Attorney Casey Blais talks about Real Estate Law & Litigation, focusing specifically on commercial evictions, and best practices as a commercial landlord.
Transcript:
I have been an attorney at Burch & Cracchiolo since 2008 as a real estate partner. I help find solutions for our clients in such areas as contract disputes, landlord/tenant issues, foreclosures, and collection matters. As an example we have recently seen an uptick in the number of commercial evictions throughout the valley. This is caused by business tenants who are not paying rent. In these situations landlords have a lot of important decisions to make often that have long lasting effects.
Landlords should seriously consider providing temporary relief to these tenants in the form of reduced rent, deferred rent, or abated rent. Usually these options depend on how the tenant communicates with the landlord. For instance, if the tenant is up-front and talks to the landlord saying it's having difficulty with money problems, the landlord may be more willing to find a solution. However if the tenant simply ignores the unpaid rent many landlords feel compelled to pursue commercial evictions.
I am frequently asked by landlords what is the best way to evict a commercial tenant. The answer is almost always a lockout. This self-help remedy allows the landlords to change the locks when the tenants’ employees are not inside the building. Landlords need to be very careful that they review the terms of their lease, and the Arizona statutes before doing so. These are just a few examples of the real estate matters that our clients face every day.
We know that legal costs have a direct impact on the bottom line—that's why I love helping clients find quick, cost effective solutions. In fact that's what drives me every day to want to be a better attorney. If you have a legal question involving real estate, please feel free to contact me. If I'm not the person best suited to help you, I will help you find the right attorney—we have a deep bench at B&C, and I'm proud to be part of it.