We all know commercial leasing is a negotiation, but sometimes in London, it feels more like divine judgement.

There’s a certain kind of landlord that doesn’t just rent space – they rule it. They don’t offer terms, they hand down commandments. And if you’ve ever been on the wrong end of one of these “power plays,” you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.

Let’s talk about pulling offers at the eleventh hour. Classic landlord move. The deal’s agreed in principle, the heads of terms are drafted, your client’s starting to picture where the foosball table will go—and then boom. “Actually, we’ve had a better offer.” Translation: someone blinked and offered £2 more per square foot, and now we’re back at square one.

Take that building in Soho – undisclosed, but you know the one. Creative tenant, long negotiation, everyone aligned… until the landlord’s nephew’s mate suddenly decides he wants it for his crypto startup. No warning. Just vanished from the table. That’s not negotiation, that’s ego.

Then there’s the conditional break clause game. On paper it sounds fair: “You can break in year three.” But wait for the fine print: only if your plants are watered, the carpets steam-cleaned, and the lease gods are satisfied with your wall colour. Miss one technicality, and suddenly you’re tied in for another two years. Divine retribution via Schedule 2.

Or how about the ‘refurb delay and pray’ strategy? Landlord says the building will be ready Q3. You prep your fit-out. Notify staff. Line up your move. And then… silence. Suddenly Q3 becomes Q4, becomes “early next year,” and by the time it’s done, half your team’s hybrid and your board’s lost the will to live. The landlord? Doesn’t care. They’ll fill it when they’re ready. You? Just a mortal in the game.

This isn’t just bad form, it’s bad business. Because in a market where tenants have options, this kind of behaviour burns bridges. The smartest tenants are walking from these deals. They want transparency. They want consistency. They want a landlord who acts like a partner, not a puppet master.

And yet, some landlords still operate like it’s 1995. They think control equals power. But control without trust is a short game. And trust is in short supply when you keep moving the goalposts.

Here’s the uncomfortable truth: the market is shifting. The occupier holds more cards now. And the landlords who get that, who negotiate fairly, honour deals, and don’t treat leasing like a Game of Thrones subplot, are the ones still doing deals.

The rest? They’re becoming known. And not in a good way.

So if you’re a landlord reading this, ask yourself honestly: are you leasing space or playing God? Because tenants talk. Agents talk. And the reputations stick.

Power isn’t in how hard you squeeze a deal. It’s in building one people want to stay in.

Play games, and you might win short term.

Play fair, and you’ll win the market.