Before the lease,
get the deal clear.
Build an Ontario offer-to-lease negotiation brief. Work through the rent, guarantees and exit rights while there is still room to negotiate. Eight steps, a live preview, and a brief you can take to a lawyer.
The business deal is often settled here. Use this brief to list what you want to discuss, then have a lawyer review the actual offer before signing. This is a non-binding negotiation brief, not a lease, markups of the landlord’s form, or legal advice.
Step 1 of 8
View your brief ↓Enter what the offer says first, then the changes you want to discuss. Leave undecided answers blank: they will appear as “To be discussed.” You can download at any stage.
Off by default. Unsaved answers clear when you refresh or close this page. If enabled, answers are stored in this browser until you clear them. Anyone using this browser profile may be able to see them.
Session only. No answers are sent by this tool.
Clear this brief and its saved copy? Download anything you want to keep first.
Ready for a flat-fee review of the actual offer?
Send this brief with the PDF. Attach the actual offer or lease, including its schedules and any proposed lease form, and your downloaded brief.
Flat fee quoted before work.
Opening an email does not send it or attach files. Your interview answers are not included in the email link. Review your message and attach the documents before sending. An inquiry does not create a solicitor-client relationship.
The offer deserves the first review.
By the time the longer lease arrives, the rent, term and personal guarantee may already be settled. This interview helps a tenant or landlord get their questions in order. It does not assess whether the offer is enforceable or whether the deal works for you.
Read the checklist’s offer-to-lease section and personal guarantee section. For general background, see Ontario’s guidance on renting commercial property.
Common questions
Is an offer to lease binding in Ontario?
It can be. An accepted offer may settle the business deal and create binding obligations before the longer lease is signed. The wording, essential terms, conditions and circumstances matter. Do not assume the title “offer” means you can walk away. Have the offer reviewed before signing. This tool does not decide whether your document is binding.
What is the difference between an offer to lease and a lease?
An offer to lease usually records the main business terms and may commit the parties to a formal lease. The lease normally supplies more detail about operating the premises, repairs, insurance, transfers and default. Leaving a difficult issue for the lease can mean trying to renegotiate a deal you have already committed to. This brief is a separate discussion aid; it is neither document.
Is this legal advice or a review of my offer?
No. The tool organizes what you enter. It does not read the landlord’s form, assess enforceability, produce lease wording or make markups. Its priorities are discussion prompts, not legal conclusions. Using it does not create a solicitor-client relationship. A lawyer needs to review the actual documents and your circumstances.
Does a corporation protect me from a personal guarantee?
Incorporation does not shield you from obligations you take on personally under a guarantee. An uncapped multi-year commitment can put personal assets at risk. Caps, burn-off conditions and releases depend on the wording; selling the business or assigning the lease does not automatically release a guarantor. Record the request here, then have the guarantee itself reviewed.
When should I call a lawyer?
Before signing or accepting the offer, while the business terms are still open. Send the offer, schedules, proposed lease form and this brief if available. If you have already signed, say so and seek advice before assuming you can change the deal or withdraw. Kleiman Law can quote a flat fee for the agreed review scope before work begins.
For discussion only
General information, not legal advice. This tool records your entries; it does not review documents or determine their legal effect. It is not a lease or markups of the landlord’s form. Using it does not create a solicitor-client relationship with Kleiman Law. Have a lawyer review the actual offer before signing. Calling this brief non-binding does not change the effect of a separate offer, lease or your conduct.
Answers are processed locally and are not sent to or stored by Kleiman Law by this tool. Downloads stay on your device. Choosing to email or submit a consultation request shares the information you include. The website may use ordinary page-visit analytics; interview answers are not included.