What to Look for When Considering Commercial Property

With so many growing and developing cities across the UK, choosing somewhere to start or expand your business can be a difficult decision. For example, do you choose office space in Cambridge, one of the fastest-growing UK cities during recent years but also commercially expensive or somewhere quieter like Peterborough that allows you more financial freedom but is still up and coming.

While we can’t tell you where the best place to start or expand your business is going to be for the year ahead, we can give you advice how what to consider when choosing your commercial property location.

Transport Links

Possibly the most important aspect of choosing a commercial property, not only do you need to consider how easy it is for your customers to find you if you have a brick and mortar sales counter or retail unit, you need to consider how easy it is for your future staff to get to you. Is the property close by to a train or bus station? Does it fall on the bus route? Is there a city tram that can take staff nearby? By ensuring you have sufficient travel links, you reduce the risk of staff coming in late and make it easier for customers to reach you.

Parking Facilities

Hand in hand with being close to transport links is the facility for parking, does the commercial contract include onsite parking? What sort of parking is available? Is it free parking, council managed, ticketed with barriers or a secure underground parking unit? Do you have so many spaces available to be reserved for staff or is it on a first come, first served basis? All these things should be agreed in the contract and should be considered before signing an agreement, you might be able to negotiate better terms. Don’t forget to consider the repercussions it could have on your business traffic if your customers need to pay to park nearby.

Breakout Amenities

While not high on the list of necessities, break out areas and/or access to shops and eateries is the best way to encourage increased morale in staff. Giving them somewhere they can get away to and make themselves some lunch or a cup of tea or coffee shows staff you care about their comfort during the work shift. If space is available, consider adding an activity area for employees, this can include a pool table, air hockey table, games system or simply a TV with access to entertainment channels. Refreshed staff show increased productivity levels and higher morale, leading to an efficient workflow and higher quality in completed work.

Future Proofed Space

It’s not possible to prepare for everything your business will go through but it’s safe to say if you are expanding now, it might not be long before you expand again to continue developing the business. This might mean adding extra staff or machinery depending on your industry, although either one requires extra available space. As commercial leases tend to run for longer than a residential contract, it’s advantageous to think about what changes your business is going to go through over the duration of the contract. If you needed a couple of last-minute hires, do you have space to accommodate them? Likewise, if you need to add further machinery or equipment for your business to keep up, does your intended property have space to expand? It will certainly be important to find a balance so when going to look at commercial property for your company, keep your future plans in mind.

Whether you are starting up a business or expanding your existing company, the process should be exciting rather than overly stressful. Make sure to talk to your property agent in detail and ensure all contract clauses are agreed in full before signing off. Good luck on your journey to a new commercial property!