How to make repairs to a leased office

One of the requirements for compliance with the agreement is to ensure the safety of the leased premises, which is provided by the property owner to the lessee on a contractual basis. Nonetheless, even if the lease terms appear straightforward, there are sometimes contentious circumstances, one of which is the need to make initial and continuing repairs to the property being rented out.

Types of repair of office premises

• Routine – minor fixing: caulking cracks, fixing damages to walls and doorways, and electrical and lighting systems.

• Major global works – this type of repair includes replacing windows and doors, installing an intercom, and arranging the entrance group and outdoor area.

The landlord does the major repair of the rented office and the leaser — the current. It is possible to apply for the tenant build-out contractor. The parties may redistribute responsibilities by mutual agreement.

Major renovation

Required when there are signs of the natural deterioration of the premises. The work restores the integrity of the building or room, as well as its load-bearing elements. The agreement of the conditions for significant renovation requires special attention from each party because the conduct of restoration work requires many financial expenses. In addition, during the repair, the lease object will not be used for its intended purpose.

Routine

Carried out to maintain the leased object in proper condition and prevent premature deterioration of the premises. Does not require a lot of financial and time costs, but after the lease agreement is necessary to work out all the conditions for the current repair – the leaser, in this case, can get an exemption from paying rent for a certain period. The owner of the object can continue to use the premises after the end of the lease terms.

Compensation for repair costs

The lease agreement should clearly state all of the terms, including repairs. Maintenance is typically only feasible with the landlord’s permission.

The lease cost rises due to repairs that lead to irreversible changes to the property, which makes sense. However, occasionally services invest a lot of money, do fantastic, pricey maintenance, alter the layout, and greatly enhance the technological condition.

An office with such repairs is objectively worth more. It is worth understanding that there was no need for such large-scale maintenance, as the office was already in a usable condition.

If, for some reason, needs this repair, it should always be agreed upon with the landlord. The latter, in turn, can compensate for the costs after the contract is completed. Or it can set off the cost of the maintenance against the rent.

If there is no agreement, the tenant will not be reimbursed even if the lease is terminated prematurely for any reason. Court practice is on the side of landlords who were unaware of the being made and did not agree on an estimate for them.

Who does the overhaul?

After the contract and inspection of the premises, he needs to pay attention to the technical condition to understand whether he will need an overhaul. If it is written in the agreement to do the overhaul, then in the event of burst pipes and basement flooding, the tenant will have to pay for it.