Make the space ready before you offer it.

Define what someone can actually use

Start with a drawing of the proposed premises. Mark the floor area being offered, any office or washroom access, loading doors, circulation, parking and the places that remain yours. A photograph of empty floor does not answer how another business will enter, unload and work without disrupting you.

Measure usable space separately from whatever rentable area your agreement will use. Identify columns, stairs, low-clearance areas and awkward corners. If dimensions have not been measured, mark them as unknown. A prospective occupier can work around a known limitation; discovering one after move-in is a different problem.

Resolve permissions before spending on a fit-out

If you lease the building, read the head lease and establish the landlord consent process before marketing a sublease or licence. A permission to operate your own business does not establish permission for the next business. If you own, investigate the proposed use and any condominium restrictions as well.

Give the municipality a concrete activity description. Receiving packaged goods differs from fabrication, public events or storing unusual materials. Physical separation, a new office, racking or changed occupancy can bring building and fire-protection questions. Ask qualified people what must be reviewed; do not treat this checklist as permission to construct.

Make shared movement predictable

Walk a delivery through the site from the road to the proposed storage position. Decide who controls the dock schedule, who opens the doors, what happens when two trucks arrive and where someone can stage goods. Record after-hours access and the responsibility for locking up.

Shared equipment is its own arrangement. Specify whether equipment is included, who may operate it, how maintenance is handled and what happens after damage or downtime. Keep the practical rules short enough that a new staff member can use them. A promise of forklift access without a trained operator or availability schedule is not a complete offer.

Document the condition before handover

Clean and inspect the area so defects are visible. Record existing door, roof, floor, lighting and washroom issues with dated photographs. Separate cosmetic presentation from systems condition. Do not hide water marks or damage behind new paint simply to improve the tour.

Use qualified trades for work on building systems. Identify which repairs you intend to complete and which limitations form part of the offer. Attach a condition record to the eventual agreement and establish how changes or damage will be reported. This protects the conversation from relying on memories of the viewing.

Assign running costs and responsibilities

Prepare a schedule covering utilities, waste, snow removal, cleaning, security and building maintenance. Separate included costs from separately charged costs, and explain the measurement or allocation method for anything shared. State whether quoted rent is before GST.

Avoid promising a fixed all-in cost unless you are willing and able to bear the variable items. A written allowance or reconciliation method may be more accurate. Discuss insurance with your broker and identify the certificates required before access. Have counsel review liability and indemnity clauses rather than inventing a short form from a residential rental template.

Build a factual offer package

Use a simple plan, current photographs, a written specification and the proposed agreement structure. State confirmed dimensions, loading access, available hours, included services, intended term and known restrictions. Leave unverified electrical capacity or clear height as a question rather than a selling point.

Prepare a repeatable viewing route and a list of questions for the prospect. Ask how goods arrive, what staff do, whether customers attend and what must remain confidential. A useful first conversation should reveal fit conflicts before either party pays for documents or improvements.

Handover with a workable operating record

Before keys change hands, confirm the signed agreement, required consents, insurance, payment arrangements and condition schedule. Record authorised contacts, access instructions, emergency information and the procedure for reporting a building problem. Do not hand out another business’s credentials or access codes.

Review the arrangement after the first operating week. Loading conflicts and housekeeping issues often appear only once deliveries begin. Use the agreement’s change process to fix them; a casual conversation should not silently change the premises, fees or permitted use.

Take this checklist to the conversation

• Draw the proposed premises and shared routes.
• Confirm your ownership or lease rights.
• Check the specific activity with the municipality.
• Record measured dimensions and unknown specifications.
• Set loading, equipment and access rules.
• Allocate utilities, waste, cleaning and repairs.
• Prepare a dated condition schedule.
• Confirm consents, insurance and the signed agreement before access.