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Leasing Office Space is one of the biggest expenses your company will have. That's why it's important to ask all the right questions you can so you will be better equipped to make the best financial decision for your company.

There are many questions that one should ask however below are the top 5 that you must get answers to.

1. What all does your asking rental rate cover?

Some landlord's rental rates are full service and include everything (taxes, insurance, maintenance, electric, janitorial). Others will offer to pay for a portion of the items listed above and require you to pay for the rest. For example they may offer to pay electric and you would be responsible for janitorial (if you wanted it). Some will quote you a monthly rental rate and prefer that you pay for electric on your own. Bottom line is that you are only concerned with what your TOTAL monthly expense is going to be to rent space. Find out what they will and will not pay for (e.g. electric, janitorial, taxes, insurance, maintenance), get this in writing, and then compare that to what other buildings are offering.

2. How much money is required at lease signing?

Most landlords require that you provide a check for the security deposit (typically equal to one month's rent) and the first month's rent. You don't want to be surprised to find out what will be required last minute. Ask up front the total amount of money that will be required at lease signing.

3. What is the square footage of the space?

Ask the landlord if the rent is paid by rental square feet (RSF) or usable square feet (USF). Some buildings have common areas that are divided among all the tenants. What you use (actual sf in your space) is not the same as what you pay rent on (RSF). Some buildings do not have common area so your USF = RSF. Ask the landlord whether they are quoting RSF or USF.

4. What is the parking ratio for the building?

Office buildings typically have parking ratios of 3.3 to 4 per 1000 SF. What that means is that you are allowed to have/park 3.3 to 4 employees for every 1000 sf that you lease. You don't want to be in default on your lease if you exceed that so find out what the parking ratio is and how flexible the landlord is if/when you exceed your allotted amount of parking spaces.

5. Who pays for tenant improvements?

If the space is in need of tenant improvements find out what the landlord is willing to pay for. Will they pay for new carpet, paint, demo, building new walls, cabinetry, plumbing into the space, etc.? The landlord's decision is typically based on the length of the lease term you are willing to sign, your credit, the lease rate, and any other concessions you are asking for. What they will not typically pay for is data and phone cabling. Expect to pay that yourself and get quotes before signing the lease so you know how much it will cost.

It's important to read your agreement and ask all the right questions to ensure no details or possible mistakes are overlooked. 貸事務所 中央区