COMMERCIAL
PROPERTY
TENANT
HANDBOOK
All you need to know about rentingPage 1
GHA COMMERCIAL – TENANT HANDBOOK
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CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
You should read this document alongside your lease and make sure that you’re familiar with the information in the handbook, as well as any ongoing updates.
You should also keep a copy of the handbook at your premises for your staff to refer to – you can also contact us to request another copy if needed.
You’ll find the handbook on our website: www.gha.org.uk
Our email address for general enquiries is:
commercialproperty@ gha.org.uk
Our postal address is:
Commercial Property,
Granite House, 173 Trongate, Glasgow, G1 5HF
Disclaimer
The terms of the handbook are GHA’s opinion, are not legally binding and tenants cannot rely on these terms, they are for guidance only.
Introduction 1 Rent 2-3 Arrears 4 Before you move in 6-7 Your responsibilities 8-9 Use of the premises 10-11 Services 14 Insurance 15 Fire 16-17 Ending your tenancy 18-19 Contacts 20-21
This handbook is designed
to give you information and
guidance to help you with the
day-to-day running of your
premises.
When do I pay my rent?
The annual rent will be detailed in your lease. Your rent is due monthly in advance from the date of entry and then each calendar month after that. Your rent is payable whether or not an invoice is received. On date of entry you will need to pay us rent in advance, along with the deposit as agreed and any insurance premium due. If a service charge for maintenance is required, this should be paid monthly and Building Insurance payable annually. It is your responsibility to ensure that we receive your payment on time. Under the terms of your lease, the rent is stated as exclusive of VAT. We retain the option to charge VAT on the rent and other financial outgoings at either the commencement of the lease or at any time during your occupancy.
How do I pay my rent?
The most popular way to pay is by Standing Order. We’ll send you a Standing Order form with your lease. Unfortunately, we do not accept cheques as a method of payment.
At a bank
Take your rent account details and your payment to any bank. Please allow at least four working days for processing.
Online
Please visit www.gha.org.uk. Select the ‘make a payment’ option, insert your payment details. Please allow at least two working days for processing.
By phone
Call 0800 479 7979. Payment can be made by Switch, Debit Card, Visa or Mastercard. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In person
Bring your Rent Account details and your payment to our shop at 173 Trongate, G1 5HF. Payment can be made by Debit or Credit Card.
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ARREARS
Your obligations
By signing your lease, you have accepted that the premises and the building are in good and substantive repair at that date. You are obliged to maintain the premises and the building interior going forward.
What happens if I miss a rent payment?
If, for any reason, you miss a rent payment you should contact us immediately.
If you do not contact us or fail to pay your arrears in full, we will take action in line with our arrears policy. This could result in extra costs including interest on the outstanding amount. We’ll put you in touch with someone who deals with arrears who can help you make an agreement to clear the amount due and avoid any further action being taken against you.
What steps do we take to recover arrears?
If you are in arrears at the end of the rental period, we will contact you for payment either in person or by phone, letter or email.
If you fail to engage or make any arrangements to settle, a 14-day notice will be issued
and on the expiry of the notice your lease will automatically terminate. You will be liable for any costs associated with the expense of this service.
If you have received a 14-day notice it becomes even more important that you keep us informed of what your intentions are regarding clearing your arrears. Failure to do so could result in further action being taken against you which could impact upon your credit rating.
Deposit
Prior to the date of entry the deposit must be paid. The deposit will be withheld if there is any breach to the lease agreement.
Housekeeping
You should locate the: a) Water stopcock
b) Mains electricity switch c) Fuse box
d) Gas isolator valve.
You must take meter readings when you take possession of the premises. You are responsible for keeping the premises clean, tidy and in good condition throughout the lease. This includes the following items:
Services – the supply (where applicable) of water, gas and electricity (excluding mains services and meters), repairing or renewing defective water tanks, boilers, cylinders, supply pipes and all faulty valves and radiators
Repairs to and replacement of the internal fabric
of the unit, including woodwork, plasterwork,
electrical wiring circuits and installations, toilet fittings, kitchen fittings including sink unit, base and wall units, cupboards, plumbing and water heating installations and other fixtures and fittings provided by GHA
Repairs or refurbishment which arise through damage or negligence by the tenant
Security, including external door and window locks, door entry systems and burglar alarms, where fitted Keeping the premises in
good decorative order Inspecting, and where
necessary servicing annually, any gas or electricity installations Keys – meeting the cost
of replacement of keys (and locks where keys are lost or stolen)
BEFORE YOU MOVE IN
Electrical installations – fuses and plug tops, all fittings and appliances, replacement bulbs, light fittings and fluorescent tubes and batteries for smoke or other detectors Gas installations – a copy
of the annual gas certificate should be kept on site with a copy sent to us for our records
Sanitary installations – chains and plugs for basin and sink, choked internal pipes and traps
Internal fitting – internal glazing, roller blinds, roller shutters, manual shutters, curtain rails, coat and hat hooks and rails, internal/ external decoration and floor coverings
Pest control – eradication through approved
treatment of all insects, pests and vermin of any kind (excluding woodwork)
Annual testing of electrical circuits
Cleaning – the tenant is responsible for making sure the premises and windows are kept clean and tidy Water system – the tenant
is responsible for the annual testing, cleaning and
chlorination of the water system.
Our responsibilities
We are responsible for maintaining and repairing the external structure (e.g. roof, common stair, gable walls, external drains, etc) of the larger building that your premises are part of. Under the lease you are obliged to contribute towards this cost.
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1. You are responsible for the
security and protection of your own premises. We have issued you with two sets of keys for the premises. You will be responsible for replacing locks if the keys are lost.
2. Planning – the use of the premises will be detailed in your lease. Any use out with the approved class requires Planning Permission (obtained from Glasgow City Council) and our consent in writing. Please make sure that you have planning consent for any internal or external alterations. If you undertake works without consent then you may be subject to a planning enforcement notice.
3. Use – the lease defines the permitted use of the premises. The permitted use specifies those activities,
which may be carried out in the premises.
4. Respect for others – you are required to conduct business in such a way as not to cause any nuisance or inconvenience to fellow tenants or others within the area. In particular, no loudspeakers, television sets, radios or plant and machinery should be used in a way that will be heard outside the premises or cause electrical interference. Tenants must ensure that all activities are carried out in a peaceful and neighbourly manner so as not to cause grievance or nuisance to other tenants. Please report any complaints to 0800 479 7979.
5. Food – you will only be allowed to cook or heat food in areas of the
premises, which have been specifically fitted out for this purpose and approved by the landlord. A hot food licence may also be required from GCC.
6. Storage – there will be no storage of equipment or materials out with the boundaries of the premises without permission from GHA.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
Important
Where applicable, it is your responsibility to ensure that GHA are provided with copies of Annual Gas Safety Certificates and electrical compliance documents as required.
Dos and don’ts
1. Parking areas – you must only use proper defined spaces within the common parking areas for parking of cars or allocated spaces in accordance with your agreement. You must not obstruct access routes or the entrances / exits. 2. Trade waste – you are
responsible for arranging for the collection and disposal of trade waste. Waste containers must not be stored within any building and should be securely locked in a location away from the building.
3. Floor loadings – no parts of the floors, walls, ceilings or structure of the premises are to be loaded or used in any manner which will cause strain or damage to the structural parts of the premises.
4. Litter – you should not allow litter to accumulate at the premises.
5. Smoking – smoking is not permitted by law in the premises. You should ensure that smokers do not congregate near entrances. Cigarette butts and other used smoking materials should be extinguished and put in an appropriate sand box, ashtray or bin.
6. Premises – you are obliged to keep the premises open and trading during all normal business hours. Shutters and grills should be open during trading hours. Your lease may be terminated by us if the premises are closed without our consent.
Improvements
1. Prior to carrying out any alterations to the premises, you must obtain the
landlord’s consent in writing. 2. Planning permission may
or may not be required. It is your responsibility to check whether or not planning permission and/or a building warrant is required. Copies of any building warrants and planning permission must be sent to GHA Commercial Property Team, 177 Trongate, Glasgow G1 5HF
3. Failure to comply with the above can lead to your alterations being removed and the costs involved being recharged to you.
4. At the end of your lease we can request all alterations be removed and all damage to the premises in doing so made good otherwise any authorised alterations will be owned by us.
Asbestos
We will deliver as asbestos register to you at the start of your lease. You are obliged to maintain this and keep the register up to date.
First aid equipment
It is the responsibly of the tenant to provide any first aid equipment required for the premises and provide any training required for staff. No first aid equipment will be provided by us.
Electricity
The premises are metered and you are responsible for the electricity consumption relating to your property. The tenant undertakes to ensure that the accounts for the supply to the accommodation of gas, electricity, water and telephone are entered in his name with the relevant supplier. The tenant agrees to pay promptly all sums that become due for these supplies relative to the period of the tenancy.
The tenant agrees to make the necessary arrangements with the suppliers to settle all accounts for these services on termination of the tenancy. The tenant agrees not to change supplier without the prior written permission of the landlord. The landlord may keep from the deposit any sum the landlord expends or incurs
in settling final accounts for the services at the end of the tenancy.
Sharing occupation of the premises/selling your business
Sharing occupation of the premises is not permitted without our consent.
If you want to assign (transfer) your lease to someone else, or share part of your premises, please put your request in writing either by email or post. Sharing occupation of the premises without our consent is a breach of the lease and could ultimately lead to termination of your lease.
What am I insured for?
We insure all of our buildings under a block
policy. The premium for this is proportionately recharged to you on an annual basis. The present sum insured for the building has been calculated to include the reinstatement of the building, loss of rent and service charge and landlord’s fixtures and fittings.
A copy of the insurance policy and what is covered is available from 0800 479 7979 on request.
The buildings insurance
excludes tenants’ fixtures and fittings, stock and chattels, accidental damage and employers’ liability for staff, contents, public liability and third party liability etc. In the event of any damage, giving rise to a claim, please inform 0800 479 7979
immediately, giving full written
details of the incident in order that the insurers can begin to investigate the loss without delay.
It’s vital that the premises let to you are properly covered for certain risks.
There is a £250 excess on the insurance policy that you are obliged to pay in the event of each and every claim.
These are specified in the lease as being your responsibility:
1. All public liability, contents cover and plate glass cover. 2. You shall be solely liable for all premiums or payments in connection with the property. Please make sure you have proof of your insurance cover as we may ask to see this.
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Fire responsibilities
You should arrange for the regular testing and inspection of your fire systems in the premises including fire evacuation drills.
Fire risk assessment
You must carry out periodic fire risk assessments of the premises.
Designated fire wardens
You should designate members of staff to carry out the duties of Fire Warden and Deputy Fire Warden. The Fire Warden will co-ordinate the training of staff in the fire precautions, action in the event of fire, use of fire appliances, location of emergency exit routes and the evacuation assembly points in accordance with the Fire Regulations.
Deputy Fire Wardens should be trained to carry out the duties of the Fire Wardens in their absence.
A list of Fire Wardens and Deputy Fire Wardens should be displayed near fire alarms and appliances.
Fire alarm
The fire alarm, where fitted, is usually activated by the break glass call points within the premises. An alarm will operate throughout the building.
A weekly test of the fire alarm must be carried out by a Fire Warden at a set time each week. If the alarm is activated outwith this set time, the fire brigade should be called immediately.
Evacuation
In the event of a fire, the safety of staff and the public is paramount. Don’t forget, a fire may be discovered by a member of the public as well as a member of staff.
It is crucial that information is communicated quickly and accurately to designated fire wardens or their deputies.
Fire certificate
It is your responsibility to apply for and keep a copy of the Fire Certificate on site. It is also a statutory requirement. Alterations to the Certificate can only be made by the authorised Fire Authority after formal application on approval of the proposals.
It is your responsibility to apply, if applicable, for any amendments throughout the period of the lease agreement. The regular testing,
maintenance and inspection of the equipment and
installations together with all records of tests, fire drills and events are recorded by the relevant contractor in the Fire Log Book held by the tenant.
What do I need to do to end my lease?
Your lease does not
automatically end at the date of termination. To end your lease you must send a written request (by email or post) of termination at least 40 clear days prior to the date your lease will expire. The lease details how this notice should be served and you should contact a solicitor for advice before serving the notice.
What do I need to do before I move out of my premises?
One of our team will visit the premises. You’ll be required to be up-to-date with:
1. Rent
2. Service charge – if applicable 3. Insurance premiums
4. Non-domestic business rates
5. Electricity, gas and water charges.
If you have a problem regarding any outstanding sums and their repayment, then please discuss this with our team on 0800 479 7979. At the termination date you will be required to:
1. Remove all your possessions from the premises
2. Leave the premises in a clean and tidy state of repair. If we need to arrange to clear and clean you will be re-charged that cost 3. Leave all alterations and
fixtures intact or remove all alternations and make good all damage
4. Keep the premises insured up to the date of termination
5. Keep the premises heated up to the date of termination
6. Supply a copy of the most recent electricity/gas/water invoice to assist in a smooth transition
7. Return all keys and fobs to us with a note of any alarm codes
8. Arrange for the termination of your service contracts 9. Arrange with the postal
service for a forwarding address for your mail.
Please also supply these details for our records.
ENDING YOUR TENANCY
Contact details
are available on
the back page of
this booklet
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Need to get in touch
24hr contact number 0800 479 7979
24hr email: commercialproperty@gha.org.uk
Additional contacts Useful contacts
Police, Ambulance and Fire 999
Gas leaks 0800 111 999
Electricity power loss 0845 272 7999
Water and wastewater services 0845 600 8855
Structural repairs 0800 479 7979
Insurance claims 0800 479 7979
Legal department 0800 479 7979
Planning department 0141 287 8555
City assessor (rateable valuations) 0141 287 1111
Accounts 0800 479 7979
Vacant properties 0800 479 7979
Health and Safety Executive 0141 275 3000
Financial services 0141 287 7333
NOTES
USEFUL CONTACT DETAILS
Telephone: 0800 479 7979
Visit: www.gha.org.uk/commercial Email: commercialproperty@gha.org.uk
The Glasgow Housing Association Limited is a not-for-profit housing association and a registered society under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014 with registration number 2572R(S). It is also recognised by HM Revenue and Customs as a Scottish Charity (SC034054) and is registered with the Scottish Housing Regulator under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 as a registered social landlord (no.317). VAT registration no. 135 5317 26. Registered office: Wheatley House, 25 Cochrane Street, Glasgow, G1 1HL. Printed on 100% recycled paper.
