Since the 1980s the "institutional" lease has undergone a dramatic transformation. Landlord-orientated FRI leases for a term of twenty-five years with no breaks and upwards-only rent reviews have retreated before market demands for shorter, more flexible letting arrangements and, recently, in the face of threatened legislation. Nevertheless, valuers and lawyers will have to understand and deal with the 1980s leases until well into the second decade of the twenty-first century.

The book sets out to explain the main changes that have occurred since the early 1990s (such as the rules relating to privity of contract). It also provides guidance on the factors driving further change, including the Code of Practice for Commercial Leases and the proposed new accounting standards.