How long does a business sale take?

Typically six to ten weeks from heads of agreement to completion. Lease consent, licences and finance are the usual reasons for delay, so we start on them first.

What should I check before I buy a business?

The financial records, the lease, the staff and their entitlements, the equipment and any finance over it, and any licence or franchise the business depends on. We work through each one with you and your accountant.

Most document work (leases, agreements, structures) is quoted as a fixed fee from the outset. Debt recovery is staged: a fixed fee for the letter of demand and for a statutory demand, then a written estimate for any court step. Larger matters such as a business sale or a contested proceeding are scoped and estimated in writing before we start, and you are told early if anything changes.

Bought with care.
Sold without loose ends.

We keep the lease, the staff, the stock and the settlement moving to the same date. Most business sales run from heads of agreement to completion in six to ten weeks.

Book a free 15-minute call Call 03 8386 9502

Client reviews

Commercial law clients,
in their own words.

All 84 Google reviews

4.5★★★★★
Google rating from 84 client reviews
Every quote on this page is a public Google review, reproduced in the client’s own words. Read them all →
We engaged Joshi Lawyers for a business purchase and found them to be very professional, dedicated and helpful. Dinesh has a significant degree of knowledge in business and commercial law matters. We were advised about everything in detail and kept informed about our matter’s progress at each stage.
Anqi HuangBusiness purchase · Google review, 2017
Our first experience in Australia using any lawyer. All advice given was very fair and to the point. It was them who suggested the statutory demand process, which we used for a speedy recovery, and it worked.
GNS Group AustraliaDebt recovery · Google review, 2023
Dinesh solved my dispute in 4 months where the other lawyer I had prior took 12 months giving me no foresight on my case. Dinesh has a clear foresight in his cases and closes all objections with ease and makes you aware of your standing.
Dheeraj WadhwaniBusiness dispute · Google review, 2018
From business settlements to my recent land settlement, they have never failed to impress me. Thank you Dinesh and your team for taking the stress from us and dealing with all sorts of issues and disputes very professionally.
Aarti AroraBusiness owner and investor · Google review, 2017

Is this you?

When people come to us about buying or selling a business.

Each of these is a good reason to call, and none of them is too early.

You have found a café to buy and the broker wants a contract signed this week.
You are selling the business you built and want a clean exit.
The landlord has to consent to the lease transfer and is slow to respond.
The business holds a liquor licence or is part of a franchise.

How we help

A business sale is several transactions that all have to complete together.

A business sale moves goodwill, equipment, stock, staff, the lease and often a licence or franchise, all at once. If one piece is late, the whole sale waits. Buyers need to know what they are getting. Sellers need to know they are free of the business once it is sold.

We prepare or review the contract, run the due diligence, deal with the landlord, franchisor or licensing authority, and complete the sale on the agreed date.

What we do

Heads of agreement and contracts of sale of business
Due diligence on the books, the lease, staff and assets
Lease transfers and landlord consent
Liquor licence and franchise transfers
Restraints of trade, training and handover terms
Completion and the settlement adjustments

Book a free 15-minute call

What happens first

Your first week with us.

A matter should feel different from the first call. This is what you can expect before anything is signed or sent.

What it costs

The first call: what the real question is
Most commercial matters turn on one or two points. We find them first, so the work goes where it counts.
Within the week: a strategy and a written estimate
What a good outcome looks like, how we propose to reach it, and what it will cost, before any letter is sent.
Document work: delivered on a date, not a promise
Most leases and agreements are delivered within five business days of instructions. Debt recovery steps are quoted as fixed fees.
From then on: one senior lawyer, with your accountant
Structure, tax and succession decisions are made together, not in sequence, and you deal with the same lawyer throughout.

Your team

Who you will deal with.

Matters are run by the people below, not handed down.

Meet our people

Questions

Frequently asked questions

If your question is not here, it is a good reason for the free call.

How long does a business sale take?
Typically six to ten weeks from heads of agreement to completion. Lease consent, licences and finance are the usual reasons for delay, so we start on them first.
What should I check before I buy a business?
The financial records, the lease, the staff and their entitlements, the equipment and any finance over it, and any licence or franchise the business depends on. We work through each one with you and your accountant.
What does it cost?
Most document work (leases, agreements, structures) is quoted as a fixed fee from the outset. Debt recovery is staged: a fixed fee for the letter of demand and for a statutory demand, then a written estimate for any court step. Larger matters such as a business sale or a contested proceeding are scoped and estimated in writing before we start, and you are told early if anything changes.