Office tenant representation means having a licensed commercial real estate advisor act exclusively for you, the tenant, through the full cycle of an office space decision: strategy, search, shortlisting, financial analysis, negotiation, and lease execution. In Toronto's market, the landlord typically funds the commission, so most tenants get this representation at no direct cost.
Who this is for
Office occupiers in Toronto and the GTA, especially financial services and technology companies, facing a lease expiry, headcount change, first HQ lease, consolidation, or a move downtown or to the suburbs. Engagements typically begin 12 to 18 months before lease expiry for mid-size requirements.
The process
- Needs analysis: headcount plans, hybrid policy, budget, location criteria, growth and exit flexibility.
- Market survey: every qualifying option, on-market, off-market, and sublease, across the relevant submarkets.
- Shortlist and tours: structured comparison of buildings, landlords, and total occupancy costs.
- Financial analysis: apples-to-apples net effective rent modelling, including free rent, tenant improvement allowances, and operating cost exposure.
- Negotiation: competitive tension across multiple options, the tenant's single biggest source of leverage.
- Lease review and execution: business terms negotiated alongside your legal counsel through to signing, and beyond into occupancy.
What it costs and who pays
In virtually all Toronto office transactions the landlord pays the leasing commission, shared between the landlord's and tenant's brokers. Tenants get professional representation without a separate fee in most cases. Where an engagement falls outside that structure, fees are agreed transparently up front.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I need a tenant rep broker for a small office lease in Toronto?
- Even for offices under 5,000 square feet, a tenant rep broker typically saves more than they cost. The landlord usually pays the commission, and unrepresented tenants routinely miss free rent, improvement allowances, and flexibility rights that are standard for represented tenants.
- When should we start looking for office space before our lease expires?
- For most Toronto office tenants, start 12 to 18 months before expiry; large or complex requirements should start 18 to 24 months out. Starting early preserves your leverage to credibly pursue alternatives.
- Can you help with office subleases in Toronto?
- Yes, both finding sublease space (often at a significant discount to direct space) and disposing of surplus space on your own lease.
Your lease expiry is closer than it looks.
The best outcomes start 12 to 24 months out. A first conversation costs nothing and preserves your leverage.
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