A clearer answer. A practical next step.

Set your total monthly budget and cash available for agreed upfront payments. Clarify the number of occupants, intended use, preferred area, move-in date and any pets or furnishing needs. Share these with Vivien before arranging a suitable viewing.

Separate recurring living costs from cash needed before moving in. Include the agreed rent, utilities, internet, parking, travel and any charges allocated to you in the tenancy. List each agreed upfront payment and any document or stamping cost separately; a deposit is not an emergency reserve.

What to do next

1. Write a monthly total for rent, utilities, internet, parking and your actual travel needs; keep a separate contingency.
2. Ask for an itemised upfront quotation showing each deposit, advance rent, document service and estimated duty, with the recipient and due date.
3. Check the written allocation of recurring charges and account arrangements before deciding whether the unit fits your budget.

There is no single deposit formula or all-in percentage used here. Charges, who pays them and any applicable relief must be checked for the actual tenancy.

Tell Vivien the intended occupants, pets and exact use before a viewing. Obtain the landlord’s written terms and check applicable building or management rules. For a business, ask the relevant local authority whether that activity is allowed and which approvals are required; the landlord’s consent alone is not a business licence.

What to do next

1. List occupants, pet details, parking, subletting or business activities accurately when sharing your requirements.
2. Ask for the applicable tenancy and management rules; put any permitted use, consent and conditions in the written agreement.
3. For a business, verify the specific activity and premises requirements with MBI or the relevant authority before committing or fitting out.

Do not assume all buildings have the same pet or occupancy rules. A residential address or commercial listing label does not certify permission for your particular activity.

Use the written terms agreed for that tenancy. Check what each payment covers, when it is due, who receives it, the receipt and the refund or deduction terms. Do not assume a commonly advertised deposit arrangement is a universal rule for every tenancy.

There is no single deposit package that applies by law to every shop lot or factory. Security, utilities, advance rental and any renovation or management deposits must be separately agreed in writing. The amount can reflect the tenancy, business activity and agreed risk. Advance rent pays for the specified rental period; it is not another refundable security deposit.

What to do next

1. Ask for an itemised payment schedule showing each recipient, purpose and due date.
2. Identify which sums are refundable, which are credited to rent and the permitted deductions.
3. Record the refund conditions and deadline before signing or paying.

A residential '2+1+0.5' arrangement is not a statutory rule for commercial premises. Never assume a deposit can replace the final rental payments without written agreement.

Budget for the agreed deposits and advance rental, legal work, stamp duty, applicable tax, utility opening or upgrades, licences, fit-out, moving and working capital. Then list recurring rent, service charges, utilities, insurance and maintenance separately. A low monthly asking rent is not the full cost of occupation, and refundable deposits still tie up cash.

What to do next

1. Build a one-off cash list from written quotations and the landlord's itemised offer.
2. Prepare a monthly operating budget, including any rent increase and tax treatment.
3. Keep a separate contingency for approval delays, repairs and the time before business income starts.

Do not count advance rental twice or treat a refundable deposit as an operating expense that disappears permanently. No universal number of months covers every business's start-up cash.