Commercial Space Lease Agreement

Commercial space lease agreements are similar to residential lease agreements in many ways, but they contain provisions and rules not found in the latter. Commercial tenants are offered less legal protection than residential tenants. They are also expected to be familiar with commercial rental laws and to read the terms of their lease agreements carefully.

Tenant Rights

Commercial tenants do not have the same rights as residential ones. For example, commercial space agreements do not usually contain information about tenants' rights to privacy, because commercial tenants do not have this same right; landlords can enter these properties without notice, at any time, unless the lease specifies otherwise.

Rent

Commercial space lease agreements must include the monthly rental amount and due date. The lease agreement must also specify whether the lease is a gross lease, which includes property and business taxes and maintenance and other fees in the rental amount, or a net lease, which does not include those items.

Space

The square footage of the commercial space, as well as the use of any common areas---including bathrooms and elevators---must also be included in a commercial space lease agreement. Landlords use measurements of square footage in order to determine the value of rental spaces.

References

• California Tenant Law: Commercial Landlord-Tenant Law
• Find Law: The Commercial Lease: What You Should Know
• All Business: Important Commercial Lease Terms to Familiarize Yourself With