Make good in North Sydney: a guide for office suite tenants

North Sydney's commercial centre runs along Miller Street, Walker Street, Berry Street and the Pacific Highway, around North Sydney and Victoria Cross stations. It is mostly office space, from towers with whole-floor tenants to buildings split into small suites for professional-services and other smaller businesses. The nearby centres of St Leonards and Crows Nest have a similar mix.

That means most make goods here are office suite jobs. They are smaller than a CBD floor, but the same questions apply: what does the lease ask for, what was there when you moved in, and who has to approve the work?

General information only, not legal advice. Get advice from a property lawyer about your own lease.

What does a North Sydney office make good usually involve?

For a typical suite, the scope often includes:

Whether you have to remove the fit-out at all depends on your clause. Some leases only ask you to clean and repair; others ask you to strip back to the base building. See what is make good for the three common clause types.

Does a strata office building change the make good?

It can. Some North Sydney office buildings are strata titled, which means individual suites are owned separately and the building is run by an owners corporation. Your landlord owns your suite, but the building's by-laws may control works that affect common property or shared services such as fire systems, air-conditioning and risers. Ask your landlord or agent:

• whether the building is strata titled or managed by a single owner
• whether contractors need an induction or approval from the strata or building manager
• when noisy work and lift use are allowed
• who can touch fire services and air-conditioning

Getting these answers before you request quotes avoids variations later.

Why does the start-of-lease condition report matter so much?

On a small suite, the argument is usually about wear: marked walls, stained carpet, chipped ceiling tiles. Make good usually excludes fair wear and tear, but you may need evidence of what the suite looked like when you moved in.

The NSW Small Business Commission's retail lease guidance suggests considering an inspection or condition report, including photos, signed by both parties before the tenant takes possession, and referring to it at the end of the lease. It is good practice for office leases too. Look for that report, the agent's ingoing photos, and any emails about the suite's condition. Our guide to schedules of condition explains how to use them.

What safety checks apply?

Even a small make good can disturb hidden materials. SafeWork NSW says an asbestos register is required for workplaces built before 31 December 2003, or where asbestos has been found. Many older North Sydney office buildings were built before then, so ask the building manager for the register before ceilings, floor coverings or wall linings are removed. Any electrical disconnection must be done by a licensed electrician.

If you are unsure whether internal works need approval, ask your contractor, a building certifier or North Sydney Council.

How do I keep a small make good from costing more than it should?

1. Read the clause first. Don't pay to remove what the lease doesn't require you to remove.
2. Ask the landlord what they want. If the next tenant would use your partitions or kitchen, the landlord may let them stay, but get that in writing.
3. Write one scope and ask each contractor to quote on it, item by item.
4. Check the fixed costs. Inductions, after-hours rates, waste bins and minimum call-out charges matter more on small jobs.
5. Consider cash in lieu. The NSW Small Business Commission notes tenants often agree to pay the landlord instead of doing the works. Compare the amount against your quotes. See payment in lieu of make good.
6. Get written sign-off before you hand back the keys, so your bank guarantee or bond can be released.

How MAKE GREAT helps North Sydney tenants

• Analyse my lease: upload your lease and our lease check summarises the make-good, alterations and security clauses in plain English, and flags what to ask the landlord. It is preliminary and not legal advice; a person on our team reviews it, and a contractor checks the suite on site.
• Get my make-good quotes: we turn your lease, floor plan and photos into a written scope, and invite contractors who have passed our checks (ABN, insurance and licences) to quote on it.
• You choose and contract directly with the contractor. MAKE GREAT is a marketplace, not a contractor. It is free for tenants: if you hire a contractor through us, they pay us a referral fee. Nobody can pay to rank higher.

See also: make good in Sydney, Sydney CBD and office make good in Sydney.