From today, amended versions of the Model Commercial Lease (MCL) suite of documents are now available on the MCL website.

With a few exceptions, the changes are mainly of a drafting nature.  The revised versions of the documents have been designated version 1.2.

As with changes introduced when version 1.1 was issued in June 2015, the majority of the amendments have been suggested by users as a result of using the MCL documents in transactions.  Other changes have been made in connection with the proposed introduction of the minimum energy efficiency standard (MEES) in 2018, or reflect points – mainly minor drafting issues – that have been identified by a number of firms that are preparing to replace their precedent leases with the MCL leases (or, in a number of cases, that have already done so).

Six additional forms of licence for alterations have been introduced, including licences permitting works outside the premises that have been demised, licences to combine two sets of premises and a retrospective licence to carry out works.

We have also added on the Guidance section of the MCL website a Style Guide, which will assist users to covert the MCL into their own house style.

The MCL Working Group is grateful to everyone who has provided comments and feedback.  Feedback will always be welcome.  Ideally please send comments in writing using the form on the Feedback/contact page on the MCL website.

Full details of the changes

A new page headed “MCL changes – July 2016” is now available on the Guidance section of the MCL website.  On that page, you will find links to

• an explanatory note that highlights the changes that have been made and, where relevant, the reasons for making them. It will assist those who wish to make corresponding changes to documents that they have created on the MCL. It also lists the six additional forms of licence for alterations that have been introduced.
• a PDF document that shows the changes that have been made to the text of the lease for a shopping centre unit (MCL-RETAIL-07).

Downloading older versions of the MCL documents

• The original versions of the MCL documents are still available and will continue to be available for the foreseeable future. They can be downloaded by clicking on the link “All versions” which appears to the right of the document’s number.
• The updated version of each MCL document can be downloaded by clicking on its number on the relevant page on the MCL website (for example, MCL-OFFICE-01 for the lease of a whole office building).