Renting commercial property: practicalities
The costs, considerations and obligations of renting business property.
There are a number of practical issues to consider when you rent a business property.
Rental property contracts
Contracts when renting business premises can be complex, so consider professional help from a solicitor or chartered surveyor. While this can be expensive, mistakes can be much more costly to remedy.
You can or .
Planning permission for rental properties
Before renting business premises, make sure you have planning permission to make any changes you need to the property. See alterations to rental properties. You should also investigate whether the building has .
Find out if there are any restrictions on delivery or loading times that may affect your business. There may be other restrictions or covenants in the lease or imposed by the local council - for example, rubbish disposal, parking, noise, lighting, and litter. Find your local council in Northern Ireland.
Land registration
The Department of Finance provides guidance on how to .
Insurance for rental properties
The business lease will state whether you or the landlord need to arrange insurance for the property. If the landlord arranges this, you will pay the premiums as part of the service charges. Therefore, you may need to take out additional insurance to cover risks, such as loss or damage to contents, which are not covered in the building policy. See insurance: business property and assets.