![]()
36
dTZ | In Situ
i am in an office building that accommodates 150,
however on mondays 180 staff turn up and on
fridays 130 turn up - what can i do?
This is a common problem that can cause staff
dissatisfaction when finding a desk is difficult, and can
also make building services, facilities and meeting rooms
come under pressure.
As a result of the mobility of IT, staff are becoming more
adaptable and embracing solutions such as working in
informal break out areas rather than at a desk. This is an
exciting opportunity to deliver change and savings, and
we are currently working with clients to create spaces
that increase ultilisation rather than density by creating
different types of working environments. The key is
to get under the surface of business needs in order to
develop a true workspace strategy that identifies clever
ways of using existing space tailored to these needs.
The same frustrations exist when expensive office space
remains empty at the end of the week. We have looked
at ways of spreading out occupation numbers over the
week, and types of ideas that need to be considered
include free food on a Friday, or charging less for the use
of meeting rooms on a Thursday or Friday.
your questions answered
my lease is contracted within the security
of tenure provisions of the uk landlord and
tenant (l&t) 1954 Act and i haven’t decided
what is best for the business in terms of an
alternative building and location. in addition
my landlord is getting aggressive about my
intentions and is looking at possibly redeveloping
the building — can i just hold over? don’t i
have security? What would you advise?
Before I answer this question, it should be noted that
the L&T 1954 Act is specific to the uK, so this answer
may not be applicable to anyone outside of the uK
facing a similar situation.
The fact that your lease is within the 1954 L&T Act
is hugely significant because this gives you the right
to negotiate a new lease with the landlord provided
you are not in breach of your existing lease. The
landlord can only oppose if he intends to redevelop the
building, occupy the building themselves or can offer
you suitable alternative accommodation (section 30
grounds).
From 12 months before the lease expiry date either
party can serve a notice on the other, offering terms
for a new tenancy or declining a new tenancy. If you
want to renew or keep your options to do so, you
should ask your solicitors to serve a notice on your
behalf. In the meantime you should also consider your
options to stay or go with your real estate advisor as
the timings and tactics can be complex.
If the landlord still wishes to oppose, he can do so
provided he can prove one of the above grounds, but
he will have to pay you compensation and let you off
your dilapidations liability. unless the landlord has a
good case he may prefer to agree a new tenancy. he
can still ask the court to grant a shorter lease if he
intends to develop in due course.
If after serving notice to renew you decide you want to
leave, you can still serve another notice declining a new
tenancy. Again your solicitors should advise as early as
possible on the timing to ensure you minimise any rent
you may have to pay, if you are likely to hold over at
the contractual lease expiry date.
Finally, the risk is that you leave your plans too late
hoping to hold over. Landlords are seeking certainty
to either consider redeveloping or recreating the value
through a new lease. They will be reluctant to provide
a short-term renewal as this stalls their plans. They
may use the courts to force this issue so planning
well ahead avoids creating uncertainty, risk and
management distraction.
dTZ’s richard Golding, head of occupier Services uK, answers your occupier real estate questions.
i work for a large bank and have recently been asked
to provide my own laptop when travelling abroad
— is this usual?
This is something we are seeing more and more — Bring
Your own device (BYod) is a growing trend that gives
employees greater flexibility when travelling and reduces
costs to employers in supplying hardware. In addition, staff
get to choose their mobile device rather than doubling up.
however, an area of concern to some has been security,
unwanted viruses and the like. one IT security consultant
calls this ‘Bring Your own Virus (BYoV)’ which illustrates
one of the issues that this trend needs to take into account.
