The Clause Nobody Reads Until It Costs Them: Landlord Consent and Your Hanging Sign
Photo by Photo by Cheryl Ng on Unsplash on Unsplash
You've measured the fascia, picked a colour, maybe even mocked up the artwork. Then you email the landlord — and three weeks later you're still waiting, or worse, you've received a reply referencing 'Schedule 4, paragraph 7' and a schedule of works you've never heard of.
If you're renting a shop unit in the UK, your lease almost certainly has opinions about your signage. The trouble is, most tenants don't read those opinions until they're standing in the way of a fitting date.
Where the Rules Actually Live
Most commercial leases handle signage through two mechanisms. The first is a repair or alteration clause — anything fixed to the building, including a projecting sign or a new fascia, typically counts as an alteration and needs written consent. The second is a blanket 'no signs without approval' covenant, which gives the landlord a say over design, materials, illumination and even colour.
The wording matters more than most people realise. A lease that requires consent 'not to be unreasonably withheld' gives you leverage. One that's silent on the point leaves you guessing. And a handful of older leases prohibit hanging signs altogether — which is a nasty surprise to discover after you've paid a designer.
The Approval Process, Demystified
In practice, a sensible landlord wants three things: a drawing or specification of what you're proposing, confirmation it complies with planning rules and any conservation area restrictions, and reassurance it won't damage the building or clash with neighbouring units.
Get ahead of it. Send a one-page pack — artwork, dimensions, fixings, materials — and you'll usually have an answer within a fortnight. Send a vague email asking 'can I put a sign up?' and you've invited a slow, cautious reply.
One wrinkle worth knowing: if your landlord grants consent, it often comes with conditions. Removal of the sign at the end of the tenancy, making good any fixings, matching a specified colour scheme. Read those conditions carefully — they're binding, and 'make good' can be costlier than it sounds.
What to Negotiate Before You Sign
If you're still at the heads-of-terms stage, you're in the strongest position you'll ever be in. Worth raising:
- A specific signage right — named permission for a fascia sign, a projecting sign and window graphics, so you're not reapplying each time
- Illumination included — lighting is often treated as a separate alteration, and it's much easier to agree now than later
- A reasonable timeline — a clause requiring the landlord to respond within, say, 28 days
- Consent 'not unreasonably withheld' — the single most valuable phrase in the whole negotiation
When It Goes Wrong
The most common mess we see isn't refusal — it's the tenant who installs first and asks later. Unauthorised alterations can trigger a breach notice, an unexpected bill to remove the sign, or an awkward conversation when you come to assign the lease. A projecting bracket screwed into a listed brickwork façade without consent is the classic example: expensive to remove, expensive to put right.
The Practical Path
Check your lease before you commission anything. If the wording is unclear, a short call with a commercial solicitor is money well spent. Then talk to your signage supplier — a good one will produce landlord-ready drawings as standard, which speeds up consent and keeps everyone happy.
Your signage is often the first money a customer ever sees you spend. Make sure the paperwork lets it actually go up.
