So moving on to a different topic, what does due diligence look like in the UK?

We operate under the principle of caveat emptor, some Latin for you, which in practice means a seller and landlord is under no general legal duty to disclose any information about the property's physical condition or any operational issues.

There are some very limited exceptions in that a seller may not conceal latent defects in the title.

These are legal encumbrances or rights affecting the land that you cannot see just by looking at it, such as an unrecorded right of way crossing the property or restrictive covenants.

We always recommend a combination of technical and legal due diligence.

A surveyor should check the structural integrity of the building and the condition of any plant and machinery.

The legal due diligence includes a review of the title and property searches of the relevant local authority, environmental search and water and drainage, as well as other area specific searches.

So are leases generally in a standard form? Is there much scope for negotiation with landlords?