Choosing Premises - Hints and Tips
- Prepare a plan of your preferred premises. Sketch out the ideal placement of your desks, storage facilities and equipment. Compromise will be inevitable but a sketch should provide a starting point and simplify your search.
- You should consider what professional help you will need before you begin your search. In addition to a solicitor to handle leases and contracts, consider using a qualified commercial property surveyor to help with variations, rent assessments, structural surveys and planned alterations. They can even view premises and draw up a shortlist for you.
- Contact local business organisations such as Chambers of Commerce and enterprise agencies for advice on the availability of local business premises.
- Check local newspapers and magazines to find smaller premises.
- Don't rely on one commercial estate agency as most towns have several. Remember a commercial property agent acts for the landlord or owner, while a commercial property surveyor acts for you.
- Check the Internet. Many local councils post lists of available commercial property on their websites.
- Look at as many properties as possible to compare facilities. Work out the overall cost per square foot in order to find out which property is the best value for money. As well as considering what is provided in the lease, you should take into account factors such as the cost of securing and insuring the property.
- If you are a tenant, remember that negotiating directly with the owner over lease terms or any other issues may prove to be considerably easier than negotiating with an assignee.
- Take legal advice before signing any leases to ensure that you understand all of the terms.