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Basics you must know about a Modified Gross Lease

A Modified Gross Lease is a type of lease agreement that is commonly used in commercial real estate for office space. It is a hybrid between a Full Service lease and a Triple Net lease, which allows for some flexibility in terms of which party is responsible for certain expenses associated with the property. In a Modified Gross Lease, the Landlord and Tenant share some of the costs associated with the property, while others are the sole responsibility of one party or the other. 

The Tenant’s rents include paying the base rent and the budget expenses including taxes, maintenance, and other operating expenses. The Tenant is responsible for their own electricity and their janitorial cleaning services. Tenants may receive an invoice for their proportionate share (based on their square footage) based on the Landlord’s reconciliation of their annual budget which surpassed the Tenant’s Base Year or expense stop. The Tenant is responsible to pay any increase in those expenses above the Expense Stop amount. These overages should be nominal since these expenses are budgeted by the Landlord. 

The specific terms of a Modified Gross Lease can vary, but generally speaking, the Landlord will be responsible for paying certain expenses related to the property, such as property taxes, insurance, and maintenance. Meanwhile, the Tenant will be responsible for paying for certain utilities, such as electricity and water, as well as any expenses related to their specific use of the property, such as cleaning, HVAC repairs, plumbing within their Suite etc.

Advantages of Modified Gross Lease for Tenants

Flexibility in terms of which party is responsible for certain expenses can be a great advantage for Tenants who may not have the financial resources to pay for all of the expenses associated with a property on their own. By sharing some of these costs with the Landlord, Tenants can reduce their overall expenses and potentially afford a property that would otherwise be out of reach.

Minimize disputes between Landlords and Tenants by clearly defining which expenses are the responsibility of each party, there is less room for misunderstandings or disagreements. This can help to create a more positive and productive relationship between the Landlord and Tenant, which can be beneficial for both parties in the long run.

Disadvantages of Modified Gross Lease for Tenants

There are also some potential drawbacks to a modified gross lease. Monthly office expenses can fluctuate because the Tenant is paying utilities directly. An issue arises when you have fluctuating utilities so you must make sure they have a buffer in their budget when budgeting expenses because the cost can vary each month.

 

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The Most Common Types of Commercial Real Estate Leases: Full Service, Modified Gross and Triple Net

In commercial real estate, there are typically three different types of leases structures. Knowing the characteristics ensure you know what to financially expect and budget for with your monthly office rent. In Tampa Bay, a particular type of lease structure parallels with a different type of space and location.

Two main items to consider, location and type of buildings.

For example, if you are leasing office space in the Tampa in a large building in Westshore or Downtown Tampa, nine times out of ten you have a Full Service office lease. Compared to if you are leasing office space in Carrollwood you would come across more Modified Gross or Full Services leases.

The type of building can also play a role but there are exceptions. If you relocate your office to a different type of building (from a multi-story office building to a single-story building) the kind of lease structure can vary.

What is the Difference between Full Service (FS), Modified Gross (MG) and Triple Net (NNN) Leases?

In commercial leases there are three typical types of leases that can be negotiated between a tenant and a landlord: “Full Service Gross” (FSG), “Modified Gross” (MG) and “Triple Net” (NNN). In some cities, one type of lease may be more prevalent than the others. In general, full service usually applies to a multiple story office building, MG single story office space or warehouse and NNN applies to retail space. Usually, the differences between the three lease types relates to how (and by whom) the “triple net” costs (taxes, insurance and common area maintenance (CAM)) are dealt with.

Full Service:

In an FS lease, the triple net costs and any additional costs such as utilities and janitorial, but excluding the costs of phone/data, are bundled into the base rent. FSG leases provide the tenant with the highest level of certainty regarding their complete occupancy cost; however, the downside is that the annual escalator will increase the base rate of the lease regardless of any real fluctuations in the operating expenses.

Modified Gross:

An MG lease typically includes all the triple net costs but excludes utilities and/or janitorial service. An MG lease has similar advantages/disadvantages to a FSG lease; i.e. taxes, insurance and CAM are typically bundled into the base lease rate. A unique disadvantage is that the tenant will have two additional variable costs to consider: utilities and janitorial. It is important to note that a modified gross lease can be “modified” to include or exclude any individual expense within the base rate “bundle.”

Triple Net:

In an NNN lease, the tenant is responsible for their pro-rated share of the “triple net costs”: taxes, insurance and CAM; in addition, the tenant is also responsible for utilities and janitorial. The primary advantage to an NNN lease is transparency; all of the building’s operating costs are available for the tenant’s review. The primary disadvantage is that the triple net costs are not guaranteed in the Lease and are subject to increase or decrease, increasing is much more typical.