Long term tenant (40+ yrs) newly negotiated lease asking Landlord to pay commission

[Shelly Glennon]

Family holds a light industrial property that has been leased to the same large utility company since the 80s and has never had a commission associated with the lease.  The lease was coming due and as part of renegotiating the next term, the tenant stopped doing lease negotiations in house and now there is a commission associated with the lease.  Tenant basically said they would agree to current market rate if landlord pays the new commission, or at a lower rate they would cover the commission.  Is it just me or does this seem very odd?  This is an existing tenant, no tenant search required, literally just the legal process of negotiating a new lease and signing it.  Why would there be a commission involved at this point?  And further, if it's the tenant who decided to stop negotiating in-house, why would any of that cost be on the landlord?

[Theresa Harris]

It seems odd that they'd pay to have something done that doesn't require any cost AND then expect you to pay for it.  I agree with Greg, ask them why they expect you to pay for it when they took it upon themselves to do it?