"It is incumbent upon the taxpayer, tax counsel and appraisers to show local assessors how these clauses affect the real estate's valuation..."
Co-tenancy clauses have become a two-edged sword for commercial property owners. Originally a tool that landlords used to obtain a multi-year lease commitment, co-tenancy clauses typically reduce a tenant's rent if a key tenant or tenants leave or if overall occupancy drops below a certain level. Some cotenancy clauses permit tenants to terminate a lease without penalty.
Today, a co-tenancy clause may detract from the property's value and even compound vacancy problems. Retail stores have been closing at unprecedented rates due to bankruptcies or underperformance. Many retailers have put new leases or construction on hold. In the office market, vacancy rates continue to set new highs and absorption rates are more frequently described as "negative."
For many of these properties, the terms of the lease, rather than the income stream, may define the property's value. Since co-tenancy clauses have the potential to shorten the lease term or otherwise reduce the income stream, co-tenancy should be central to a property tax appeal.
It is incumbent upon the taxpayer, tax counsel and appraisers to show local assessors how these clauses affect the real estate's valuation.
Tenets of Co-tenancy
Co-tenancy clauses are most common in retail properties but have become more prevalent in office buildings. Most fall into one of three timeframes: The first is during the letter of intent phase, during the lease-up phase of a retail project, when a potential tenant's plan to occupy a space is affirmed. The second period is after the lease has been signed but prior to move-in; the third spans the duration of the lease term. Most real estate tax appeals will involve fully developed properties and, therefore, co-tenancy agreements associated with the lease term. Landlords and tenants have negotiated co-tenancy clauses for a number of reasons, and the more clout the tenant has, the more likely the lease will have co-tenancy provisions.
Yet, it has also become more commonplace for smaller retail tenants to negotiate such provisions, particularly if they selected the leased space in order to be in the same center as another tenant that provides foot traffic and has the potential to drive up sales. Smaller office tenants, by contrast, may have a business relationship with the flagship tenant. In those cases, the smaller business may negotiate provisions to reduce rent or terminate the lease early if the flagship tenant quits doing business at the location.
Boost to Tax Appeals
How can a co-tenancy clause assist an owner in a tax appeal? Consider the following example: A significant national retailer occupies 40 percent of a lifestyle shopping center. The lease has one year left, with three five-year renewal options.
The center is fully leased, and all of the other tenants have co-tenancy lease clauses. Some enable the tenant to terminate the lease if the national retailer ceases to do business at that location; others give tenants the right to terminate the lease if vacancy exceeds 50 percent. Alternatively, the clauses adjust tenant rent from a fixed rate to a percentage of sales in the event that the national retailer closes or vacancy crosses the 50 percent mark.
In measuring the effect on value, the first step is to determine whether the national tenant is likely to renew. If the tenant does not want to disclose their business plan for the location, demographics may suggest what that plan entails. For example, are there rising unemployment, rising home foreclosures or declining incomes in the market area? How are the tenant's sales figures? If sales and foot traffic are down, research the national market to see if this retailer has any announced plans to shutter underperforming locations. This information is crucial to making a case based upon the continued viability of the lease.
In this example, if the national tenant were to leave, the effect of the co-tenancy clauses could domino and the center could go from 100 percent occupied to dark in short order. As each tenant leaves, more of the responsibility to cover operating expenses and property taxes shifts to the owner. In some cases, the income stream will not be sufficient to cover debt service.
The best way to demonstrate to the assessor what all this means is to have the property appraised by a competent, experienced appraiser. At a minimum, the taxpayer's counsel should provide the assessor with an extensive lease abstract for each tenant. That abstract should include not only the terms of the lease and the rents to be received but also whether or not there are any lease provisions that could shorten the lease terms, reduce the rental rate and/or otherwise shift previously reimbursed expenses to the property owner. Any of those eventualities will reduce the value of the property.
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