Start by considering your ideal location, preferred costs, size of premises, and timing.

Fortunately at Fisher German, our experts have the experience and expertise to help organisations like yours make the right decision. 

However, if moving is not the right choice for you, consider your other options - we will happily explore these and take away the stress of even thinking about moving office - let alone project manage an activity which will inevitably distract you from your day job.

This would be the optimum result - if your lease is almost at an end, or you are approaching a lease break.

It which will allow you to exit the contract and the space.

If you decide to move, a landlord may serve you with a claim for dilapidations. This sets out any repairs and/or remedial works, which you are contractually obliged to undertake. It could prove costly.

Some leases have a clause for ‘Full Repairing and Insuring’ (FRI), which requires the tenant to undertake a full repair of the property and decorate it before they hand it back to the landlord. Even if the property was in poor repair when you moved in, you will still be responsible for restoring it to an A1 condition before moving out – if you signed the contract without challenging this clause.

Many tenants will have entered into a Schedule of Condition, which ensures that a property does not have to be handed back in a better condition than when it was when the contract was signed.

Be careful, a landlord can also claim for the rent during the repair period – after you have vacated the premises. 

If you move out without fulfilling any repairs and/or remedial work (as specified by your lease), your landlord will appoint a surveyor to prepare a Schedule of Dilapidations. This highlights  all the remedial work required –which you will have to pay for. 

Protect yourself from this: 

• Check your lease terms before signing it
• Ensure you have photographs/evidence of the condition of the premises when you moved in 
• Negotiate from a position of knowledge/expertise – or appoint a Dilapidations professional to do it for you. It is worth speaking to a Building Surveyor, as a good one could save you significant time and money