Before You Sign Any Office Lease in Bengaluru — Read This Checklist

Most founders sign an office lease and discover the problems at month 18. The power trips when everyone shows up. The Wi-Fi dies in the corner conference room. The floor is 30°C by noon in May.

None of it had to happen. Every one of these problems could have been identified — and avoided — in a 2-hour pre-lease review before signing.

Here are the 10 things to verify before you commit to any commercial office space in Bengaluru.

The 10-Point Pre-Lease Infrastructure Checklist

• 1

  What is the sanctioned power load for this floor?

  Ask for the exact kVA available. For a 50-person office you need a minimum of 30–40 kVA. If the building can't confirm this number, walk away or get it checked independently.

• 2

  Is there a dedicated electrical panel (DB) for this floor?

  You need your own distribution board — not shared with other tenants. Shared panels mean your power is affected when others trip circuits.

• 3

  What is the HVAC capacity and how is it zoned?

  Ask for the tonnage. Verify it supports 1 TR per 90 sqft for your headcount. Ask if it's centralised (less flexible) or VRF (preferred). A west-facing floor needs more capacity.

• 4

  Is there a fresh air intake or is air recirculated?

  This is the question 90% of founders never ask. Most buildings recirculate indoor air. Fresh air AHU with CO₂ monitoring is the standard you need. Ask specifically — don't assume.

• 5

  What network infrastructure exists in the building?

  Is there a building-level fibre entry point? Is there an IDF room or telecom room on your floor? Can you run your own cabling? What ISPs serve the building?

• 6

  What is the backup power situation?

  Does the building have a generator? What percentage of load does it cover — full load or only common areas? What is the switchover time? Bengaluru power cuts still happen.

• 7

  What is the floor-to-ceiling height?

  You need minimum 10 feet clear height after the false ceiling. Less than this limits HVAC duct sizing, lighting options, and makes the space feel cramped. Ask for slab-to-slab height.

• 8

  Are there restrictions on fit-out work?

  Some buildings restrict what you can do — no core drilling, no modifications to HVAC, no running new cabling. Know this before signing. It may fundamentally limit your fit-out.

• 9

  What is the floor orientation?

  West and south-facing floors get significantly more heat load in Bengaluru's summer. This affects HVAC sizing, energy costs, and team comfort. It's not a dealbreaker — but it needs to be planned for.

• 10

  Get a written infrastructure assessment before signing

  Don't rely on verbal answers. Get a written report from a qualified infrastructure company confirming the space can support your team. RC Workspace does this for free — before you sign anything.

The honest truth about pre-lease reviews

Most founders skip this because they're excited about the space, the broker is pushing for a quick decision, and nobody told them this review existed.

We've done this review for teams that discovered the building had 40% less power than they needed. Teams that found out the HVAC couldn't support their headcount. Teams that avoided a ₹12 lakh mistake because they asked the right questions 48 hours before signing.

The review takes 2 hours. The report takes 48 hours. It costs nothing. The alternative costs ₹9–18 lakh and 3 weeks of disruption — at month 18, when your team has grown and the office can't keep up.