Information Sources and Advice used by Small Business Tenants When Leasing Commercial Property

Many small businesses lease commercial premises. The terms of a lease can affect the ability of the business to grow and adapt and have an impact on cashflow. Ensuring that they have the information with which to negotiate the best terms is part of the UK government policy focus on small businesses. Such information is most effectively disseminated through the sources of advice that small businesses use during the leasing process, therefore these sources of advice need identifying. An interview survey of small business tenants who have recently taken leases suggests that small businesses do not receive or seek out advice during the leasing process, nor do they see the need to be better informed. The only formal professional input is from solicitors but this is not until after the main commercial terms have been agreed. The landlordsí letting agents play a key, but ambiguous, role in providing information as well as advice. These results suggest that the only effective way of disseminating information could be via the letting agents, the very people with whom the tenants are negotiating.