What to check when renting an office in Istanbul: a checklist for companies

The office is where your company spends every day. A badly chosen office tires the team and makes you pay for a move a second time. Before you rent, go through the points below one by one.

Location and transport

First look at where your team comes from. If most employees use public transport, walking distance to the metro and to stops matters. If many come by car, parking becomes the main question.

• Do your clients come to the office? If so, the address must be easy to find.
• Are there places to eat, a bank and a courier nearby?
• What is the area like in the evening?

Size and layout

Do not look only at square metres. Of two offices with the same area, one can be far more usable.

• How many people will sit there, and how many meeting rooms do you need?
• Will the team grow in the next year or two?
• You can work out how many square metres you need from our article on calculating office size.
• How much do columns, corridors and wet areas reduce the usable area?

Building

• Number of lifts and waiting time
• Heating and cooling system, and whether it runs outside working hours
• Security and entry arrangements
• Parking allocation
• Generator and internet infrastructure

Costs

Rent is not the only item. Ask about the service charge, parking, electricity and heating too, and work out the monthly total. If the landlord is an individual, you also have to deduct withholding tax from the rent. For details, see our article on withholding tax on office rent. Compare two offices by total monthly cost, not by rent.

Lease

Before you sign the lease, read the term, the rent increase clause, the deposit, your right to carry out fit-out works and the exit terms. Ask a lawyer about any clause you do not understand.

What do we do?

We listen to what you need, find the offices that suit you and visit them with you. We tell you plainly the good and the bad of each office. To compare business districts such as Levent, Maslak, Şişli and Ataşehir, see our office districts in Istanbul page.