Buying a venue? Check it before you sign.

Check the liquor licence and its conditions, the red line plan, the planning permit and its conditions, and whether the venue actually trades that way. Those documents set the hours, patron numbers, licensed area and music you can rely on, so they set what the business is worth. Our pre-purchase check covers all of them and tells you what any gaps would take to fix.

Not automatically. The licence has to be transferred to you through LCV, and you have to pass suitability checks, including police checks of directors and associates. Victoria Police can object to a buyer's suitability. Make the contract subject to the transfer, and talk to your solicitor about the clause. We prepare and lodge the transfer and manage it with LCV through to a decision.

Only if the transfer has been granted by then. You can't sell liquor until LCV grants the transfer and you have the legal right to occupy the premises. LCV can grant a transfer before settlement, so you can trade from the day you take possession, as long as you tell LCV within 24 hours. LCV asks for applications at least 8 weeks ahead, so start the paperwork as soon as the contract is signed and keep the contract subject to the transfer.

Then what you see may not be what you can keep doing. A beer garden, late hours or live music that isn't on the licence or permit can't be relied on after you buy. We work out the gap and what it would take to close it, such as a licence variation or a permit amendment, so you can price it in or ask the seller to fix it first.

It depends on LCV's workload and how quickly the suitability checks come back, so we never promise a date. LCV asks for transfer applications to be lodged at least 8 weeks ahead, and processing times vary. LCV can grant a transfer before settlement. Delays usually come from missing documents or a police objection. We lodge as early as the contract allows and stay in contact with LCV until it's decided.