Answer:
You should, wherever possible, try to negotiate that each party will pay for their own legal fees, but it is quite common for the tenant to pay the landlord’s legal fees for preparing and negotiating the lease documentation, provided they are reasonable.
If this is the case, make sure that a costs agreement is included in the lease document. If not, you should at least make sure that the clause outlines who is responsible for the costs, and if that person is you, that those costs are fair and reasonable.
If possible, try to include a clause that places some sort of limit on the amount of the landlord’s legal costs for the preparation and negotiation of the lease, so that you don’t get any nasty surprises. It’s also a good idea to ask the landlord to provide evidence of their legal costs, such as receipts and legal bills.
