As an owner of business real estate, you have numerous options choosing how you will establish your leases. For some, the favored option is a complete gross lease (likewise known as an FSG lease). In this article, we'll respond to, "What is a complete gross lease?" and we'll discuss how to structure one. Then, we'll work through a complete gross lease example and respond to some often asked questions.
What is a Complete Service Gross Lease?
In an FSG lease, the proprietor is accountable for paying the upkeep, residential or commercial property tax and insurance coverage costs. In reality, an FSG is only one of numerous kinds of lease agreements. Moreover, property owners utilize a full service gross lease for multi-tenant residential or commercial properties and single occupant office complex. Equally crucial, the plan is for the landlord to gather the rents and use the money for the residential or commercial property's expenditures.
Additionally, an FSG lease will include what we call an escalation stipulation. Specifically, the stipulation serves to protect the proprietor from the devastations of inflation. That is, the stipulation permits the landlord to raise leas gradually. Naturally, the property manager uses higher rent collections to balance out increased taxes, along with higher insurance coverage and upkeep costs. Naturally, the FSG lease spells all this out in information. Prospective renters need to make sure to understand the regards to the lease agreement, consisting of any escalation provisions.
Video: What is a Complete Lease?
How to Structure an FSG Lease
A complete gross lease describes the necessary actions and responsibilities of the property manager and the renter. By the exact same token, it is a written legal contract that both parties need to perform. There, you will find language explaining payments and services in order to avoid landlord-tenant disputes. In reality, clearness is the trademark of a well-written complete gross lease, and for that matter, for any proper and legal arrangement.
The structure of a lease depends on its type, including monetary lease, running lease, direct lease, and sale/leaseback leases. Overall, there are 2 kinds of gross lease structures:
Complete: This is a gross lease which contains some kind of language to handle inflation. Correspondingly, the occupant is accountable for increasing operating costs after the very first year. We call this provision an expenditure stop.
Modified: A modified gross lease resembles a net lease, because the occupant pays specific costs. For example, these might consist of insurance, residential or commercial property tax, energies, repair and common location upkeep (CAM).
In addition, the other basic kind of structure is the net lease. Therefore, please see our post on net leases for complete details.
Terms Used in a Complete Gross Lease
These are some terms you will discover in an FSG lease:
Real Residential or commercial property: This is the entire residential or commercial property the proprietor owns. For instance, it's a shopping mall that contains retail stores.
Demised Residential or commercial property: This is the area the proprietor is leasing to the lessee. For example, it's a store within a mall. Typically, the lease defines a residential or commercial property map and the tenant's access to services, like cleaning, security and snow removal.
Term: The period in between the lease start and end dates. Alternatively, the lease might define a month-to-month occupancy, or perhaps automated renewals until one celebration ends the lease.
Base Rent: This is the starting rent, without additional expenditures.
Operating Costs: Additional costs, such as residential or commercial property taxes, advertising, utilities, etc. Naturally, the lease defines which costs the property manager pays and which the occupant pays, if any.
Down payment: The occupant's upfront payment to protect against missed lease payments and/or damage to the residential or commercial property. Normally, the property manager returns the deposit when the lease ends, that is, assuming the tenant returns the residential or commercial property back to the landlord in as excellent a condition as the occupant initially got the residential or commercial property.
Occupancy and Use: These are guidelines that the tenant accepts observe, such as no smoking on the facilities. For example, the guidelines might include after-hours sound, garbage dumping, and food service.
Improvements: The lease needs to define who is accountable for making improvements to the residential or commercial property, including who pays the expense.
Contingencies: These are stipulations that specify how to handle the costs for uncommon occasions, such as fires and other disasters. Typically, other contingencies consist of the renter's bankruptcy, eminent domain, and arbitration.
Apply For Financing
Complete Gross Lease Example
The estimations behind a full service gross lease are uncomplicated. Equally important, landlords price estimate rental rates by the square foot. First, figure the base rental rate, beginning with the number of square feet. Then, multiply it by the annual expense per square foot. Finally, divide the outcome by 12 to get the regular monthly base rent.
Video: How To Compare Costs When Comparing a Net Lease vs a Gross Lease?
Example
Imagine that you lease out an office of 2,200 square feet. For instance, the annual rent for 1 square foot is $11.50. Therefore, the yearly lease is:
2,200 SQFT x $11.50/ SQFT = $25,300/ Year.
Now, divide the outcome by 12 and the regular monthly base rent is $2,108.33.
($25,300/ Year)/ (12 Months/ Year) = $25,300/ 12 = $2,108.33
Obviously, since the property manager is providing a full service gross lease, the rent will be higher by, state, $200/month. Clearly, this makes the monthly lease payment equal to $2,308.33 for the very first year. Additionally, the lease consists of an escalation clause raising the lease each year by 2%. That suggests the lease increases to $2,354.50 after the very first year.
Year 1 Monthly Rent: $2,200.00
Year 2 Monthly Rent: ($2,200.00 + $200.00) x 102% = $2,400.00 x 102% = $2,448.00

Year 3 Monthly Rent: ($2,448.00 + $200.00) x 102% = $2,648.00 x 102% = $2,700.96
Year 4 Monthly Rent: ($2,700.96 + $200.00) x 102% = $2,900.96 x 102% = $2,958.98
Year 5 Monthly Rent: ($2,958.98 + $200.00) x 102% = $3,158.98 x 102% = $3,222.16
Often, the rental agent takes a fee from the landlord. Typically, the charge is 6% for the first five (5) years, more or less. Thus, in our example, the agent's cost is:
= 6% x 12 x ($2,200.00 + $2,448.00 + $2,700.96 + $2,958.98 + $3,222.16)
= 6% x 12 x ($13,530.10)
= 6% x $162,361.20
= $9,741.67
A Complete Gross Lease is Win-Win
Both the landlord and the occupant can gain from an FSG lease.
Benefit to Landlords
The property manager gain from a complete gross lease since they get to control costs. For instance, the property owner may be finicky about typical location upkeep, and would rather manage the CAM straight. The property owner can charge a higher lease for a complete gross lease, often more than the cost differential. Furthermore, the property owner can put in an expense stop and/or escalation provision to ensure it caps the expense liability.
Benefit to Tenants

Tenants can prevent extraneous variable expenses by accepting a complete gross lease. In this method, they can focus on their company and not the property manager's organization! Also, the renter can prevent the responsibility for common area maintenance and a prorated amount for taxes and utilities.
Rent Calculator
Below is an online lease calculator. It has inputs for the area, overall rental rate/square foot/year, and agent's rate.
Frequently Asked Questions: FSG Lease
- What are the different types of leases?
The different kinds of leases are complete gross leases, net leases and portion leases. A triple-net lease requires the renter to pay for residential or commercial property tax, insurance and common location upkeep. A portion lease gives the renter a lower base lease in return for a piece of the tenant's gross.
- What do you include in a complete gross lease?
The landlord chooses up all costs, consisting of maintenance, insurance coverage, residential or commercial property tax, utilities, and any other expenses that might arise. In return, the property manager charges a lease that is costlier than a net lease.
- Are complete service gross leases a good financial investment?
Yes, as long as it consists of a way for the property owner to cap expenditures. Usually, you accomplish this with an escalation clause or an expense stop. In either case, the tenant pays more money to compensate for the property manager's loss to inflation.

- What's the distinction between a complete service and customized gross lease?
In a complete service gross lease, the landlord gets all the extra expenses in return for a higher rent. Alternatively, in a gross modified lease, the tenant accepts pay some expenditures, as particularly spelled out in the lease terms. Of course, negotiations figure out the exact split of expenditures in between the proprietor and occupant.