Meaning
A dispute resolution procedure determines the fair market rate or value of a corporate property when the contracting parties cannot agree during a renewal option. An appraisal dispute arbitration prevents the transaction from stalling by transferring the valuation authority to independent qualified experts. This process binds both the landlord and the tenant to the resulting valuation, eliminating the need for expensive litigation.
Resolution Mechanism
Contracts usually establish a three-appraiser panel to execute this determination. Each party selects its own representative within a specified timeframe, and these two representatives then agree upon a third independent expert. If the two initially chosen experts cannot agree on the third panel member, a local court or professional arbitration association appoints one.
This structure ensures that neither party can unilaterally control the outcome.
Procedural Execution
The appraisers evaluate the property using comparable sales, local market rents and current economic conditions. Many lease agreements incorporate a method known as baseball arbitration where each party submits a final valuation figure and the third appraiser must choose the one that lies closer to the true market rate. This specific approach discourages extreme or unreasonable proposals from both sides because the party with the more realistic submission wins the entire valuation.
The panel must deliver its written report within thirty days of the final hearing, detailing the financial methodologies used to reach the decision and ensuring the entire calculation is transparent to the participating entities.
Financial Impact
Valuation decisions immediately establish the rental obligations for the subsequent lease term. The final award sets the cash flow requirements for the extension period, and the cost of the process itself is typically split equally between the landlord and the tenant. Because the decision is final with very narrow grounds for appeal, it provides immediate transactional certainty.