When you have found a premise you would like to rent, read the rental contract carefully. You need to know what the rent includes and the period of notice. The premise must also meet requirements imposed by the authorities. These vary according to your type of business. Planning permission may be required for a change in the use of the premise.

Insure the premise

Contact the landlord if you want to make changes to the premise. Find out whether the landlord is willing to bear the costs of renovation. Also contact an insurance company and find out if they have any requirements regarding the premise before insuring them.

Typical features of a rental contract

• There is normally a defined contractual period, such as three years.
• The period of notice is long (normally nine months).
• If the contract is not terminated, it is often renewed for a further three-year period.
• The rent is often price-indexed over the contractual period.
• The rent may be based on other criteria, such as the company's sales.