A delayed commission is not always a crisis, but it is always frustrating, especially when you cannot tell whether it is a normal wait or a real problem. This guide runs through the most common reasons a commercial leasing commission gets stuck, and gives you a practical fix or next step for each one, so you can tell the difference and act. For the specific case of a payor who simply refuses to pay, see the guide on when the landlord won't pay, which goes deeper on recourse.
Before you escalate, figure out which milestone you are waiting on. If the second half of your commission is tied to occupancy and the build-out is not finished, the money is not late, it is on schedule, just a slow schedule. That is the normal timeline covered in the guide on when brokers get paid. A delay worth chasing is one where the trigger has been met and the payment still has not come, or where something has gone wrong with the trigger itself.
Here are the usual suspects, each with what to do about it.
The most common reason, and usually not a true delay. The second half waits on occupancy, and occupancy waits on the build-out. What to do: confirm the expected occupancy date, and if it is far out and you need the cash, consider advancing the earned second half rather than waiting.
Even once occupancy is in sight, build-out delays push it further. Permits, long-lead materials, and change orders all move the date. What to do: stay in touch with the tenant or project manager for a realistic occupancy estimate, and reset your cash flow expectations to match. The TI dynamic is covered in the guide on TI allowance and commission timing.
Sometimes the trigger has been met but the payment is held up by a missing document, an invoice not submitted, or a signature outstanding. What to do: confirm exactly what the payor needs to release payment and get it to them. This is the most fixable delay of all, and often the fastest to resolve.
The trigger is met, the paperwork is in, and the payor is simply taking their time. What to do: send a polite, documented follow-up referencing the agreement's payment window. A clear record of the trigger date and the agreed window usually moves a slow payor.
The payor disagrees about how much is owed, or whether a condition was met. What to do: go back to the commission agreement language and document your position. If it cannot be resolved directly, this is where it shifts from a delay to a collection matter, covered in the guide on when the landlord won't pay.
The payment came in but is held at the co-broking firm or your own brokerage during reconciliation of the split. What to do: confirm how the split flows and where the payment currently sits. Knowing whether you are waiting on the payor or on an internal step tells you who to chase.
Occasionally the landlord or payor is short on cash. What to do: document everything, keep the agreement's terms in front of them, and if the situation looks serious, treat it as a potential collection issue early rather than late.
Some commissions hinge on a condition beyond signing, such as a contingency being satisfied. What to do: identify the exact contingency and its status, since the commission may genuinely not be due until it clears.
If the delay is structural, the second half is simply tied to an occupancy date months out, chasing it harder will not speed it up, because nothing has gone wrong. That is the situation a commission advance is built for. Rather than wait on a build-out you do not control, you convert the earned commission into cash now. The full picture is in the guide on commission advances, and if the issue is outright non-payment rather than timing, the guide on when the landlord won't pay covers your recourse.
Most often because the second half is tied to occupancy and the build-out is not finished, which is on schedule rather than late. True delays come from missing paperwork, a slow payor, a dispute, or an internal split hold-up.
Send a documented follow-up that references the commission agreement's payment window and the date the trigger was met. A clear record usually moves a payor who is simply slow rather than refusing.
That is a different problem. If the trigger has been met and the payor refuses, it becomes a collection matter, covered in the guide on when the landlord won't pay your leasing commission.
This guide is general information for commercial real estate brokers and is not financial, tax, or legal advice. For disputes or non-payment, consult an attorney. Confirm specifics with your brokerage.
