Property
Sectors
Expertise
Type
Order
The do’s and don’ts of commercial lease agreements
Commercial leases contain important terms that define the rights and responsibilities of both landlords and tenants. Understanding clauses such as subletting, rent review and break clauses can help businesses avoid disputes and manage lease obligations more effectively. When negotiating a commercial lease, it is important to understand the essential terms that should appear in the...
Buying Australian property and business from overseas
Australia has strict rules and regulations about foreign investment. The Australian government classifies you as a foreign person if you intend to buy residential or commercial property in this country if you are not: A citizen of Australia A permanent resident of Australia A New Zealand citizen with a special category visa A permanent resident...
Why AI-Generated Contracts Are Risky for Australian Businesses
Why Australian Businesses Should Avoid AI-Generated Contracts Australian businesses are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT to draft contracts quickly and cost-effectively. While AI can produce a polished agreement in seconds, the convenience comes with significant risks. Legal professionals across Australia warn that these tools often fail to deliver enforceable, compliant, or even...
Gasworks Case Study – Sunset Clause
In a recent decision bound to have widespread ramifications, a developer has been found to have given a notice of contract termination which was “unlawful, invalid and of no effect”. During the case (JYP Jiang Pty Ltd V CAV Gasworks Pty Ltd [2025] QSC 134), the court found the developer had wrongfully terminated an...
Why hiring a commercial leasing lawyer is what every business needs
Entering a commercial lease agreement is quite a big step for anyone, especially those who have no experience with the complexities of a commercial lease and negotiating their terms. whether you’re opening a restaurant, a car wash, or an office, you need to understand everything there is to know about a commercial lease. This is...
Building allowance – what is it and how does it work?
The building allowance is a deduction that allows property investors to offset construction costs of their investment property against their tax assessable income. The deduction is available for: buildings or extensions, alterations, or improvements to a building alterations and improvements to a leased building, including shop fit outs and leasehold improvements structural improvements such as...
Sun Sets on Sunset Clauses
The Queensland State Government has brought in changes to strengthen protection for buyers involved in “off-the-plan” property contracts. Off-the-plan land contracts often include a clause that allows for the contract to be terminated if a certain event does not happen by the “sunset date”, known generally in the industry as a sunset clause. Previously, a...
Changes to the Foreign Resident Capital Gains Withholding (FRCGW)...
From 1 January 2025, the Australian Government introduced significant updates to the Foreign Resident Capital Gains Withholding (FRCGW) regime. These changes to FRCGW aim to enhance the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO) ability to collect Capital Gains Tax (CGT) liabilities from foreign residents selling Australian property. These updates will impact both sellers and buyers, making it...
Unlocking the commercial potential of long-held properties
For property owners in Australia, particularly those who have retained ownership since before 1985, there are significant opportunities to unlock the full potential of their assets. These opportunities stem from capital gains tax (CGT) laws, which introduced sweeping changes in 1985. For properties classified as pre-CGT assets, strategic planning can result in tax-effective realisation of...
Buying waterfront property
It’s the dream of many Queenslanders to have a home right on the waterfront, with access to your very own jetty or pontoon. Before diving into purchasing a property with water access, there are a few legal issues to consider. Leasing arrangements for jetties and pontoons Firstly, what are the leasing arrangements for the jetty...
Land titles practice manual: the latest updates
Keeping you informed at GLG Legal Here at GLG Legal, we aim to keep you up to date with all the changes that impact on you, our clients, and more widely across the legal landscape. Recent updates to the land titles practice manual Recently, some significant amendments were made to the Land Titles Practice Manual,...
Development approval clauses – what are they and how do you ensure...
Understanding “subject to development approval” Developing a property or piece of land comes with its own risks and rewards but what does it mean when a contract says, “subject to development approval”? Reusing clauses without review Developers and real estate agents often use a subject to development approval clause from a previous contract, without considering...