The First-Office Checklist: 12 Things Startups Forget Before Signing

Before you fall for the café

Every founder tours the space; few read the agreement. These twelve items decide whether your office is an asset or a liability.

1. Lock-in period — push for 3 months on flexi, 6 on cabins. Walk away from 12-month lock-ins on small teams.
2. Notice period — 1 month is standard; 2+ months on a 10-seat commitment is a red flag.
3. Escalation — annual increases should be capped at 5–8%, in writing.
4. Deposit terms — refund timeline (should be ≤30 days post-exit) and deduction conditions.
5. Meeting-room credits — hours included, rollover policy, overage rate.
6. After-hours & weekend access — included or billed?
7. Seat reshuffling rights — can the operator move you? With what notice?
8. Expansion right of first refusal — get adjacency guarantees if you're growing.
9. Parking allocation and cost per slot.
10. IT policy — static IP availability, guest Wi-Fi, firewall constraints for fintech compliance.
11. Branding — can you put your logo at your suite entrance?
12. Exit condition — "reasonable wear and tear" should be explicitly excluded from deductions.

Get leverage for free

Amadhi negotiates these clauses daily and knows each operator's real flexibility. Start with a shortlist — advice costs nothing.