A commercial lease is nothing more than a kind of contract. Except this one is for renting space that you’ll use for your business–instead of use for your residence. It’s daunting enough that the print on many leases is often in microscopic font (why do you think so many attorneys wear glasses?). But what do those terms actually mean?
From Yahoo! Small Business comes this handy article on common commercial lease terms. It covers issues you’ll see in the lease such as:
- The parties (watch how you’re named!)
- Premises (make sure the description is accurate)
- Use clauses
- Term of lease
- Improvements and alterations
Get yourself a copy, too, of my booklet “Contract Fine Print.” It demystifies a number of those pesky legalese-y terms that you’ll see in leases and other contracts so that you have a basic understanding of what you’re signing.
