Gross Lease

Definition of a Gross Lease

A Gross Lease is a type of commercial real estate lease agreement where the tenant pays a flat, predetermined rental fee to the landlord. In return, the landlord is responsible for paying all or most of the property's operating expenses. These expenses typically include property taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs (often referred to as the "Three Nets").

Detailed Description

In a Gross Lease environment, the tenant enjoys the simplicity of a single monthly payment, similar to a residential lease. This provides the tenant with predictable overhead costs. However, the landlord assumes the financial risk of rising operating costs. If the property taxes increase or utility prices spike, the landlord’s profit margin decreases because the tenant's rent remains fixed for the duration of the lease term.

There are generally two variations of this lease structure:

• Full Service Gross Lease: The landlord covers all operating expenses, including utilities and janitorial services. This is most common in multi-tenant office buildings.
• Modified Gross Lease: This is a hybrid where the tenant and landlord negotiate which expenses are included. For example, the tenant might pay for their own electricity and interior cleaning, while the landlord covers the taxes, insurance, and exterior maintenance.

Relevance to Commercial Mortgages

From the perspective of a commercial mortgage lender, Gross Leases require careful underwriting. Because the landlord is responsible for all property outgoings, the Net Operating Income (NOI)—which is the primary figure used to determine how much a bank will lend—is more volatile. Lenders will closely examine the following:

• Expense Stops: To protect against inflation, many Gross Leases include an expense stop. This is a clause that requires the tenant to pay any operating expenses that exceed a specified dollar amount. Lenders view these favorably as they stabilize the landlord's cash flow.
• Inflation Risk: In a long-term Gross Lease without expense escalations, a landlord’s ability to service their mortgage debt could be compromised if operating costs rise faster than the fixed rental income.
• Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR): Lenders will calculate the DSCR based on the income remaining after the landlord has paid all operating expenses. Because these expenses are the landlord's burden in a Gross Lease, the margin for error is often smaller than in a Net Lease scenario.

Ultimately, a Gross Lease places the burden of property management and cost control squarely on the property owner. For a commercial mortgage to be approved, the lender must be confident that the gross rent is high enough to cover both the fluctuating operating costs and the mortgage debt service with a sufficient "cushion" of safety.