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The office market has changed. With the rise of hybrid working, the rise of distributed teams, and the explosion in demand for flexible spaces, businesses no longer want to commit to a 3-6-9 lease for space that they don't know if they'll need in three years.
And yet, many owners continue to offer their spaces in the same format as twenty years ago. Result: Vacancy rates that are rising, negotiations that drag on, and premises that remain empty for months between two takers.
There is another approach that is more modern, more agile, and perfectly framed by French law: the services agreement. If you are an office owner and are looking to fill your spaces faster, better, and with more freedom, this article is for you.
The classic commercial lease: solid, but increasingly rigid
The commercial lease, governed by the articles L145-1 and following of the Commercial Code, remains the mainstay of tertiary real estate in France. It offers great legal security to both parties: minimum term of 9 years, right to renewal for the tenant, strict supervision of rent and charges.
But what makes it solid is also what makes it unsuitable for a market that requires flexibility:
- Long commitment period (3-6-9): few companies want to project themselves over 9 years, especially startups, growing SMEs or teams in project mode.
- Extended rental vacancy : between marketing, visits, lease negotiations and development work, there may be 6 to 12 months before a new tenant enters the premises.
- Rigidity of conditions : supervised rent review, right to tenant renewal, eviction benefits in case of non-renewal... The owner has little leeway to adapt to changes in the market.
These constraints were not a problem when companies signed for 10 years and filled their trays from Monday to Friday. (Did this era really already exist?) But that world no longer exists for many sectors.
Service agreement: another model, designed for the current market
What exactly are we talking about?
The contract for the services agreement is governed by the Civil code (items) 1710 and following, relating to the rental of works). Its principle is simple: rather than renting a bare space to a company, you offer it a global service with equipped workstations, internet, meeting rooms, reception, ....
The occupier does not have the enjoyment of real estate. He is accessing a service. This distinction has a major consequence: the contract falls entirely out of the status of commercial leases. And that's where everything changes for you.
What changes concretely for an owner
You set your prices freely. You price according to the value of the service you offer, including the location, the quality of the spaces, the level of equipment and of course, the services included.
You remain in control of your premises. The contract ends under the conditions you have defined. You can adjust your offer, change the spaces, and welcome a new service provider overnight.
You are drastically reducing the vacancy. By offering flexible formulas, you considerably broaden your target audience. A startup of 15 people that doesn't dare sign a 9-year lease? They sign a service contract for 12 months.
You are diversifying your income. Instead of a single fixed rent, you can offer value-added services: domiciliation, events, video conference rooms, parking, catering.
💡 Sora advice: For your contract to be legally solid, it must be written like a real service contract and not as a disguised lease. The subject of the contract must describe a global service and the price must be fixed (and not a “rent per sqm).
How does Sora support you in this transition
Going from renting to providing services does not happen in a snap. It is necessary to structure the offer, draft contracts, find occupants, manage billing and follow-up.
That is exactly what Sora built. Our support allows you to reinvent your office offer with the services agreement:
- Commercialize your spaces with a turnkey service offer
- Find a qualified mono-occupant thanks to our network of +500 brokers
- Producing contracts adapted to the delivery model
- Manage billing and follow-up
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