What Are The Legal Requirements For Starting A Coworking Space In India?

Planning on starting a coworking space? Congratulations on that brilliant idea! Running a coworking space in Noida sector 63 can be a brilliant business idea since there\’s a huge demand for shared offices, especially from startups and small teams. Such businesses look for office spaces that offer everything from high-speed internet to an impressive interior. The business models of coworking spaces

  • Ownership Model: In this, the land upon which the coworking space is to be developed is purchased or otherwise owned by the coworking space providing company.
  • Landlord Partnership: In this, the coworking company enters into a leasehold agreement with the owner of the premises upon which the coworking space will be provided to multiple clients.

You\’ll always have clients and queries coming in but starting a coworking isn\’t all perks and goodies. There are so many complexities that one needs to settle before entering the market. One of those essential aspects is meeting the legal requirements.

5 Legal Requirements For Starting A Coworking Space In India

Basic Rules, Risk Prevention & Safety Measures

Taking care of all building safety rules must be your prime concern because the government takes it very seriously. The rules made to ensure everyone’s safety should be at the top of your list when you plan your coworking space. The place must have proper ventilation to prevent suffocation in the office.

Similarly, there should be provisions for a sudden fire outbreak. There must be multiple fire exits, working fire extinguishers, alarms and other safety equipment. Also, keep a close eye on the layout of rooms and the materials used for constructing/renovating.

Sanitization, Hygiene & Comfort

Sanitization is yet another important thing to take care of. You would not want anybody to get sick and blame it on your unclean office. Right? Government bodies as well pay special attention to the cleanliness of the workspaces. There are also regulations to keep your office premises properly clean and sanitized.

Government officials can come any time to audit your space and you might receive a notice if it\’s not up to the mark. Next comes comfort. Pick comfortable furniture for the workers because they\’ll spend most of the day on those chairs. A fully-furnished office space for rent in Noida must have ergonomic furniture for the ease of members.

Agreement Clauses

If your coworking will work under the Landlord Partnership Model, make sure to incorporate the necessary legal clauses in the agreement. The most important will be the clause about sub-lease that permits the coworking space in its capacity of the lessee to further sub-let the premises with flexibility in tenures. Without this clause, there can be a lot of problems in the running of the business.

Also, the clause for the lock-in period must be mentioned stating that neither party can terminate the lease without cause. It\’s always advisable to have a longer lock-in period so that the potential sub-lessee feels secure when entering into sub-lease arrangements.

The Building

Every city has different laws concerning the real estate. Here a few pointers that you should keep in mind before entering in a lease for your coworking space.

  • Do a thorough search and make sure that the property you are choosing to set up your coworking space in Noida is free from any encumbrance.
  • Be sure that the building you are picking is built as per the plan sanctioned by the authorities. Any violation can lead to the sealing or even demolition of the property.
  • Since many people would conduct their business from your coworking space, make sure the building does not violate any zoning norms. Also, never forget to pay your utility dues.
  • Make sure all of the licenses are in place like fire safety, pollution control etc. safety of the people is of paramount importance so make certain the building is well-equipped.
  • The lease agreement must be registered with the local authorities. There must be stamp duty as per the duration of the lease/rental.
  • Since the business of coworking involves renting space for long and short terms, your lessor must be clear on your nature of business so there is no problem or unpleasant surprise in future.

The Business

Each business regardless of its nature and size has to comply with certain laws and rules without any excuses.

  • You have to get your business registered. The government wants you to have a license for your workplace. If it’s a 24×7 business, you are required to get approval from the authorities because you might have to present it if any inspection happens.
  • Mind the number of employees. If you exceed the staff count limit, you need to get a registration for your coworking space in Noida sector 63 or anywhere else.
  • It is very obvious for any business to have a GST registration for transaction taxes. You would also need PAN, TAN and other numbers for income tax purposes.
  • If you’re going to use diesel generators for your office emergency purposes, make sure you have the necessary permission.

Apart from the mentioned points, your coworking space also needs to stay watchful and at bay from legal disputes. For example, the client\’s credentials should be thoroughly verified via properly drafted KYC documents or by assigning an investigation to a third party. You never know if a firm may be involved in illegal activities, fooling people with schemes, running a fake call centre or anything of that sort that may prove to be troublesome for your coworking space in Noida.

To conclude, it would be safe to say that there are different legal issues that may arise in the coworking industry and no peculiar issue arising in this business can be identified right now. There is no legislation particularly existing to deal with the coworking industry.

Due to the high demand and rise of entrepreneurship in India, the coworking sector has all the chances to flourish. Businesses working from home will eventually have to move to a proper workspace for the betterment of their business. Freelancers will come out for the sake of their social lives. Follow the discussed tips and suggestions if you\’re a future coworking space provider. If you\’re looking to work from a coworking space in Noida sector 63, get in touch with Let\’s Connect India coworking today!