Subordination Non Disturbance and Attornment Agreements (SNDAs) often seem like afterthoughts in commercial leasing as they govern the potential future relationship between a tenant and the landlord’s lender rather than the current relationship between the tenant and landlord. SNDA’s, however, should not be overlooked, as they are crucial to protecting a tenant’s interests in the event that a landlord is foreclosed upon and its lender takes over in its place. In the absence of an SNDA, a tenant may find itself at the mercy of a new landlord that has little obligation to honor the terms of tenant’s original lease. Thus, commercial tenants should be aware that SNDA’s exist to protect their rights and should have a basic understanding of how they operate.
As a quick overview, SNDA’s are comprised of three (3) main components, the:
Subordination: Where the Tenant agrees that Lender’s interest in the leased property takes precedence over Tenant’s lease interest in the event of a foreclosure;
Non-Disturbance: Where the Lender agrees to honor Tenant’s lease in the event Lender takes over for Landlord; and
Attornment: Where the Tenant agrees to recognize Lender as its new Landlord.
While most SNDA’s contain largely standard language, there is almost always room for some negotiation. This could be as simple as negotiating for clear tenant protections relative to potential lease defaults, or as complicated as negotiating for protections with regard to promised funding per the lease between a tenant and original landlord. Regardless, it is important that tenants take the time to understand SNDAs in their entirety in order to ensure that their rights are sufficiently protected. Thus, commercial tenants, particularly those seeking long term leases, would be well advised to consult with a knowledgeable real estate attorney both when deciding whether to seek an SNDA and when negotiating the same.