Gaffbee Commercial · Rent
Offices, flexible workspace, shops, warehouses and hospitality units — with rent per sq ft, lease terms and running costs up front.
Space to let in every commercial sector, from a handful of desks in serviced workspace to full distribution warehouses.
Take the quoted rate per sq ft, multiply by the floor area, then add business rates, service charge, buildings insurance and utilities. On older buildings, ask for last year's service charge accounts before you sign heads of terms.
Term length, break rights, rent-free period, rent review basis, repairing obligation and whether the lease is protected under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. Agreeing these before solicitors get involved keeps legal costs down.
Check the EPC rating — most commercial lettings must be at least an E — plus planning use class, fire risk assessment and any licensing you need. Landlord consent for alterations should be written into the lease, not assumed.
Rent is normally quoted per square foot per year, exclusive of business rates, service charge, insurance and VAT. Multiply the rate by the floor area for the annual rent, then add the outgoings to get a realistic monthly cost.
Five to ten years is typical, often with a tenant break at year three or five. Flexible and serviced workspace can be taken from a month upwards. Shorter leases usually mean a higher rate per sq ft; longer commitments earn more rent-free time.
An incentive where you pay no rent for an agreed opening period, usually to cover fit-out. Three months per year of committed term is a common benchmark in softer markets — always negotiate it alongside the headline rent, not after.
Most UK commercial leases are full repairing and insuring, meaning the tenant maintains the premises and reimburses the landlord's insurance. A schedule of condition agreed at the start limits you to handing the property back no worse than you found it.
Yes — the occupier is liable. The bill is roughly the rateable value multiplied by the current multiplier, before small business or retail relief. Many smaller units qualify for full small business rates relief, so check before ruling a property out.
