12 Important Considerations Before Renting an Office

An effective office space is something many businesses aim to invest in at some point in their career. Renting an office in Malta is perhaps one of the key elements in developing your business profession. It can be the launching pad of your career that will help you establish yourself and skills or services publicly.

Alternatively, it can be a move towards expansion, perhaps even a first step towards taking in your first employees or collaborators. In Malta, there are various types of offices for rent and the standard is typically high. The typical finish of these available office spaces includes soffit ceilings, energy-efficient lighting, gypsum walls as well as standard segregated toilets as per EU regulations. Whatever the reason for seeking out commercial premises to use as an office, be aware of some important aspects during your search.

1. Location

Office location is a key consideration for any type of business searching to rent an office in Malta. Ask yourself – what kind of business or profession do you have? Whom do you want to target? Who are your clients or whom do you think they will be? All these questions bear strongly on the location you decide upon. Sometimes certain professions are mentally associated with certain locations, regions or neighbourhoods. Whom will you be employing? If they are foreigners will you have a logistics problem if you rent a commercial office somewhere in no man’s land?

2. Associated services

Ask yourself – what associated or complementary services is your profession linked to? What other related services might come in useful to yourself and to your clients? For instance, if you are an office for legal services, you may need to travel frequently to specific offices or to the law courts which means that close proximity to these would be of benefit to you and also to your clients.

3. Main Street or back street

Ask yourself – do you need a central location or will a backstreet location be good enough for you? Do you need to attract passing trade or do most of your business take place online or via some other system?

4. Parking Space

Ask yourself – will your clients need to stop by for long? Will they come alone or with family and friends? Will you be getting bulky deliveries to your door? Do you have staff members joining you and if so, will it be difficult for them to park their cars near the office every day for long hours at a stretch? Alternatively, will the office space be close to a bus stop that enjoys a regular bus service?

5. Staff

Ask yourself – will you be alone in your office or will you have a number of staff members joining you immediately or eventually? Does the office have enough space for all of you? Is there a comfortable bathroom and will this need to be shared with clients? Will you have a kitchenette?

6. Shops

Ask yourself – will you need the presence of other shops close by? Will other shops bring you trade? Will it be helpful for instance, if your offices are situated close to a school or college, or perhaps close to a shopping centre?

7. Light

Ask yourself – are the offices you are considering renting, well-lit with natural light? This might seem a superfluous question, however, beSmart Citydly lit premises usually mean you will need to consume a considerable amount of artificial lighting. Moreover, constant exposure to artificial lighting is known to cause sick building syndrome in many people. Aim to find well-lit and naturally-lit premises.

8. Office finishing

Ask yourself – Are these offices finished to the highest standard and will they reflect the image that I want to portray to my staff and to my clients? Will my staff feel proud working in this space?

9. Phone reception

Ask yourself – do the premises you are considering renting out enjoy good phone reception in all parts of the space available? Certain office spaces in Malta especially those found in ground floor or basement areas typically suffer from bad phone reception and in today’s busy world this can be very frustrating.

10. Neighbourhood

Ask yourself – will I enjoy working in this neighbourhood? Will I enjoy travelling to this neighbourhood every day and spending possibly all day, every day of the month working here? Whether you are looking to rent an office in Malta for rent it is Sliema, St. Julian’s, Valletta or in a more central area take a stroll around the area during peak times so you get the feel of the place. Learn more about the ideal locations for an office on the Maltese islands.

11. Coffee shops and restaurants

Ask yourself – will I need the presence of a coffee shop or restaurant close by? Will I be lunching out or treating clients to lunch frequently? The presence of eateries in your vicinity will also be helpful to staff members who will need to rush out to grab something to eat during the day.

12. Owner

Ask yourself – will the owner finish the office in time for me to move in? Make sure your lease agreement is tight and allow no loopholes that may cost your business time and money.

We hope this checklist has been of assistance to find your ideal office in Malta or any type of property in Malta for rent. Though some of the points may seem obvious, you are surprised that some clients may get carried away emotionally and regret their choice later. This list has been compiled from over a decade of experience in servicing local and foreign businesses from around the world and different industries.