Tips for Finding the Right Office Space in Dubai

1. Determine Your Budget

Sticking to your budget is important when renting a commercial property in Dubai. You should know what amount you are ready to invest in office space. That will help you find the right location since you will look for places that are within your budget and won't waste your time at places that are beyond your budget. Expenses can include office furniture, ongoing costs such as utilities, and equipment. If you find yourself under a tight budget, a couple of options you could consider are:

Subletting – this is where you rent out a space from another company. This option is cost-effective. However, the disadvantage of this option is the lack of control of the space and if there is business growth, you would need to find another premise. You will also need to ensure that the company is allowed to sublet.

Co-op – this is where several businesses rent out a large office and share common facilities such as the kitchen, meeting rooms and reception area. Renting out a large office with extended facilities can be extremely beneficial such as renting out a space with complementary businesses. Business owners can consider partnering with advertising or IT firm in order to increase business efficiency.

2. Space

If you’re hoping for growth, then make sure you have enough space for that to happen. You can’t keep moving every time you hire a new employee and this proves a problem if you signed a lease for several years.

3. Choose the Right Location

When you have already decided to set up your business in Dubai and for that, you have started searching for the right location for your office space. The location of an office should be the base of your decisionmaking and consideration as to whether the location of the office is convenient for your employees should be a priority. A long drive or an inconvenient location may push away your key employees to choose to work elsewhere. Alongside your team, an emphasis should be on the clients to ensure that they can reach your location with ease. It is important to keep in mind the cost-benefit analysis of price versus location.

One thing that is of utmost importance is that your office space if the face of your business. It must reflect and fit your business model in order to bring success and more business.

4. Determine the Size of the Office Space

It’s essential to have workrooms with enough free space for people to move and access their work areas with ease. It’s also essential for everyone’s health, safety and welfare that every room has sufficient height, floor space and unoccupied space. On average, work areas should be at least 120 square feet per employee — possibly more, depending on the employee type and office layout.

Following these four steps to assess your office space needs accurately.

Step 1: Assess your current employment situation when evaluating office space needs.

Step 2: Look at your growth plans when evaluating office space needs.

Step 3: Determine an ideal layout for your office space.

Step 3: Factor in other variables when evaluating office space needs.

5. Evaluate the Building's Security

6. Check the Accessibility and Parking Availability

In Dubai, parking can be an issue in commercial zones. For your business to run as effectively as possible your clients should have a pleasant experience when visiting you and therefore parking availability at the proposed location is vital. Many employers tend to forget this key point and they therefore suffer a loss of business. If there is a lack of parking, then perhaps neighboring parking lots should be kept in mind that can host employees and clients.

7. Consider the Commute for Your Employees

Is the office located in an area served by good road networks and public transport? Is it convenient for you, your staff and clients, and courier collection and deliveries? An office that is easy to access by road, public transport, and on foot can

have a significant impact on your own work life and that of your staff, as well as your customers’ ability to reach your business. It can also affect the pool of potential employees available to you in the future.

8. Understand the Lease Terms and Negotiate Accordingly

Following the selection of office space in Dubai, lease agreements should be negotiated between the tenant and the owner. Office space contracts vary depending on the type of property, building management company and your business needs. So it’s important to know exactly what your agreement includes. The following information should be presented to the Ejari to obtain approval.

 Original signed contract receipt for security deposit payment

 Copy of the tenant’s passport

 A copy of the tenant’s residence visa

 Copy of the tenant’s Emirates ID

If all of the documents are present, a fee must be paid to the Ejari for the documents to be registered.

9. Hire a Professional Real Estate Agent

There are plenty of legal procedures that have to be cleared while renting an office space in Dubai, UAE. Hence make sure you take professional help in the entire process. Moreover, real estate agents and consultants are well-aware about property prices and market trends and can be of great help in finding the right office space in Dubai for you at the right cost too.

10. Consider Future Growth

Business owners should analyze the office space and consider whether it is flexible enough to be expanded. When entering a lease, you are essentially fastening your business to that space. Over time, companies can change and many factors may change the space requirements.