Editorial responsibility: Emmanuel DeGiovanni. Updated 31 October 2026.
These examples show how to compare responsibility for office costs. They are hypothetical calculations, not Malta market quotations, actual transactions or model contract clauses. Use the agreement’s itemised terms rather than assuming that an international lease label has a fixed meaning in Malta.
Example 1: the same rent, different inclusions
Assume two offers each quote €2,000 per month in base rent. Offer A includes the specified common-area costs. Offer B adds an assumed €200 monthly service charge and €100 for separately charged parking. On these inputs, the compared subtotal is €2,000 for A and €2,300 for B.
Neither subtotal is a complete occupancy budget. Add any applicable non-recoverable tax, utilities, connectivity, furniture, insurance, works and other exclusions. Confirm whether A includes parking at all: an omission is not a saving when the team requires it.
Example 2: a variable service charge
Assume the proposed budget is €150 per month for twelve months, so advance payments total €1,800. If the tenant’s share of actual permitted costs is €2,100, the arithmetic difference is €300. Whether and when that balance is payable depends on the agreed reconciliation provisions.
Request the allocation basis, included categories, supporting statements, exclusions, any agreed cap and the process for questions or corrections. A budget is not necessarily a fixed maximum. The same review matters where an offer uses “CAM”, “net” or “pass-through” language.
Example 3: fit-out changes the comparison
Assume Option A requires €12,000 in tenant works and Option B requires €3,000. Spread over a chosen 36-month planning horizon, these inputs add approximately €333 and €83 per month respectively. This is an internal budgeting allocation, not an accounting treatment or a contractual payment schedule.
Check whether the business can actually occupy for that horizon. Model cash needed upfront, responsibility for overruns, remaining obligations if you leave earlier and possible reinstatement costs. A rent concession does not automatically fund the whole fit-out or cover service charges.
Example 4: an earlier departure
Assume the business would prefer to move after 18 months, while the proposed agreement states a 36-month term. Do not budget only for 18 months unless the reviewed contract gives an effective route to leave on that basis. Ask your adviser to test the proposed break, notice, conditions, continuing payments and guarantee release. The duration and break guide provides a worksheet for those questions.
Build a comparison from the actual offers
- Use the same charging period and distinguish recurring costs from upfront cash.
- List known costs, estimates and unresolved exclusions separately.
- Model the intended occupation period and an earlier-move scenario.
- Record each responsibility, evidence source, review date and person resolving unknowns.
The glossary explains terminology. Use the agreement checklist for contract review and the property comparison guide when choosing between viable premises.
Contact OfficeSpace.Rent with the actual offers and your office brief. Have the tax, legal and accounting implications confirmed by the relevant advisers.
