Looking for your business’ rental space can be stressful as you have to plan according to your immediate business while accommodating growth. You might easily neglect your security needs, which is why you need to address security concerns before signing anything. We will help you come up with the right questions you can ask so that you secure safe office space.
When choosing rental office space, you might only be concerned about the price and the area offered. Security is another factor that you must prioritize as you need to work in a space where your clients, employees’ information and equipment will be safe. It can be challenging to determine if an office space is secure while viewing it. For this reason, you need to gain more information before committing to anything.
Preparing security questions when viewing office space you would like to rent is essential as it will be able to help you in making an informed decision that accommodates all your needs. Though the rental process can be stressful and challenging, the following questions will make the process a little bit easier for you.
- Is The Location Safe?
This is the first question that you should ask as having offices in an unsafe area could cost you a lot later on. Firstly, your clients might feel uncomfortable when you have meetings in your offices. Secondly, you will likely experience break-ins or attract criminals who will look for the opportunity to steal from you. It would be beneficial if you never compromised on an unsafe location regardless of how cheap it is.
- Who Used The Office Space Previously?
It is not unheard of for property leases to end due to bad terms. For this reason, you should ask why the person who used the office space previously chose to do so. Maybe the reasons for doing so might have been security-related, and you would have to deal with those issues. It could save you from any danger and problems you would have to deal with in the future.
- Are You Able To Have Full Privacy In Private Spaces?
Before you choose to rent an office space, whether it is in an office park or building, you should find out how many tenants you will have to share the area with. This could pose many issues in the future. For example, if you shared office space with a direct competitor in a building. There could be security issues that could arise. You would need to be extra careful about storing client information as if it were to get in the competitor’s hands. It could negatively impact your business.
- Which Security Measures Do You Take To Guarantee My Personal Security?
Since crime is such a massive issue in this country, you need an office space with excellent security measures. You should find out which security measures they have in place already, such as whether or not they have a security guard, and whether or not they have an alarm system installed. You could also find out if there are people who patrol the building or office and how access control is handled, especially after hours for staff who want to work late.
- Are There More Security Measures I Should Take To Stay Safe?
Once you find out what the existing security measures are, it would be beneficial for you to find other security measures to take. The landlord will advise you on this matter as they know what kind of security risks the building or office usually experiences. This could include safety advice that they think that you should consider.
- Does The Office Space Meet With Fire Regulations?
Landlords for office spaces need to provide you with a space that meets fire safety standards. An area that meets those standards will be able to keep you and your employees safe. The landlord should inform you of any fire hazards, such as any electrical faults that the space has, and if there are any, you are allowed to ask that they are reduced or removed altogether. Note if there are any fire extinguishers and how many they are as you will need them as well as smoke detectors that will detect the fires in the first place.
Conclusion
The process of deciding on the right office space for you can be daunting and time-consuming. The questions listed in this article will ensure that you choose an office that will cover your security needs and that you will have one less thing to worry about.
See How to Secure Your Business: 6 Business Security Maintenance Items to Run for the New Year Ahead!
