Office Space: What You Should Know About Relocation Provisions In Leases


The office lease is one which contains many terms. Some are in there for the benefit of the landlord while others may help out the tenant in one way or another. One which falls within the former category is the relocation provisions term. This is sometimes found in a commercial office space lease and allows the landlord to relocate the office space tenant to another office space location within the building or office park should the landlord need to, or want to, accommodate a new tenant looking for larger office space. When this does occur, although not that often, it usually involves a situation where a company wants to lease a larger office space, such as an entire floor of an office building, and there is already a smaller company in place, which ultimately doesn’t need or use all of the space.

Why The Landlord Wants This Lease Term Included

A commercial landlord likes to have this type of term included within the lease because it is a safeguard for them, and a monetary one at that, should an interested party want to lease a larger office space which could be available should the landlord move a current tenant into a different space. This type of lease term enables the landlord to rent out more of their office space and gain  more income simply from doing so.

Although this is a standard lease term, it is one which not all landlords are able to have included due to some resistance from office space tenants at the time of the lease signing. Should the landlord be successful in having the office space tenant agree to this term, the landlord will be responsible for all costs associated with the tenant relocation should the landlord opt to put this lease term into play.

Why The Tenant Doesn’t Want This Lease Term Included

Frequently, an office space tenant will not want this type of lease term included within their commercial office space lease. Those who lease office space, usually choose their office space of choice due to its location, size, view and more. After all, why would the tenant want to be moved around after they carefully select their office space? However, during the negotiations and prior to signing the lease, this term often comes up in conversation and has to be decided upon at that point.

How an Office Tenant Can Have This Term ExcludedOffice Space

Most commercial tenants would want this term excluded. Therefore, it’s important to review the lease terms thoroughly to make sure relocation provisions are not included or, if they are, this can be discussed during lease negotiations with the landlord prior to signing the lease. By removing the relocation provisions term from the lease, you will ensure that you will not have to move to another spot during the lease, simply because the landlord wants to make more money off of an additional tenant who may want to occupy your space. Should the landlord not agree to omitting the relocation provisions term, just be sure that it is as fair to you, the tenant, as possible and that you know what could happen in the future should the relocation provisions term be put into play.