As a business owner, you might search for commercial space only once every five or ten years. Landlords and agents do it every day. That difference in experience shows up in the contracts and the prices. This step-by-step plan sets out the eight steps that take you from "we need space" to a signed lease, with the question you need to answer at each step and the mistake we see most often. It applies to office space, warehouses and industrial units, shops and flex desks; where the types differ, that is noted.
Step 1: determine what type of space you are looking for
The first choice determines everything that follows, including which tenancy law applies:
- Office space: an entire floor, a number of rooms, or an office unit in a shared business centre. Falls under article 7:230a of the Dutch Civil Code (BW): freedom of contract, so the lease agreement is leading.
- Commercial space or a warehouse/industrial unit: storage, production, logistics, often combined with an office. Also under 7:230a. Pay attention to clear height, floor loading capacity, loading docks and the environmental category of the site.
- Retail space or hospitality premises: falls under article 7:290 BW, with mandatory tenant protection (five plus five years). A completely different playing field when it comes to negotiating and terminating.
- Flex desk or flexible office: per month, all-in, no separate lease on the property. Fast and without upfront investment, but more expensive per m². See renting flex desks.
- Virtual office: just a business address for your Chamber of Commerce (KvK) registration and post. See renting a virtual office.
Common mistake: renting a warehouse in a location where the environment plan (formerly zoning plan) only permits office use, or vice versa. This comes back in step 3.
Step 2: calculate size and total budget
How many square metres you need depends on the number of employees, your office concept and your growth over the next three to five years. For offices, the rule of thumb is 7 to 10 m² net per workstation plus meeting and circulation space; in practice this works out to 15 to 25 m² per employee including everything. Read the worked examples in how many m² of office space you need per employee.
The budget is more than the bare rent. Factor in:
- the rent per m² per year, calculated over the net lettable area (NLA);
- service charges (often 15 to 25 per cent on top of the rent);
- VAT, if you opt for VAT-taxed letting;
- fit-out, relocation, IT and any renovation;
- a deposit or bank guarantee, usually three months' rent plus service charges.
For flex desks and office units, almost everything is included in a single monthly fee; for your own office or unit, you pay these separately. Always compare on total monthly costs.
Step 3: choose the location and check the environment plan
Accessibility for employees and customers carries the most weight: public transport station, motorway, parking. Also look at the labour market in the region and what the neighbourhood conveys. For warehouses and industrial units, distance to motorways and ports, the environmental category of the business park and the scope for expansion also count.
Before you search any further, check whether your activity is permitted at the intended location. Since 2024, this has been set out in the municipality's environment plan (formerly the zoning plan). A property with an "office" designation cannot simply be used as a showroom or workshop. You can read how to check this in checking the zoning plan.
Step 4: searching: platforms, an advisor and a search brief
Supply is spread across owners, investors, agents and flex space providers. A platform that bundles this supply saves you the legwork. On RE-SEARCH you will find office space, commercial space and retail space by city and district, with a map, filters and starting prices where known.
Also leave a search brief. Some of the supply never appears online: properties that will soon become available, owners who prefer to let quietly. An advisor who knows what you are looking for will hear about this first. For tenants, this guidance is free at RE-SEARCH; the landlord pays on a successful match.
Common mistake: falling in love with one property too early and no longer looking at the rest of the market. Keep at least three serious candidates in play until you reach the negotiation.
Step 5: compare on the right features
Set the candidates side by side on the points you cannot change later:
- Floor area under NEN 2580: ask for the measurement report and compare all prices per m² NLA.
- Energy label: label C is mandatory for offices; a better label means lower energy costs and a future-proof building. See energy label and commercial property.
- Delivery condition: shell, shell-plus, move-in ready or turnkey determines how much you need to invest yourself. See delivery levels explained.
- IT and connectivity: fibre, redundant connections, mobile coverage. For many businesses, more important than the flooring.
- Facilities and flexibility: parking, bicycle storage, meeting space, the option to grow or shrink within the building.
- For warehouses and industrial units: clear height, floor loading capacity, number and type of loading docks, power capacity. Use our checklist for renting warehouse space.
Step 6: view the property with a checklist
View the property on a regular working day, preferably twice: once during the day and once at the start or end of the day to see traffic and parking pressure. Bring:
- the floor plan with the NLA per space;
- a list of technical questions: climate control, internet, power, sun shading, access outside office hours;
- questions about the building: who the other tenants are, what maintenance is planned, how old the installations are;
- questions about the contract: delivery condition, who pays for which adjustments, when the space becomes available.
Take photos and note any defects; these will come up again in the delivery report at the start of the tenancy.
Step 7: negotiate on more than just the rent
The rent per m² is the visible part. The real gains in a negotiation are often found elsewhere:
- Rent-free period or a fit-out contribution: common with longer contracts. See rent-free periods for commercial space.
- Term and break option: a longer contract in exchange for a lower price, but with an early termination option. Without a break option, you are committed; see terminating a lease early.
- Indexation: the annual rent increase usually follows the consumer price index; a cap per year is negotiable.
- Service charges: ask for last year's settlement and agree a cap or a fixed fee.
- Delivery condition and condition on departure: agree what the landlord will adjust and in what condition you must hand back the property.
- Expansion or relocation right: the right to move to a larger or smaller space within the building.
For retail space, mandatory rules apply on term and rent review; always have any deviating clause checked.
Step 8: check the contract and arrange the move-in
Almost all Dutch landlords use the ROZ model. Read the special provisions at the back carefully: this is where deviations from the standard model are set out. What to look out for is covered in what to check in a lease agreement and in the ROZ lease agreement explained.
After signing: register the new business address with the Chamber of Commerce (KvK) (see KvK registration and commercial space), take out contents and liability insurance, arrange internet well in advance, and have a delivery report with photos drawn up on handover.
How long does it take to find commercial space?
Measured from the first search to the handover of the keys, expect the following:
- Flex desk or office unit: a few days to two weeks.
- Office space with your own contract: three to six months, longer if renovation is needed.
- Warehouse or logistics space: six to twelve months; suitable supply is scarce and permits take time.
- Retail space: highly dependent on location; in prime locations it can take months before something becomes available.
So start well before the end of your current contract, and take into account the notice period it specifies.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find affordable commercial space?
Look outside the city centre, consider an office unit in a shared business centre or a shared space, and negotiate a rent-free period rather than the price per m². Keep in mind that "cheap" per m² is not always cheap per month if the service charges are high.
Do I need an agent to rent commercial space?
Not required, but advisable for your own lease. An advisor who works for the tenant knows the market prices and the usual incentives. At RE-SEARCH, you pay nothing for this as a tenant.
Can I rent commercial space without a Chamber of Commerce (KvK) registration?
A landlord will almost always want to see a KvK extract. You can register your business at your home address or a virtual office address first and change the establishment address later.
What is the difference between commercial space and office space?
In everyday use, commercial space is the umbrella term for warehouses, storage facilities and workshops, and office space is the space for desk-based work. Legally, both fall under the same tenancy regime (article 7:230a BW), unlike shops and hospitality premises (article 7:290 BW).
Ready to get started? View the available properties by city or leave a search brief; we will search alongside you and guide you all the way to the handover of the keys.
