Co-tenancy

Subscribe to Co-tenancy

As shopping center occupancy rates have decreased, enforcing co-tenancy rights has taken center stage for retailers. The key to enforcing rights under a co-tenancy provision is to rely on the plain language of the lease.

For example, in the past year, courts in Michigan and Georgia have ruled in favor of Rainbow, USA in co-tenancy disputes based on the precise language of co-tenancy provisions in the leases. In both cases, the court relied on the plain language of Rainbow’s leases to hold that Rainbow was entitled to pay reduced rent based on the landlord’s failure to meet co-tenancy requirements under the lease.Continue Reading Co-Tenancy Disputes With Landlords Are Decided Based on the Plain Language of the Lease

As retailers continue to close underperforming stores and look for other ways to cut costs in a weak economy, they are closely monitoring and enforcing co-tenancy provisions in retail leases.

The language of the lease is critical in co-tenancy disputes.  Issues that arise include:

  • What conditions trigger a tenant’s co-tenancy rights? Closure of anchor stores? Closure of stores occupying a certain percentage of the leasable space in the mall?

Continue Reading Retailers Look To Cut Costs By Enforcing Co-Tenancy Provisions