Editorial responsibility: Emmanuel DeGiovanni. Updated 31 October 2026.
A furnished office is offered with an agreed set of furniture or equipment. It may be a conventional lease, a serviced suite or a managed arrangement. Furniture does not establish which services are included or how easily you can leave. This guide combines the furnished-office explanation with a practical inspection and handover checklist.
Confirm what “furnished” means for this unit
Request the inventory before comparing offers. Identify desks, chairs, storage, meeting furniture, kitchen equipment, appliances and any network or audiovisual equipment separately. Record the owner, condition and who replaces or repairs each item. Distinguish items included in the agreement from equipment merely shown in the photographs.
For a serviced office, also obtain the service inclusion schedule. In a furnished conventional office, confirm who arranges connectivity, utilities, cleaning, maintenance, insurance and any remaining fit-out. “Fitted”, “furnished” and “plug-and-play” descriptions need supporting details rather than assumptions.
Before signing: inspect the working layout
- Check the actual suite, floor plan and office-area basis; identify terraces, parking and shared areas separately.
- Test whether the furniture supports peak attendance, meeting rooms, storage and circulation.
- Inspect chairs, work surfaces, storage and equipment, and record defects with permission.
- Check noise, light, cooling, access, lifts and facilities at the times the team will use them.
- Identify any specialist inspection, alterations or approvals still required.
Approximately 10–12 m² of office space per person is an initial search allowance, subject to the final layout. Divide relevant office area by 12 and by 10 for an indicative desk range, rounded to whole desks. Exclude parking, terraces and other non-office areas, and confirm the area basis before relying on the estimate. A desk count in a photograph does not establish an approved occupancy limit.
Check connectivity and readiness separately
Ask which connection and provider are available, whether installation or transfer is needed and who is responsible for it. Inspect cabling and equipment requirements with your IT contact. Confirm network security, shared or dedicated bandwidth, access control and any backup arrangements relevant to the business.
Record outstanding works, furniture replacements, cleaning and equipment tests, with an owner and agreed completion date. An advertised availability date is not confirmation that your team can operate there.
Costs and responsibilities to put in writing
- Base rent or package charge, charging period, applicable taxes and all mandatory additions.
- Which furniture and services are included and how additional items are charged.
- Maintenance, repairs, accidental damage, replacement and insurance responsibilities.
- Deposit or guarantee, evidence for deductions and the return or release process.
- Alteration consents, permitted use, access rights and any business-address requirements.
- Term, breaks, notice, renewals and the condition required at handback.
Compare actual offers using the cost worksheet and have your adviser review the agreement and schedules together.
Copy this handover record
Complete it for the actual premises; it is a blank record, not a promised move-in timetable.
- Reference and date: unit, representative and people attending.
- Inventory: item, quantity, condition and agreed photograph reference.
- Outstanding items: defect or work, responsible person, required evidence and agreed completion date.
- Access: keys, cards, visitor procedures, permitted hours and delivery arrangements.
- Services: connectivity, meters or accounts, cooling, cleaning and support contacts as applicable.
- Acceptance and follow-up: note what remains unresolved and retain the agreed record with the signed documents.
Agree how unresolved defects and delays will be handled before treating handover as complete. Retain the condition record for later maintenance and handback discussions.
Prepare for your search
Use the desk-based search guides to refine your team brief and the viewing checklist to plan inspections. Contact OfficeSpace.Rent with your requirements, existing equipment and the setup work you want to avoid.
