Moving to a new building is always exciting. It’s also something that can wreak havoc on your business plans. Before you agree to a new lease, you may want to think about asking a few extra questions. Below are three important things you should check before signing a lease.
Parking is one of those problems that can’t be easily solved. If you are moving into a new building, make sure you know exactly how parking is going to work. Will your employees have assigned spots? What about your clients? Will you be sharing the parking lot with other tenants, and if so will they have any kind of priority in the parking situation? While you can probably live with several different parking situations, it’s better to have a good idea of what’s going to happen before you sign the lease than after. If nothing else, it will give you time to get your employees used to the new rules.
How safe is your new building? You don’t just need to look at structural concerns for this one—you also need to look at the systems they have in place. Is there a good sprinkler system in place for fires? Are there defibrillator units in the building in case of cardiac arrest? Are there enough exits to help your workers get out in the case of an emergency? While companies like Nor Cal Fire Protection exist to install these kinds of safety measures in buildings, this is the kind of thing that doesn’t usually get fixed after a tenant has moved in, so make sure you look before you sign anything.
Finally, you’ll want to check out the contract itself. While there are certainly standard leases in the business world, you don’t want to hope that you know exactly what’s in your contract after it’s been signed. Take some time to look over the paperwork and pay special attention to the language about repairs and damage. It’s important that you know not only what the building owner is responsible for, but the speed at which he or she must respond. This will allow you to better plan for anything that goes wrong in your new building.
Never sign a lease before you read it. Make sure you know about all of the major issues like safety systems as well as minor issues like parking. The more you know, the better you will be able to plan for the future. If you do your homework, you can find a building that works for your business.
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