Long term tenancy with no break clause

[BriseisPam]

Long story short, I am a lessee of a commercial property for another 7 years out of 15 - due to a huge personal change 2 years ago I cannot carry on business and using all my money working on an outside job to fill in the rent.

I can not afford a solicitor and I see in coming months huge struggle to pay - I've been contacting the landlord for 2 years asking to mutually end the tenancy early, just tell me the terms. First she said verbally if I pay a full years rent, which I agreed then when I contacted again to go through with it she has not contacted me about the matter again. The only contact I have from her now is reminders and demands for rent.

What can I do? I just want a solution that'll cut straight to the chase.

Your lease is a contract which gives the landlord the right to rent for the full 15 years. The landlord could agree to allow you to surrender your lease for a fee but she doesn't have to as it doesn't benefit her. If you can't pay the rent and she won't agree to a surrender you have to see if you can find another acceptable party who would agree to take an assignment of the remaining period of the lease. However, that is likely to be difficult at the present time. Once the current situation is over write to the landlord and ask her to confirm whether she is willing to allow an assignment of the lease and the speak to an estate agent who deals with commercial property to market it for you.

Worse case scenario is you put your co into liquidation if Ltd co with no personal guarantees. What you will save in rent will pay solicitor. Reputation will be damaged though. Do not do this if not Ltd co.