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3-year or 5-year lease — what are you actually committing to?

Most operators focus on the monthly rent figure. The real decision is the total commitment. Enter your rent, net profit, and fit-out cost — get a side-by-side comparison of 3, 4, and 5-year terms including break-even timeline, and exactly how much you lose if the business closes in Year 1 or Year 2.

3, 4 & 5-year comparisonFit-out payback periodYear 1 & Year 2 loss scenariosBreak-clause explanation
$

The quoted monthly rent in $AUD

$

After all costs including rent and owner salary

$

Total capital to open (fit-out, equipment, deposits)

5-year lease — full model

Click a card above to compare terms

Total rent commitment

$456,000

$7,600/mo × 60 mo

Total capital at risk

$606,000

fit-out + all rent

Fit-out payback

13 months

months to recover fit-out only

Full break-even

51 months

months to recover all committed capital

Profit by end of term

$720,000

$12,000/mo × 60 mo

Return on commitment

119%

net profit ÷ total committed capital

Net loss if business closes at…

End of Year 1

$370,800

Net loss · Most common failure window

End of Year 2

$135,600

Net loss · After initial ramp-up phase

End of Year 3

+$99,600

In profit · Past typical survival threshold

Loss = fit-out sunk cost + remaining lease obligation − profit earned. Assumes no subletting income, no goodwill on sale. Conservative by design.

3-year vs 5-year — the actual trade-off

A 5-year term commits $182,400 more in rent than a 3-year term. At $12,000/mo net profit, you recover that extra commitment in 16 months.

5-year is worth it when: fit-out cost exceeds $91,200 (one year's rent), and net profit exceeds $6,080/mo. Otherwise, protect yourself with a 12-month break clause inside the 5-year term.

Negotiation note

A 5-year lease with a 12-month break clause is functionally a 1-year lease with 4 optional extension years. If trading assumptions prove wrong, you exit at month 12 with only $91,200 in remaining obligation (vs $364,800 without the clause). This framing typically works on landlords because their preferred outcome is a long-term tenant — the clause is an insurance premium, not a concession.

Why lease term matters

The monthly rent is not the decision. The total commitment is.

At $7,600/month, a 3-year lease commits $273,600 in rent. A 5-year lease commits $456,000. That $182,400 difference is invisible until you sign. This tool makes it visible before you do.

1

Total committed rent

Monthly rent × lease months. This is your minimum financial obligation from day one, before you serve a single customer. A longer term locks in more obligation even if trading is poor.

2

Fit-out payback

How many months of net profit it takes to recover your fit-out investment — before you start paying for the rent commitment. A heavy fit-out on a short term means you recover less value per dollar spent.

3

Full break-even

The month at which cumulative net profit equals fit-out cost plus total rent paid. If this falls inside the lease term, the deal is structurally sound. If it falls outside, you never recover all committed capital in this term.

4

Year 1 loss scenario

If trading is worse than modelled and the business closes at the 12-month mark, this is the net loss: sunk fit-out plus remaining lease obligation minus profit earned. The number most operators never calculate before signing.

Important. This tool uses linear profit projections. Real businesses have ramp-up periods, seasonal variation, and growth curves that this model does not capture. The loss scenarios assume no subletting income, no goodwill on sale of the business, and no landlord negotiation on early termination. These are intentionally conservative. Verify all figures with your accountant before signing any commercial lease.

Numbers look right. Now verify the address.

A lease term calculator tells you the cost of the commitment. A Locatalyze report tells you whether the address can generate the revenue to justify it — with competitor data, foot traffic signals, and a GO / CAUTION / NO verdict.

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