute.
Rather than accepting below-market renewals, a disciplined leasing strategy repositioned this Lidcombe industrial asset to market, increasing net income by 17.9%, strengthening long-term value and generating an estimated capital uplift of up to $1.14 million.
Most property problems don't announce themselves. They build quietly — until the cost of fixing them is far greater than catching them early would have been. Here's how a structured annual inspection programme protects your asset, your tenants, and your long-term value.
Most landlords wait until lease-end to think about Make Good. Here's why that's costing them.
Here's what our clients have to say...
Supported by a team of experts in Western Sydney
Peter Vines
Managing Director
Joseph Assaf
Director
Victor Sheu
Director
Troy Wang
Sales Executive
Owen White
Industrial Sales Executive
Andrew Sacco
Sales Executive
Marcus Auddino
Industrial Sales Executive
Christopher Baissari
Assistant to Joseph Assaf
Chantel Brillantes
Marketing Manager
Monh Ly
Campaign Manager
Marcus Tole
Analyst
Christian Finianos
Researcher
Robert Napoli
Senior Leasing Executive
Samuel Gong
Senior Leasing Executive
Joyce Elkouberci
Director Asset Management
Callum Mckay
Asset Manager
Adrian Harb
Junior Asset Manager
Marcus Fung
Junior Asset Manager
Annika Ward
Junior Asset Manager
Harry Lahood
Junior Asset Manager
Zeina Tajik
Accounts Asset Management
Ruby Rozental
Director of Strategy
Hannah Carney
Director of Operations
Pauline Waterford
Finance Manager
Christian Brillantes
Office Manager
Michaela Heys
Administrative Assistant
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s included in your commercial asset management service?
We manage the full lifecycle of your asset — leasing support, tenant relationships, arrears, rent reviews, outgoings, maintenance, compliance, facility management, reporting and long-term performance planning. Everything is handled in-house by a dedicated manager.
Can you help me switch from my current manager?
Yes. We handle the entire transition for you, including notice to the existing manager, document collection, lease file audits, tenant introductions and setup of reporting. The switch is seamless for owners and tenants.
How do you minimise vacancy?
We work closely with our in-house leasing team to price your space correctly, target active tenants in our 51,000+ database and launch a tailored leasing strategy. Vacancies are treated urgently — not reactively.
Do you manage arrears and rent reviews proactively?
Absolutely. Arrears are monitored daily, and rent reviews and escalations are scheduled and actioned on time. We ensure tenants comply with lease obligations and owners receive income consistently.
Do you manage all maintenance and repairs?
Yes. We coordinate approved contractors, preventative maintenance, quotes, repairs, and outgoings—increasing efficiency while controlling costs. Every work order is tracked and communicated clearly to owners.
Can you handle compliance and risk?
Yes. We oversee essential services, WHS, insurances, fire safety, audits, and documentation to keep your property compliant and protected from unnecessary risk.
Do you manage multi-tenant buildings or portfolios?
Yes. We manage everything from single-tenant assets to complex multi-tenanted industrial, retail, office and medical buildings — as well as portfolio owners with multiple sites.
How often will I get updates or reports?
You’ll receive clear monthly statements, arrears reports, maintenance updates and strategic recommendations. We communicate proactively — not only when something is wrong.
Can you help if my property is vacant or underperforming?
Yes. We diagnose the issue quickly, align leasing and management strategy, and act immediately to improve occupancy, tenant mix and long-term return.
Do you manage specialised or non-standard assets?
We manage a wide range of asset types including industrial, retail, office, medical, childcare, mixed-use and specialised assets.