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Our Services
Occupier Advisory Thinking beyond space
Strategically Advising
We help empower occupiers to drive their business forward.
DeVono is able to support our clients through every part of the real estate journey Our expert team create a tailor-made strategy that informs where your office space needs to be and how it should be designed based on your unique business objectives.
Our team of surveyors, consultants, and designers will develop a workplace brief that ensures your business is fit for today and future-proofed for tomorrow. DeVono considers your company’s values and acknowledges the importance of a workplace on employee motivation, morale, and collaboration.
Our Services
Advisory Services
We take the time to understand our clients’ complex needs before creating a bespoke real estate strategy that is tailored to your business. We consider vital factors such as talent challenges, headcount forecasts, operational priorities, and cost considerations. We also help clients to consider and understand the options around agility and workplace of the future.
Our Services
Building Consultancy
Our team supports clients with the initial due diligence around building and condition surveys as well as providing advice on issues that occur within a buildings fabric during the life of a lease. Having the reassurance of an independent expert delivering advice and guidance around major building issues is incredibly valuable to all of our clients as they review their real estate projects.
Our Services
Acquisition
Our in-depth knowledge of property markets across the UK ensures that DeVono is able to find suitable premises for our client’s businesses. Since 2003, we have been the market leading acquisition specialists across a variety of sectors, developing a forensic level of knowledge in all of our main markets.
Our Services
Lease Consultancy
During the life of a lease, we frequently work with clients to advise them on rent reviews, service charge audits and lease regears. Our team are experts at driving value and delivering real savings through their detailed and tenacious approach to every project.
Our Services
Disposal
For many clients, a change in working practices, business structure or unforeseen growth can lead to space becoming surplus to their needs. We provide a full-service disposal process to help mitigate a client’s occupational liability with honest and straightforward advice on the best approach. Further information is provided below, together with access to our current disposal projects.
Our Services
Dilapidations
The liability that a client can face at end of their lease for the reinstatement of their premises can vary from lease to lease. We have a highly experienced team who are experts in defence of claims made by landlords, regardless of property type, age or condition. We will advise on strategy and budgeting as well as deal with all negotiations through to an acceptable settlement.
The Real Estate Journey
Workplace Consultancy
Like every journey, there is a beginning, middle and end. We help our clients make the best decisions.
Our support is designed to test assumptions to arrive at decisions that enable the delivery of an outcome that addresses the occupational needs of the business. Developing and agreeing a property brief is a critical step that allows us to engage the market so we are able to share the options that meet the brief. As we progress to shortlists of properties and negotiation, we give clear and direct support to make sure all options are considered and property selection is driven by a consistent and clear approach. Once a property is secured, we move to the Lease Commencement phase.
Lease Consultancy
Whether a structural lease event such as a rent review or lease break or whether there’s a more tactical decision to be made about lease regears, extensions, or service charge audits, we make sure the options are fully understood. What can appear to be a relatively small issue can easily develop into a major problem if the right approach isn’t taken. We see ourselves as occupier guardians, passionate about making sure that during the life of our clients leases the best decisions and outcomes are delivered.
Lease End
Whether remaining at the current premises or relocating, we help clients to prepare for and then implement a smooth transition to the next phase of their journey. Our dilapidation and reinstatement advice will ensure an element of preparedness and guidance at this critical time. Regardless of whether a client stays or relocates to new premises at lease end, it is natural that we once again consider the options available and review once more the workplace strategy, and so the process begins again.
Office Disposals
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Occupier Office Disposal
As an office space occupier, you are fully responsible for your lease for the entire length of the term. As a result, if you wish to exit the premises before the end of your lease, you are responsible for the disposal of the office space.
We specialise in the disposal of occupier office space which differs significantly from disposing of a landlord space. While a landlord can afford to wait months, or even years, before letting a commercial space, such space is a diminishing asset for an occupier wishing to exit and the focus must therefore be on liability mitigation.
Occupier disposals fall into three categories, as listed below:
Sub-lease
With a sub-lease you will essentially become the incoming tenant’s landlord and will need to manage the quarterly rental payments and deal with any building-related issues, in the first instance.
Assignment
If you assign your existing lease, an incoming tenant will take over the full liability of the lease, including paying the current rent and taking on the responsibility for dilapidations.
Surrender
The landlord may agree to take back the office space immediately, either for a cash settlement in lieu of loss of rent, or if it is otherwise financially beneficial for them to do so. Alternatively, you can find a new occupier for the office space and if the landlord grants a surrender of the lease, they can simultaneously issue a new lease for the incoming tenant.
DeVono can advise you on the best route out of your current commercial lease and then act as your agent in the disposal of the property.
