{"id":580,"date":"2026-09-23T09:38:21","date_gmt":"2026-09-23T06:38:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/f-375.ru\/?p=580"},"modified":"2026-09-23T09:38:21","modified_gmt":"2026-09-23T06:38:21","slug":"dogovor-arendy-ofisa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/f-375.ru\/en\/dogovor-arendy-ofisa\/","title":{"rendered":"Office Lease Agreement: What to Check Before Signing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Illustration of a lease agreement review. This AI-generated image does not depict a specific F\u2011375 office.<\/em><\/p>\n

When reviewing an office lease agreement, look beyond the rent and lease term. Before signing, check the landlord's authority, the description of the premises, the full breakdown of payments, handover conditions, building rules and exit arrangements. Above all, make sure that the office you viewed, the commercial offer and the obligations in the lease actually match.<\/p>\n

This guide is for a company choosing an office in Moscow or already negotiating a lease. It does not provide a universal agreement template: a standard form cannot account for the condition of the premises, the payment structure or your business plans. Instead, it offers a review process, questions for the landlord and examples to help you discuss the draft with your lawyer and the relevant members of your team.<\/p>\n

Where to start when reviewing an office lease agreement<\/h2>\n

Put together one complete set of documents: the current commercial offer, the draft lease, every schedule it refers to, the floor plan, the business centre rules and evidence of the right to let the property. Keep the agreed fit-out, access and payment conditions separately as well. Presentations and correspondence help establish what was discussed, but important commitments need to appear in the documents you sign.<\/p>\n

It is useful to divide the review into three areas of responsibility. A director or finance specialist assesses financial commitments and the options for leaving. The office manager, IT specialist and contractor check whether the premises are suitable for the team's work. A lawyer reviews the parties' authority, the lease provisions and the applicable law. This helps prevent a technical limitation from getting lost during the legal review.<\/p>\n

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  1. First, confirm who is letting the premises and exactly what is being leased.<\/li>\n
  2. Then check the financial terms, handover timetable and each party's responsibilities.<\/li>\n
  3. Next, consider what happens if handover is delayed, terms change or the lease ends.<\/li>\n
  4. Finally, compare the agreed version with every schedule once more before signing.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Which documents to request from the landlord<\/h2>\n

    There is no single exhaustive list for every transaction. For a conventional lease of non-residential premises, the starting point is information about the property and the rights to it, details of the counterparty, evidence of the signatory's authority, a floor plan and a draft handover certificate. Some transactions also require additional consents, corporate approvals or sublease documents. What is needed depends on the particular transaction.<\/p>\n

    Information from Russia's Unified State Register of Real Estate (EGRN) helps you check the property, the registered title and any restrictions. Compare the address, cadastral number and property details with the lease and the plan. If the information available does not identify the rights holder, ask the landlord for supporting documents. A single register extract does not replace a review of the full chain of authority and the terms of the transaction.<\/p>\n

    For a legal entity, check its name, taxpayer identification number (INN), primary state registration number (OGRN), status and director's details against the Unified State Register of Legal Entities (EGRUL). Federal Tax Service tools can help identify discrepancies, but do not guarantee that the counterparty will fulfil its obligations. If a representative signs the lease, examine the basis and scope of their authority. Do not assume that a notarised power of attorney is required in every case: the requirements depend on the circumstances and the actions involved.<\/p>\n

    Check the payment recipient separately. If you are asked to pay someone other than the party named in the lease, there should be a clear documentary basis for doing so. Confirm changes to bank details through a previously agreed communication channel, rather than relying solely on an email with new payment instructions. This is particularly important before transferring the security deposit or the first rent payment.<\/p>\n

    Owner, representative or sublandlord: what is the difference?<\/h2>\n

    The management company's name at the building entrance does not mean that it has the right to let your chosen unit. The landlord may be the owner or a person authorised by law or by the owner. Clarify each participant's role: who signs the lease, receives payments, hands over the premises and takes responsibility for operating the building.<\/p>\n

    For a sublease, check the head lease, the right to sublet and any required consent from the landlord. The sublease term must not exceed the term of the head lease. You also need to understand what happens if the head lease ends early and how you will be told about changes. A sublease is not inherently a poor option, but it makes your arrangements dependent on another agreement.<\/p>\n

    If a broker or manager makes a commitment, ask where it will be recorded and who is responsible for delivering it. Verbal agreements about parking, extra access passes or completion of the fit-out should not be treated as a substitute for the terms of the signed documents.<\/p>\n

    How to describe the premises so you do not lease a different office<\/h2>\n

    The premises must be identified with sufficient precision. Check the address, floor, unit number or designation, area and boundaries on the attached plan. A plan is particularly important when leasing part of a floor: the general cadastral description may not make clear which rooms, corridors and ancillary areas are included in your lease.<\/p>\n

    Clarify which area is used to calculate rent. The area shown in property documents, the space actually available for your team and the rentable area used for billing may differ. Ask whether common areas are included, how any allocation factor is calculated and what happens if the premises are remeasured. We explain these distinctions in detail in our article on rentable office area<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Record what is being handed over, including furniture, equipment, access systems and finishes. If the price includes use of a meeting room outside the unit, specify the terms of use and booking restrictions. Photographs, an inventory and a plan help connect the premises you viewed with the documents, but they must reflect the same version of the property.<\/p>\n

    The lease term and key dates: create a separate timetable<\/h2>\n

    Signing the lease, receiving keys, allowing contractors in, starting rent payments and the company's first working day are different events. The agreement should make it possible to identify each of them. Pay particular attention to clauses that start the obligation to pay before the landlord is required to finish the agreed works.<\/p>\n

    For example, in a hypothetical transaction, contractors are allowed in on 1 October, the premises are handed over under a certificate on 15 October, and base rent starts on 1 November. These are neither standard market terms nor mandatory deadlines. The purpose of such a timetable is to define service charges during the works and the consequences of a delayed handover separately, rather than argue over what 'moving in' means.<\/p>\n

    Also add the first rent indexation date, the deadline for giving notice of non-renewal, the window for exercising an early termination right and the deadline for returning the premises. For each event, identify its trigger: a fixed date, a signed certificate, receipt of a notice or another agreed circumstance. Check that the dates and deadlines in the schedules do not conflict with the main agreement.<\/p>\n

    As a general rule, a lease of non-residential premises for at least one year requires state registration in Russia. Agree in advance who will submit the documents, pay the associated costs and address any issues raised during registration. A lack of registration should not be described simply as removing all obligations between parties that are actually performing the agreement: the consequences depend on the circumstances and require legal assessment.<\/p>\n

    Which payments to check beyond base rent<\/h2>\n

    Compare not just the rate per square metre, but the full set of obligations over the same period. The lease should clearly explain the calculation basis, tax treatment, payment frequency and documents needed for payment. A statement that taxes are included, without clarifying the price breakdown, may be insufficient for your accounts team to approve the budget.<\/p>\n