Commercial mortgage holders 'should offer adaptable offices'

07 March 2011

Written by David Whittaker

Commercial mortgage holders may need to ensure the properties they supply are adaptable for different business needs, as one expert has suggested this is one of the factors potential tenants are looking for.

Richard Kauntze, chief executive officer for the British Council for Offices (BCO), explained open plan designs may be sought after, particularly by smaller companies.

"It is environmentally more friendly, because generally air-conditioning systems work much better in open plan," he explained.

"Less formal space [and] flexibility is crucial. You have got to be able to adapt to your changing business needs," he added.

The expert also noted that large companies need a workplace, which they can make bigger or smaller according to their requirements.

Simplicity and adaptability are important in this arena, he stated, while subletting should be considered by landlords leasing to sizeable firms.

The BCO participated in a debate in December last year about the future of offices compared with virtual workplaces, in which it argued that face-to-face interaction is important to businesses.

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