Successfully Lease your Hotel or Restaurant
The complete guide: from preparation through tenant search to the lease agreement and handover – we guide you through every step.
Preparation
Ownership, financials, inventory & handover fee
Tenant Search
Media plan, portals, social media & direct outreach
Applicant Check
Self-disclosure, credit check, shortlist & viewing
Lease Agreement
Contract drafting & inventory list
Handover
Protocol & documented completion
Ownership, financials, inventory & handover fee
Before we start the tenant search, we clarify all the fundamentals together – so your property is optimally positioned.
Owner or tenant?
The current tenant often looks for a successor themselves. In that case it must be clarified in advance whether the owner agrees – ideally in writing. Because ultimately the owner is always the contractual partner in the lease agreement.
Numbers, not wishful thinking
A successfully run business should disclose its revenue figures. Fixed costs such as energy also help with planning. We recommend using the figures from the last two years as a basis.
Key operating data
An overview of previous business partners is helpful for the new tenant:
- Beverage supplier / brewery (under contract?)
- Laundry service & wholesale market
- Energy supplier
- Existing service contracts for equipment
Imagery & listing
Every listing is tailored to the medium and target audience. A Michelin-starred restaurant attracts different tenants than a beach club. Beyond high-quality photos and videos, a professional listing includes 360° virtual tours, current floor plans – including any owner’s accommodation – and a realistic assessment of the competitive landscape at the location. Including the last two years’ operating results in the listing builds trust and helps prospective tenants plan their own projections.
Inventory
If inventory is taken over, a complete list is essential. The new tenant decides what to use. If a handover fee or deposit is charged, its value must be documented on the list.
Handover Fee
Charging a handover fee for inventory and goodwill is common, but it must be justified with transparent figures. Important: a high handover fee significantly reduces the chances of finding a suitable tenant.
⚠️ Tip on the handover fee
Charging a handover fee is common, but reduces the chances of finding a suitable tenant. We advise you on the optimal amount – based on the German ImmoWertV valuation standard. Our partner portal Hogawelt offers a handover fee calculator (Ablöserechner) with which you can have the value of your inventory and business determined for a fee.
Marketing & media plan
We find the right tenant via a targeted media plan – tailored to the property, location and rent level.
The right strategy
From real estate portals to trade media to personal outreach via our database – we play the full keyboard. Social media is gaining more and more weight. The cost of self-placed ads quickly exceeds broker fees, as we have significantly better purchasing conditions and ad inventory.
Pre-selection, shortlist & viewing
We handle the pre-selection so that only suitable candidates reach you – structured and transparent.
Structured pre-selection
We call every applicant or request a self-disclosure via our form. We then select based on experience, quality of previous positions, creditworthiness and the quality of the application itself.
Viewing & personal meeting
The top 3–5 applicants are invited to a viewing. You receive an applicant profile with all relevant information in advance. The meeting also serves the personal conversation – because as in any relationship, first impression and chemistry matter.
💡 Concept & Business Plan
Requiring applicants to present their operating concept and a rough financial projection is one of the most effective selection filters in practice. A well-thought-out business plan builds confidence – both for the lessor and for the tenant’s bank when financing start-up costs such as the handover fee, deposit and planned fit-out.
Contract & inventory list
The lease agreement is the foundation of a good lease relationship. We ensure clarity and completeness.
Lease Agreement
We provide templates and ensure clarity, completeness and legal compliance. Before signing, we strongly recommend a review by a lawyer.
- Lease duration & notice periods
- Lease rate & value protection (consumer price index)
- Deposit
- Investment obligations & maintenance responsibilities
- Permitted use (precise definition of business purpose)
- Subletting restrictions & reinstatement obligations
For a detailed guide to lease clauses, see our two-part series: The Restaurant Lease – Part 1 and Part 2.
Inventory List
As a rule, the property is handed over with inventory. We record and document every item. The lessor decides which items are transferred – an accurate list is essential.
Documented handover on site
Once the deposit and first month’s rent have been received, we coordinate the complete handover.
Protocol & documentation
We document the handover in full detail on site with digital equipment: photo documentation, handover protocol and signatures from all parties. This prevents misunderstandings or disputes afterwards.
More on leasing
Our specialist articles cover the individual aspects of leasing in greater depth.
Contracting parties, lease duration and rent – the legal foundations at a glance.
Value protection, deposit and redemption – the key lease clauses in detail.
What the well-known rule of thumb means for operators and where its limits lie.