An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a legal requirement for any leased premises, making it a necessary consideration for both landlords and tenants. Buildings are currently responsible for around 40 per cent of the UK's energy consumption and carbon emissions, and EPCs promote improvement in their energy performance. What does the EPC cover? The EPC shows the energy efficiency rating...

You're considered ready to exchange contracts with your commercial property landlord once the following matters have been concluded: Your surveyor or solicitor has made all of the necessary checks and has carried out a satisfactory inspection of the building you're leasing. Both the tenant and the landlord are completely happy with the contracts planned out and the searches. Any additional...

Any proposed transaction begins with the drafting of a document that clearly states the primary terms that both parties have agreed to: this document is referred to as 'Heads of Terms' (HOTS) and is commonplace in the commercial property market. A HOTS isn't compulsory to produce, but it still recognised as the draft of the main contract.  As a result...

A schedule of condition report details the exact conditions of a property when it is handed over, and usually contains a photographic record of the conditions.  The schedule will then be agreed to by both parties and attached with the lease, so that in the event of any disputes it can be demonstrated whether the building is still in the...

ICT remains key to virtually any business, whether they use it to manage their information or for their whole process.  As such, it's important to ensure that the ICT infrastructure is set up properly in your new property.  Here's our guide on absolutely everything computer-related you'll need to look at when setting up your new office. Don't be afraid to...

According to many industry experts, the London commercial property boom could soon start to decline, with true value on investment more likely to occur elsewhere. Ryan Hughes, fund manager at Apollo Multi Asset Management, said: 'A lot of the value in London, particularly central, has gone.  There have been a lot of foreign buyers moving into the market over the...

The number of commercial property transactions in the UK reached its highest level since the financial crisis started, with 115,400 sales taking place during the last year. Data from HMRC shows that the number of transactions is up by 24 per cent from the overall low of 92,900 reported during the 2008/2009 financial year.  The peak came just before the...

Once you've picked the right property, the chances are you'll need an office fit out. That's why we've put together this guide on everything you'll need to consider when managing the fit-out: When should you do the fit-out? It's important that you don't leave the fit-out too late: if you do so, you might find yourself having to deal with...

One of the major considerations when firms plan to lease business premises is whereabouts to actually look in terms of physical location.  So often, availability impacts the areas in which you can look for space.  However, it's worth taking location more seriously.  Here are some of the main factors to take into account when choosing a commercial property to rent...

There are a number of different commercial property lease costs that you'll need to plan for. Any or all of these costs may be relevant to you, so it's important to do your research when taking on a commercial lease. Rental costs This will obviously be your largest expense when leasing property.  For smaller or start-up businesses, it's often wise...