Definition of "Stop clause"

Jodi Bakst, Broker real estate agent

Written by

Jodi Bakst, Brokerelite badge icon

Real Estate Experts

Leasing commercial or industrial real estate can be a perplexing process. As a tenant (and as a landlord,) you must consider several aspects before actually signing the deal. Even top local real estate agents recommend you to ask fundamental questions from your potential landlord

For instance, it would be best if you discussed details regarding the lease agreement and various clauses and provisions embedded to avoid future unpleasant surprises. Revealing and learning about crucial information on these agreements form the basis of landlord-tenant rights.

What does a stop clause in a lease agreement refer to?

A stop clause is integral to real estate deals, especially apartment leases. Under such circumstances, a stop clause, often known as an eviction or escalation clause, defines a provision in a lease agreement. More precisely, it indicates the maximum amount of operating expenditures that the landlord of the rental property is supposed to incur in a given year. The lessee must pay any amount incurred in excess of this amount.

Landlords can change provisions to fend off an unstable market.

Landlords are skilled at including stop clauses and escalation provisions into lease agreements. Imagine that rents in a particular area are rapidly rising. In that circumstance, landlords may reconsider signing a long-term lease instead of a short-term one. They know that this might result in a lost profit or a decrease in property valuation.

They can, however, increase rent by a particular amount at periodic intervals by including an escalation provision in the rental contract. As a result, they may capitalize on current market conditions. At the same time, the tenant can secure and safeguard their long-term contract.

The tenant’s financial obligations

On the other hand, landlords can demand that their tenants pay a pro-rata share of the growing building expenses. These payments may cover the premises’ operating charges and various real estate taxes. In matters of a commercial lease, the landlord will incorporate their legal requirements into the escalation or stop clause. Therefore, a renter’s payment determined under the stop clause will be considered a supplement to the standard rent the tenant covers.

Consequences of contract breach

In other words, the stop clause can set contract termination conditions. For instance, a theater proprietor signs an agreement with the producers of a theatrical performance. In the deal, they stipulate that the showrunners must leave the venue in the case that receipts of payment don’t add up to a certain amount.  

Final thoughts

As you observed, knowing the leasing contract’s terms and provisions is paramount both for tenants and property owners.

Suppose you entertain the idea of becoming a landlord. First and foremost, we advise you to investigate the rental market conditions in your area, such as where you should purchase a rental property first. Then, study previous lease contracts and include necessary clauses into your agreement to safeguard your financial investment.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

When you hear a real estate agent talking about a client that's an empty nester, it means said client suffers from empty nest syndrome. But what is Empty nest syndrome? Empty nest ...

Federal government agency monitoring and regulating corporate financial reporting and disclosure, use of accounting principles, auditing practices, and trading activities. Its regulations ...

Latin: now for then. Descriptive of actions which are performed after a deadline has elapsed, but retroactively have the same effect as if they were carried out in a timely manner. For ...

Loose combination of small rocks and pebbles used for a gutter, driveway, landscaping, or roadbed. ...

Company formed for the purpose of owning securities of one or more real estate corporations and assuming control over their practices and management. The other corporations are generally ...

A method of brick construction where the bricks are laid with their sides facing outward. ...

Amount received by a seller of real property in the form of credit rather than cash. Interest is typically received on the note. If a house is sold for $300,000 of which $100,000 is cash ...

Economic principle determining the market prices of goods, services, and property. The principle states there is a pricing relationship between supply and demand for real property. Economic ...

The Asset Depreciation Range (ADR) was introduced by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in 1971. It was designed to help businesses determine how long to use certain assets, like equipment ...

Popular Real Estate Questions