{"id":791,"date":"2020-12-07T23:13:21","date_gmt":"2020-12-07T13:13:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nz.legalvision.com.au\/?p=791"},"modified":"2025-09-09T13:13:16","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T00:13:16","slug":"agreement-to-lease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/","title":{"rendered":"What is an Agreement to Lease in NZ?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Deciding where you want to operate your business from is a big decision. There are many options to choose from &#8211; working from home, finding a shared workspace, or buying your own commercial premises are a few examples. It can be challenging to decide what kind of location would suit your business best. One option you could consider is leasing property for your business. You pay rent to a landlord, and you occupy those commercial premises for a fixed amount of time, according to the contract you sign. You get your own space, and the flexibility to move from that space once your lease is up. It is crucial to perform your due diligence in the lease negotiation process to make sure that your interests are protected by the documents you sign. One such form is the agreement to lease. This article will:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">explain what an agreement to lease is and when you need one;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">provide some broad points that your agreement should cover.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">What is an Agreement to Lease?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">An agreement to lease is a preliminary document that you sign when negotiating. It is binding on both tenant and landlord. It sets out the relationship between the two of you and defines the <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/essential-terms-lease-agreement-new-zealand\/\">essential terms of the lease<\/a> itself. Y<\/span>ou should <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">read through your agreement in its entirety and obtain legal advice if there are any parts of it that you do not understand. Generally, you would sign it before drafting and signing a <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/deed-of-lease\/\">deed to lease<\/a>, which is a more comprehensive and detailed document.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you are using a real estate agent, they will often draw up the agreement based on any previous negotiations the tenant and the landlord have discussed. They may use their own standard copy, or the standard agreement to lease form provided by the Auckland District Law Society (ADLS). Many agreements to lease follow this default form, and there are compulsory requirements in this standard form that you may miss if you are not careful.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Why Do I Need an Agreement to Lease?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">This document is important because it protects the interests of both the landlord and the tenant. It does provide some leeway that may be useful before you sign the final deed to lease. An agreement to lease can be a contract for a lease that relies on certain conditions being fulfilled before the lease is finalised. These may include that:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the premises renovations completed before the tenant moves in;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the premises is built according to the tenant\u2019s specifications;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">you still need to complete your due diligence in investigating the property;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the tenant may need third party permissions before they can move in &#8211; such as guarantors or the council; or<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the former tenant is still occupying the land, and the new tenant wants to secure their interest in the property.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If there are conditions such as these, it can be useful to outline them in your agreement. Then, you can sign a final deed to lease when these conditions have been met. Some leases may only rely on an agreement to lease as their document covering the exact nature of the lease. However, it is useful to have a deed of lease as well, as this is a document that covers the exact day-to-day runnings of the lease, and other commercial relationships may rely on you having a deed to lease.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"box box--info box--icon\">\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">For example, a bank may require a deed to lease if you are applying for a loan. A deed to lease means that the tenant also has the power to assign or sublet their lease if they wish.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<a href=\"#content-next\"\n   class=\"block p-4 mt-10 text-xl font-bold text-center text-white no-underline bg-gray-800 rounded-t-xl\">\n    Continue reading this article below the form\n    <i class=\"text-xl fa-regular fa-arrow-down\"><\/i>\n<\/a>\n<div class=\"px-6 pt-10 pb-12 mb-10 text-center bg-gray-100 rounded-b-xl sm:px-12 test\">\n    <div class=\"mb-8 text-2xl font-bold text-orange\">\n        Need legal advice?\n        <br>\n        <span class=\"text-lg not-prose\">\n                            Call <a href=\"tel:+64800005570\" class=\"not-prose\">0800 005 570<\/a> for urgent assistance.\n                <br>\n                Otherwise, complete this form, and we will contact you within one business day.\n                    <\/span>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n\n<div class=\"not-prose flex justify-center text-left gform_input_bg_white    \">\n    <script>\nvar gform;gform||(document.addEventListener(\"gform_main_scripts_loaded\",function(){gform.scriptsLoaded=!0}),document.addEventListener(\"gform\/theme\/scripts_loaded\",function(){gform.themeScriptsLoaded=!0}),window.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){gform.domLoaded=!0}),gform={domLoaded:!1,scriptsLoaded:!1,themeScriptsLoaded:!1,isFormEditor:()=>\"function\"==typeof InitializeEditor,callIfLoaded:function(o){return!(!gform.domLoaded||!gform.scriptsLoaded||!gform.themeScriptsLoaded&&!gform.isFormEditor()||(gform.isFormEditor()&&console.warn(\"The use of gform.initializeOnLoaded() is deprecated in the form editor context and will be removed in Gravity Forms 3.1.\"),o(),0))},initializeOnLoaded:function(o){gform.callIfLoaded(o)||(document.addEventListener(\"gform_main_scripts_loaded\",()=>{gform.scriptsLoaded=!0,gform.callIfLoaded(o)}),document.addEventListener(\"gform\/theme\/scripts_loaded\",()=>{gform.themeScriptsLoaded=!0,gform.callIfLoaded(o)}),window.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",()=>{gform.domLoaded=!0,gform.callIfLoaded(o)}))},hooks:{action:{},filter:{}},addAction:function(o,r,e,t){gform.addHook(\"action\",o,r,e,t)},addFilter:function(o,r,e,t){gform.addHook(\"filter\",o,r,e,t)},doAction:function(o){gform.doHook(\"action\",o,arguments)},applyFilters:function(o){return gform.doHook(\"filter\",o,arguments)},removeAction:function(o,r){gform.removeHook(\"action\",o,r)},removeFilter:function(o,r,e){gform.removeHook(\"filter\",o,r,e)},addHook:function(o,r,e,t,n){null==gform.hooks[o][r]&&(gform.hooks[o][r]=[]);var d=gform.hooks[o][r];null==n&&(n=r+\"_\"+d.length),gform.hooks[o][r].push({tag:n,callable:e,priority:t=null==t?10:t})},doHook:function(r,o,e){var t;if(e=Array.prototype.slice.call(e,1),null!=gform.hooks[r][o]&&((o=gform.hooks[r][o]).sort(function(o,r){return o.priority-r.priority}),o.forEach(function(o){\"function\"!=typeof(t=o.callable)&&(t=window[t]),\"action\"==r?t.apply(null,e):e[0]=t.apply(null,e)})),\"filter\"==r)return e[0]},removeHook:function(o,r,t,n){var e;null!=gform.hooks[o][r]&&(e=(e=gform.hooks[o][r]).filter(function(o,r,e){return!!(null!=n&&n!=o.tag||null!=t&&t!=o.priority)}),gform.hooks[o][r]=e)}});\n<\/script>\n\n                <div class='gf_browser_gecko gform_wrapper gravity-theme gform-theme--no-framework lawyer-form_wrapper gplaceholder_wrapper form-with-labels-no-asterisks_wrapper has-new-validation-error-styling_wrapper' data-form-theme='gravity-theme' data-form-index='0' id='gform_wrapper_2452' style='display:none'><div id='gf_2452' class='gform_anchor' tabindex='-1'><\/div><form method='post' enctype='multipart\/form-data' target='gform_ajax_frame_2452' id='gform_2452' class='lawyer-form gplaceholder form-with-labels-no-asterisks has-new-validation-error-styling' action='\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791#gf_2452' data-formid='2452' novalidate>\n                        <div class='gform-body gform_body'><div id='gform_fields_2452' class='gform_fields top_label form_sublabel_below description_below validation_below'><div id=\"field_2452_15\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-honeypot gform_validation_container field_sublabel_below gfield--has-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><label class='gfield_label gform-field-label' for='input_2452_15'>Comments<\/label><div class='ginput_container'><input name='input_15' id='input_2452_15' type='text' value='' autocomplete='new-password'\/><\/div><div class='gfield_description' id='gfield_description_2452_15'>This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.<\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_2452_1\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-text gfield--input-type-text gf_left_half gfield--width-half gfield_contains_required field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><label class='gfield_label gform-field-label' for='input_2452_1'>First Name<span class=\"gfield_required\"><span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_text\">(Required)<\/span><\/span><\/label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_text'><input name='input_1' id='input_2452_1' type='text' value='' class='medium'     aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\"   \/><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_2452_12\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-text gfield--input-type-text gf_right_half gfield--width-half gfield_contains_required field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><label class='gfield_label gform-field-label' for='input_2452_12'>Last Name<span class=\"gfield_required\"><span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_text\">(Required)<\/span><\/span><\/label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_text'><input name='input_12' id='input_2452_12' type='text' value='' class='medium'     aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\"   \/><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_2452_2\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-email gfield--input-type-email gf_left_half gfield--width-half gfield_contains_required field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><label class='gfield_label gform-field-label' for='input_2452_2'>Email Address<span class=\"gfield_required\"><span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_text\">(Required)<\/span><\/span><\/label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_email'>\n                            <input name='input_2' id='input_2452_2' type='email' value='' class='medium'    aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\"  \/>\n                        <\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_2452_3\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-phone gfield--input-type-phone gf_right_half gfield--width-half gfield_contains_required field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><label class='gfield_label gform-field-label' for='input_2452_3'>Phone<span class=\"gfield_required\"><span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_text\">(Required)<\/span><\/span><\/label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_phone'><input name='input_3' id='input_2452_3' type='tel' value='' class='medium'   aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\"   \/><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_2452_14\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-select gfield--input-type-select gfield--width-full custom-select gfield_contains_required field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><label class='gfield_label gform-field-label' for='input_2452_14'>Number of Employees in Your Business<span class=\"gfield_required\"><span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_text\">(Required)<\/span><\/span><\/label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_select'><select name='input_14' id='input_2452_14' class='large gfield_select'    aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\" ><option value='' ><\/option><option value='0' >0<\/option><option value='1' >1-5<\/option><option value='6' >6-20<\/option><option value='21' >21-50<\/option><option value='51' >51-250<\/option><option value='250' >250+<\/option><\/select><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_2452_4\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-textarea gfield--input-type-textarea gfield_contains_required field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><label class='gfield_label gform-field-label' for='input_2452_4'>Tell us about your enquiry<span class=\"gfield_required\"><span class=\"gfield_required gfield_required_text\">(Required)<\/span><\/span><\/label><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_textarea'><textarea name='input_4' id='input_2452_4' class='textarea medium'     aria-required=\"true\" aria-invalid=\"false\"   rows='10' cols='50'><\/textarea><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_2452_5\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-html gfield--input-type-html gfield_html gfield_html_formatted gfield_no_follows_desc field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  >By submitting this form, you agree to receive emails from LegalVision and can unsubscribe at any time. View our <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/privacy-policy\/\" target=\"_blank\">Privacy Policy<\/a>. <\/div><div id=\"field_2452_8\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-hidden gfield--input-type-hidden gform_hidden field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_text'><input name='input_8' id='input_2452_8' type='hidden' class='gform_hidden'  aria-invalid=\"false\" value='http:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791' \/><\/div><\/div><div id=\"field_2452_13\" class=\"gfield gfield--type-hidden gfield--input-type-hidden gform_hidden field_sublabel_below gfield--no-description field_description_below field_validation_below gfield_visibility_visible\"  ><div class='ginput_container ginput_container_text'><input name='input_13' id='input_2452_13' type='hidden' class='gform_hidden'  aria-invalid=\"false\" value='generic_form' \/><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n        <div class='gform-footer gform_footer top_label'> <button type=\"submit\" id=\"gform_submit_button_2452\" class=\"gform_button button\" onclick=\"gform.submission.handleButtonClick(this);\" data-submission-type=\"submit\"><span class=\"gform_submit_button__text\">Submit Now<\/span><\/button> <input type='hidden' name='gform_ajax' value='form_id=2452&amp;title=&amp;description=&amp;tabindex=0&amp;theme=gravity-theme&amp;hash=8d907caff460821c366ed2411b0c45b3' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_submission_method' data-js='gform_submission_method_2452' value='iframe' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_theme' data-js='gform_theme_2452' id='gform_theme_2452' value='gravity-theme' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_style_settings' data-js='gform_style_settings_2452' id='gform_style_settings_2452' value='' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='is_submit_2452' value='1' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_submit' value='2452' \/>\n            \n            <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_currency' data-currency='AUD' value='t2cc+ANfaOaMjARJIb0\/OaXTAXe6zsHt4c0qdagdVCK\/ZUgy449QIHS+n3tlHu9cQUkBSeCPNonFgY66WL\/LF6W62FXaYVsAj9xs5DKuJHdzZDQ=' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_unique_id' value='' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' class='gform_hidden' name='state_2452' value='WyJ7XCIxNFwiOltcIjIyODY0N2ViMWU3NTcxZjA4YTY4NGJmMDcwMTk3Y2I0XCIsXCJiMzk3YmQ1MDBmMmFjNjk1ODE4MzdmNTBhYTA2MzQ0OFwiLFwiNGYyNGZkZGEwMzlkNDUxMWFhZGE1NGYwZmQwZmNiZTdcIixcIjUyMmJkMDE2M2I2ZmEwOTI3NDZhZjU5YTg0ZmM1NDk5XCIsXCIzODRlNjk1YjQxMTAzMWFiYmQ2ODEyMGYyZWFhMDYyNlwiLFwiYjkzNDcwNTE2MjkxOGRjZWViMjQzNzRjNmE0NGVmNTlcIixcIjQxMTliODZhMzVjYzJiMWViNDZiMmQ4NjRlNGUzZmNjXCJdfSIsIjQ3MjNiMzA2ZDIyZGVkODA2N2YyMjYyOThkYzI1ODVmIl0=' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' autocomplete='off' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_target_page_number_2452' id='gform_target_page_number_2452' value='0' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' autocomplete='off' class='gform_hidden' name='gform_source_page_number_2452' id='gform_source_page_number_2452' value='1' \/>\n            <input type='hidden' name='gform_field_values' value='' \/>\n            \n        <\/div>\n                        <\/form>\n                        <\/div>\n\t\t                <iframe style='display:none;width:0px;height:0px;' src='about:blank' name='gform_ajax_frame_2452' id='gform_ajax_frame_2452' title='This iframe contains the logic required to handle Ajax powered Gravity Forms.'><\/iframe>\n\t\t                <script>\ngform.initializeOnLoaded( function() {gformInitSpinner( 2452, 'https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/themes\/legalv-v6\/img\/spinner.svg', true );jQuery('#gform_ajax_frame_2452').on('load',function(){var contents = jQuery(this).contents().find('*').html();var is_postback = contents.indexOf('GF_AJAX_POSTBACK') >= 0;if(!is_postback){return;}var form_content = jQuery(this).contents().find('#gform_wrapper_2452');var is_confirmation = jQuery(this).contents().find('#gform_confirmation_wrapper_2452').length > 0;var is_redirect = contents.indexOf('gformRedirect(){') >= 0;var is_form = form_content.length > 0 && ! is_redirect && ! is_confirmation;var mt = parseInt(jQuery('html').css('margin-top'), 10) + parseInt(jQuery('body').css('margin-top'), 10) + 100;if(is_form){form_content.find('form').css('opacity', 0);jQuery('#gform_wrapper_2452').html(form_content.html());if(form_content.hasClass('gform_validation_error')){jQuery('#gform_wrapper_2452').addClass('gform_validation_error');} else {jQuery('#gform_wrapper_2452').removeClass('gform_validation_error');}setTimeout( function() { \/* delay the scroll by 50 milliseconds to fix a bug in chrome *\/ jQuery(document).scrollTop(jQuery('#gform_wrapper_2452').offset().top - mt); }, 50 );if(window['gformInitDatepicker']) {gformInitDatepicker();}if(window['gformInitPriceFields']) {gformInitPriceFields();}var current_page = jQuery('#gform_source_page_number_2452').val();gformInitSpinner( 2452, 'https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/themes\/legalv-v6\/img\/spinner.svg', true );jQuery(document).trigger('gform_page_loaded', [2452, current_page]);window['gf_submitting_2452'] = false;}else if(!is_redirect){var confirmation_content = jQuery(this).contents().find('.GF_AJAX_POSTBACK').html();if(!confirmation_content){confirmation_content = contents;}jQuery('#gform_wrapper_2452').replaceWith(confirmation_content);jQuery(document).scrollTop(jQuery('#gf_2452').offset().top - mt);jQuery(document).trigger('gform_confirmation_loaded', [2452]);window['gf_submitting_2452'] = false;wp.a11y.speak(jQuery('#gform_confirmation_message_2452').text());}else{jQuery('#gform_2452').append(contents);if(window['gformRedirect']) {gformRedirect();}}jQuery(document).trigger(\"gform_pre_post_render\", [{ formId: \"2452\", currentPage: \"current_page\", abort: function() { this.preventDefault(); } }]);        if (event && event.defaultPrevented) {                return;        }        const gformWrapperDiv = document.getElementById( \"gform_wrapper_2452\" );        if ( gformWrapperDiv ) {            const visibilitySpan = document.createElement( \"span\" );            visibilitySpan.id = \"gform_visibility_test_2452\";            gformWrapperDiv.insertAdjacentElement( \"afterend\", visibilitySpan );        }        const visibilityTestDiv = document.getElementById( \"gform_visibility_test_2452\" );        let postRenderFired = false;        function triggerPostRender() {            if ( postRenderFired ) {                return;            }            postRenderFired = true;            gform.core.triggerPostRenderEvents( 2452, current_page );            if ( visibilityTestDiv ) {                visibilityTestDiv.parentNode.removeChild( visibilityTestDiv );            }        }        function debounce( func, wait, immediate ) {            var timeout;            return function() {                var context = this, args = arguments;                var later = function() {                    timeout = null;                    if ( !immediate ) func.apply( context, args );                };                var callNow = immediate && !timeout;                clearTimeout( timeout );                timeout = setTimeout( later, wait );                if ( callNow ) func.apply( context, args );            };        }        const debouncedTriggerPostRender = debounce( function() {            triggerPostRender();        }, 200 );        if ( visibilityTestDiv && visibilityTestDiv.offsetParent === null ) {            const observer = new MutationObserver( ( mutations ) => {                mutations.forEach( ( mutation ) => {                    if ( mutation.type === 'attributes' && visibilityTestDiv.offsetParent !== null ) {                        debouncedTriggerPostRender();                        observer.disconnect();                    }                });            });            observer.observe( document.body, {                attributes: true,                childList: false,                subtree: true,                attributeFilter: [ 'style', 'class' ],            });        } else {            triggerPostRender();        }    } );} );\n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"content-next\"><!-- scroll anchor --><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Things You Should Cover in Your Agreement to Lease<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Your agreement to lease should outline:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">each of the parties to the lease;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">a clear description of the premises (including fixtures, fitting, and chattel owned by the landlord);<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the term (length) of the lease;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">the start and end dates of the lease;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">records of the annual rent;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">how t<\/span>o calculate <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">rent review;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">any rights of renewal;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">insurance;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">any conditions that t<\/span>he parties need to meet<span style=\"font-weight: 400\"> before f<\/span>inalising the lease<span style=\"font-weight: 400\">;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">how the tenant will use the premises; and<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">any fit (changes to the property such as renovations) that need to be finished.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n    <div class=\"my-7 lg:my-10 border-y-2 border-gray-100 py-7 lg:py-10 flex flex-col sm:flex-row items-start gap-10\">\n                    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"w-52 mx-auto my-0! rounded\" src=\"https:\/\/img.legalvision.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/19114154\/LegalVision-AU-Landlord-Leasing-Terms-Cheat-Sheet.png\" alt=\"Front page of publication\"\n                 loading=\"lazy\" width=\"208\" height=\"298\">\n                <section>\n            <div class=\"text-2xl font-bold\">Landlord Leasing Terms Cheat Sheet<\/div>\n            <div class=\"body-text\">\n                <p>This cheat sheet explains a number of key clauses and gives practical tips to help avoid disputes.<\/p>\n            <\/div>\n            \n\n<a href=\"https:\/\/img.legalvision.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2023\/08\/LegalVision-NZ-Landlord-Leasing-Terms-Cheat-Sheet.pdf\" class=\" block px-5 py-3.5 max-w-fit bg-orange button__hover transition rounded text-white font-bold text-lg no-underline uppercase leading-tight text-center\" target=\"\" rel=\"\">Download Now<\/a>        <\/section>\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">Key Takeaways<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">An agreement to lease is a preliminary (but binding) contract that you sign when negotiating a lease. It covers the basic terms of the lease, and you will often use it if certain conditions need to be fulfilled before the <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/what-are-the-legal-elements-of-a-retail-or-commercial-lease-in-nz\/\">lease can be finalised<\/a><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400\">in a deed to lease. It is essential to thoroughly read through and understand your agreement before you sign it, because it is the best way to protect your own interests, whether you are a tenant or a landlord. Obtaining advice early on in the lease negotiation process can prevent misunderstandings later on, and avoid disputes from arising because everyone is on the same page. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400\">If you would like more information or help with your agreement to lease, <\/span>our experienced <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/leasing-lawyers-lp\">property and leasing lawyers<\/a> can assist as part of our LegalVision membership. For a low monthly fee, you will have unlimited access to lawyers to answer your questions and draft and review your documents. Call us today on <a href=\"tel:+64800005570\" class=\"AVANSERnumber dynamic-number\">0800 005 570<\/a> or visit our <a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/membership\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">membership page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1606880228344\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>What is an agreement to lease?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">An agreement to lease is a document you sign when negotiating commercial lease terms. It sets out the broad terms of your lease, such as rent and the length of your lease. It may have conditions that need to be met before you can sign a final deed to lease.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1606880258379\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>What is a deed to lease?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">A deed to lease is a comprehensive contract that you sign once you have finalised lease negotiations. You usually sign one once the conditions from an agreement to lease have been fulfilled. It is more comprehensive than a deed to lease and covers the day to day runnings of the lease.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1606880271477\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Do I need a deed to lease?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Technically, you can operate and use your lease with just an agreement to lease, if it is well-drafted enough. But it is a good idea to finalise the lease with a deed to lease so that you have a more comprehensive lease document to rely on. Your rights are better covered in a deed to lease.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1606989773267\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong><strong>Is an agreement to lease legally binding?<\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">As soon as you sign it, an agreement to lease is a contract that is legally binding. It is a go-between before you sign a deed to lease, but it is still enforceable. For example, if in the agreement to lease there is a term saying that the landlord has to finish renovations before you can move in, then that is legally binding.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n<div class=\"not-prose m-feedback-prompt\">\n    <!-- Thumbs up\/down bar -->\n    <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__main\">\n        <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__title\">Was this article helpful?<\/div>\n        <div>\n            <!--span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button--text\">Thanks!<\/span-->\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt__button--yes\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:yes\" aria-label=\"Agree\">\n                <i class=\"fa-regular fa-thumbs-up fa-3x\"><\/i>\n            <\/button>\n            <button type=\"button\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__button m-feedback-prompt__button--no\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:no\" aria-label=\"Disagree\">\n                <i class=\"fa-regular fa-thumbs-down fa-3x\"><\/i>\n            <\/button>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n\n    <!-- Feedback form -->\n    <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form\">\n        <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--thanks \">\n            <div>Thanks!<\/div>\n            <p>\n                We appreciate your feedback \u2013 your submission has been successfully received.            <\/p>\n        <\/div>\n        <form id=\"contact-form\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--form\" action=\"\" method=\"post\">\n            <input type=\"hidden\" id=\"authenticity_token\" name=\"authenticity_token\" value=\"ed19fd34f0\" \/><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"_wp_http_referer\" value=\"\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791\" \/>            <input value=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenturl\"\n                   id=\"currenturl\">\n            <input value=\"What is an Agreement to Lease in NZ?\" type=\"hidden\" name=\"currenttitle\"\n                   id=\"currenttitle\">\n            <label>\n                <!-- display on thumbs-up -->\n                <span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__feedback m-feedback-prompt__feedback--yes\">\n                    Can you tell us <span class=\"font-semibold\">why<\/span> you found it helpful?\n                <\/span>\n\n                <!-- display on thumbs-down -->\n                <span class=\"m-feedback-prompt__feedback m-feedback-prompt__feedback--no text-lg\">\n                    How can we better improve this article?\n                <\/span>\n                <textarea name=\"feedbackmessage\" id=\"feedbackmessage\" required><\/textarea>\n            <\/label>\n\n            <div class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--error\" id=\"form-submit-error\"><\/div>\n            <button id=\"submit-contact-form-button\" type=\"submit\" name=\"commit\" class=\"m-feedback-prompt__form--submit\"\n                    data-analytics-link=\"feedback-prompt:submit\">\n                Submit            <\/button>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Deciding where you want to operate your business from is a big decision. There are many options to choose from &#8211; working from home, finding a shared workspace, or buying your own commercial premises are a few examples. It can be challenging to decide what kind of location would suit your business best. One option<a href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"sr-only\">&#8220;What is an Agreement to Lease in NZ?&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13463,"featured_media":16,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","editor_notices":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[24,25,41,96],"class_list":["post-791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-property-and-leasing","tag-startup","tag-small-business","tag-commercial-contracts","tag-agreement-to-lease"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.1.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What is an Agreement to Lease? | LegalVision New Zealand<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Emma Lindblom explains what an agreement to lease is and when you need one, including broad points that your agreement to lease should cover.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What is an Agreement to Lease? | LegalVision New Zealand\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Emma Lindblom explains what an agreement to lease is and when you need one, including broad points that your agreement to lease should cover.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"LegalVision New Zealand\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LegalVision\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-12-07T13:13:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-09-09T00:13:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/iStock-838338570.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2478\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1210\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Rebecca Smith\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@LegalVision_law\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@LegalVision_law\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Rebecca Smith\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Rebecca Smith\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#\/schema\/person\/a4d32748323b99f71ee5958c67301223\"},\"headline\":\"What is an Agreement to Lease in NZ?\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-12-07T13:13:21+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-09-09T00:13:16+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/\"},\"wordCount\":1128,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/iStock-838338570.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"startup\",\"small business\",\"commercial contracts\",\"agreement to lease\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Property and Leasing Articles\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-NZ\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/\",\"name\":\"What is an Agreement to Lease? | LegalVision New Zealand\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/iStock-838338570.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-12-07T13:13:21+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-09-09T00:13:16+00:00\",\"description\":\"Emma Lindblom explains what an agreement to lease is and when you need one, including broad points that your agreement to lease should cover.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#breadcrumb\"},\"mainEntity\":[{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#faq-question-1606880228344\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#faq-question-1606880258379\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#faq-question-1606880271477\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#faq-question-1606989773267\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-NZ\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-NZ\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/iStock-838338570.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/iStock-838338570.jpg\",\"width\":2478,\"height\":1210,\"caption\":\"Am I Still Liable After Transferring My Commercial Lease? | LegalVision NZ\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Articles\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/articles\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Property and Leasing Articles\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/category\/property-and-leasing\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"What is an Agreement to Lease in NZ?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/\",\"name\":\"LegalVision New Zealand\",\"description\":\"LegalVision is a commercial law firm in NZ with a commitment to innovation\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-NZ\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#organization\",\"name\":\"LegalVision New Zealand\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-NZ\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/LegalVision_square_logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/LegalVision_square_logo.png\",\"width\":400,\"height\":400,\"caption\":\"LegalVision New Zealand\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LegalVision\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/LegalVision_law\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/legalvision-group\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#\/schema\/person\/a4d32748323b99f71ee5958c67301223\",\"name\":\"Rebecca Smith\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-NZ\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/02\/cropped-Capture-removebg-preview-96x96.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/02\/cropped-Capture-removebg-preview-96x96.png\",\"caption\":\"Rebecca Smith\"},\"description\":\"Rebecca is an Associate in LegalVision's Corporate & Commercial team.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/author\/rebeccasmith\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#faq-question-1606880228344\",\"name\":\"What is an agreement to lease?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"An agreement to lease is a document you sign when negotiating commercial lease terms. It sets out the broad terms of your lease, such as rent and the length of your lease. It may have conditions that need to be met before you can sign a final deed to lease.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-NZ\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-NZ\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#faq-question-1606880258379\",\"name\":\"What is a deed to lease?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"A deed to lease is a comprehensive contract that you sign once you have finalised lease negotiations. You usually sign one once the conditions from an agreement to lease have been fulfilled. It is more comprehensive than a deed to lease and covers the day to day runnings of the lease.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-NZ\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-NZ\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#faq-question-1606880271477\",\"name\":\"Do I need a deed to lease?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Technically, you can operate and use your lease with just an agreement to lease, if it is well-drafted enough. But it is a good idea to finalise the lease with a deed to lease so that you have a more comprehensive lease document to rely on. Your rights are better covered in a deed to lease.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-NZ\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-NZ\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#faq-question-1606989773267\",\"name\":\"Is an agreement to lease legally binding?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"As soon as you sign it, an agreement to lease is a contract that is legally binding. It is a go-between before you sign a deed to lease, but it is still enforceable. For example, if in the agreement to lease there is a term saying that the landlord has to finish renovations before you can move in, then that is legally binding.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-NZ\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-NZ\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"What is an Agreement to Lease? | LegalVision New Zealand","description":"Emma Lindblom explains what an agreement to lease is and when you need one, including broad points that your agreement to lease should cover.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"What is an Agreement to Lease? | LegalVision New Zealand","og_description":"Emma Lindblom explains what an agreement to lease is and when you need one, including broad points that your agreement to lease should cover.","og_url":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/","og_site_name":"LegalVision New Zealand","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LegalVision","article_published_time":"2020-12-07T13:13:21+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-09-09T00:13:16+00:00","og_image":[{"width":2478,"height":1210,"url":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/iStock-838338570.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Rebecca Smith","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@LegalVision_law","twitter_site":"@LegalVision_law","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Rebecca Smith","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/"},"author":{"name":"Rebecca Smith","@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#\/schema\/person\/a4d32748323b99f71ee5958c67301223"},"headline":"What is an Agreement to Lease in NZ?","datePublished":"2020-12-07T13:13:21+00:00","dateModified":"2025-09-09T00:13:16+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/"},"wordCount":1128,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/iStock-838338570.jpg","keywords":["startup","small business","commercial contracts","agreement to lease"],"articleSection":["Property and Leasing Articles"],"inLanguage":"en-NZ","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/","url":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/","name":"What is an Agreement to Lease? | LegalVision New Zealand","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/iStock-838338570.jpg","datePublished":"2020-12-07T13:13:21+00:00","dateModified":"2025-09-09T00:13:16+00:00","description":"Emma Lindblom explains what an agreement to lease is and when you need one, including broad points that your agreement to lease should cover.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#breadcrumb"},"mainEntity":[{"@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#faq-question-1606880228344"},{"@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#faq-question-1606880258379"},{"@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#faq-question-1606880271477"},{"@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#faq-question-1606989773267"}],"inLanguage":"en-NZ","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-NZ","@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/iStock-838338570.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/iStock-838338570.jpg","width":2478,"height":1210,"caption":"Am I Still Liable After Transferring My Commercial Lease? | LegalVision NZ"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Articles","item":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/articles\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Property and Leasing Articles","item":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/category\/property-and-leasing\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"What is an Agreement to Lease in NZ?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#website","url":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/","name":"LegalVision New Zealand","description":"LegalVision is a commercial law firm in NZ with a commitment to innovation","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-NZ"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#organization","name":"LegalVision New Zealand","url":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-NZ","@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/LegalVision_square_logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2020\/11\/LegalVision_square_logo.png","width":400,"height":400,"caption":"LegalVision New Zealand"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/LegalVision","https:\/\/x.com\/LegalVision_law","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/legalvision-group"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#\/schema\/person\/a4d32748323b99f71ee5958c67301223","name":"Rebecca Smith","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-NZ","@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/02\/cropped-Capture-removebg-preview-96x96.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/02\/cropped-Capture-removebg-preview-96x96.png","caption":"Rebecca Smith"},"description":"Rebecca is an Associate in LegalVision's Corporate & Commercial team.","url":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/author\/rebeccasmith\/"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#faq-question-1606880228344","name":"What is an agreement to lease?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"An agreement to lease is a document you sign when negotiating commercial lease terms. It sets out the broad terms of your lease, such as rent and the length of your lease. It may have conditions that need to be met before you can sign a final deed to lease.","inLanguage":"en-NZ"},"inLanguage":"en-NZ"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#faq-question-1606880258379","name":"What is a deed to lease?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"A deed to lease is a comprehensive contract that you sign once you have finalised lease negotiations. You usually sign one once the conditions from an agreement to lease have been fulfilled. It is more comprehensive than a deed to lease and covers the day to day runnings of the lease.","inLanguage":"en-NZ"},"inLanguage":"en-NZ"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#faq-question-1606880271477","name":"Do I need a deed to lease?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Technically, you can operate and use your lease with just an agreement to lease, if it is well-drafted enough. But it is a good idea to finalise the lease with a deed to lease so that you have a more comprehensive lease document to rely on. Your rights are better covered in a deed to lease.","inLanguage":"en-NZ"},"inLanguage":"en-NZ"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/property-and-leasing\/agreement-to-lease\/#faq-question-1606989773267","name":"Is an agreement to lease legally binding?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"As soon as you sign it, an agreement to lease is a contract that is legally binding. It is a go-between before you sign a deed to lease, but it is still enforceable. For example, if in the agreement to lease there is a term saying that the landlord has to finish renovations before you can move in, then that is legally binding.","inLanguage":"en-NZ"},"inLanguage":"en-NZ"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/13463"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=791"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":229429,"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/791\/revisions\/229429"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/16"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/legalvision.co.nz\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}