[Blue Frog Systems]

Hi guys, am a window cleaner but thought some of you guys may be able to give me some tips / hints

Am considering starting a new business to run along side my window cleaning round.

I will need to rent a unit for the new business and wondered if anyone had any advice for me at all .... things to look out for / mistakes made ?

[Mike Halliday]

what will you use it for? just storage ?

I've just given mine up as it was costing more than it made, although I shared it with another company so the cost were halved.

if it your only premises then you will get 100% rate relief (as long as its not huge)

if possible try and get one close to home, you don't want to spend all your time travelling back & forth

[John Kelly]

Lots of ifs and buts there I'm afraid.
Will customers be coming to you? or is it just to store work on stuff. The former than appearance is important and getting somewhere which is well manged and kept spik and span can make a big difference.
Depending where you are the way the economy is at the moment should mean a lot of easy in easy out deals available. When you take on commercial premises you sign a lease for a set period of time. Anything from 1 month upwards. Once you sign that lease you are liable for the rent and any upkeep conditions for the period of the lease. With easy in easy out they are usually just 3 months rolling leases with a months notice either way. Don't forget you'll also have business rates on top. You could also look at renting spare space in an existing business where you just pay them a monthly rent for the area you are using and don't have to worry about rates, electricity etc.

[Blue Frog Systems]

Thanks for the advice guys... its a bit up in the air at the moment as i havent really gone into the nitty gritty, just wanted to get an idea of things to think about / look out for

Customers will be coming to the unit and initially it will be myself running it on my own in the short term

[Paul Clapham]

Read all the small print in the lease, make sure YOU are not personally guaranteeing the rent, for example , if you sign a 3 year lease and the rent is £500 per month and after 1 year your business goes broke YOU will still have to pay the rent on the rest of the lease.

Try to look for a unit on an enterprise center run by the local council with short term, rolling rent contracts, easy in //easy out .

[Susan Dean (1stclean)]

bugger renting one just buy one its cheaper and at the min there cheap as chips

[Steve Chapman]

Think you'll find they are cheap as chips as so many start up businesses are going bust 

Also if you buy one and find the business is not for you, it'll be extremely hard to get rid of again, unless you sell even cheaper than what you bought it for.

Renting is the best way to go without committing yourself to much.

If your still going in a years time then think about buying, we'll probably still be in a recession 

Steve