OVERVIEW
This worksheet is designed to help a prospective tenant identify questions, record answers, gather supporting documents, and send unclear lease or property issues to the appropriate professional before signing or beginning construction. It addresses the broader commitment involved in a commercial property rather than focusing only on base rent.
The checklist covers lease costs, additional charges, repair responsibilities, utilities, landlord approvals, construction timing, insurance, guarantees, renewal rights, exit provisions, permitted use, building capacity, tenant improvements, signage, access, and other property-related considerations. It also provides areas to document assigned follow-up, unresolved risks, professional review, and the final property decision.
The worksheet is intended to support organized decision-making while recognizing that commercial leases and property requirements vary. It does not interpret leases or provide legal, tax, accounting, insurance, accessibility, construction, or code advice; qualified professionals should review the final agreement and project.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
- How to identify questions about the landlord, tenant, premises, and permitted use
- How to review base rent and additional occupancy costs
- How to document lease dates, possession, construction access, and rent commencement
- How to evaluate utility and building capacity for intended operations
- How to identify repair, maintenance, replacement, and emergency responsibilities
- How to review tenant-improvement allowances and buildout requirements
- How to identify permit, inspection, and approval responsibilities
- How to review insurance, risk allocation, default, assignment, sale, and exit provisions
- How to track unresolved questions, assigned follow-up, and required documents
- How to record the final property decision and professional reviews
BUSINESS BENEFITS
Using a standardized question-and-documentation process helps keep lease and property discussions organized across meetings, professional reviews, negotiations, and final document checks. The worksheet provides designated areas for answers, document references, assigned responsibilities, follow-up status, and unresolved risks. It also separates important dates and records professional review before a final decision. This supports clearer communication among the prospective tenant, broker or agent, attorney, accountant or CPA, insurance advisor, contractor, architect, designer, engineer, accessibility or code specialist, and other involved professionals.
RECOMMENDED FOR
- Independent Grooming Salons
- Pet Spas
- Veterinary Grooming Departments
- Daycare and Boarding Facilities
- Academy Operations
- Multi-Location Businesses
- Franchise Locations
IMPLEMENTATION NOTES
Use the worksheet while comparing properties, meeting with a commercial broker or agent, reviewing the lease with an attorney, obtaining contractor, design, utility, and insurance input, negotiating with the landlord, and before approving a letter of intent, lease, amendment, or buildout commitment. Mark items as needing follow-up whenever an answer is verbal, incomplete, unsupported, outside the speaker's authority, or awaiting professional review. Use the related SOPs identified in the worksheet when additional buildout, construction, utility, opening-timeline, or operating guidance is required.
