Who is responsible for the IT infrastructure?

When renting an office, many agreements are typically recorded. Think of the rental price, service costs, delivery level, finishing and number of parking spaces. These topics come up almost naturally, because tenant and landlord share a common understanding of them.

As soon as the conversation turns to IT, confusion often arises. Who arranges the internet connection, the WiFi, the data cabling, the patch panels, the network equipment, the redundancy, and possibly a server room? And perhaps more importantly: who pays for what? These questions regularly remain unanswered well into the process.

In this article we explain why responsibility for IT in rented real estate is more nuanced than many parties think, and what role the IT-Label plays in this.

The misunderstanding around IT

Many parties assume the landlord is responsible for IT. Others believe everything automatically falls under the tenant's responsibility. Both assumptions are rarely fully correct.

In practice, the division differs per building, per leasing concept and per lease agreement. A shell space has a different starting position than a turn-key office, and a business center works differently again than a building that is fully fitted out by the user. Agreements about IT infrastructure should therefore be made just as explicitly as agreements about finishing.

The IT-Label does not take sides

The IT-Label deliberately does not pass judgment. It does not say something is good or bad, and it does not prescribe that the landlord or tenant must invest. It only shows what the digital starting point of the building is.

That inventory is objective. It describes what digital infrastructure is present, from cabling and connections to the level of redundancy. As we also explain in our article about the IT-Label as a translation rather than a certification, the label is above all a shared language. It translates technology into understandable information on which parties can base their choices.

A lower delivery level is not a shortcoming, but a starting position. It shows where a building stands today, not where it must end up.

The landlord determines the delivery level

Every landlord follows its own strategy. One delivers a shell building, in which the user arranges almost the entire digital setup itself. Another opts for a turn-key office where much is already provided, or operates a business center where connectivity is offered as a service. Yet another invests in a full-fledged smart building with integrated technology.

These concepts all call for a different IT delivery level. That is not a matter of right or wrong, but a deliberate choice that fits the building, the target audience and the desired return. The IT-Label makes that choice transparent for anyone considering the building.

The tenant determines the need

Not every organization has the same digital requirements. A small administrative office has a different need than a software company, an AI start-up, a logistics company, a media company or a call center. One is fine with a standard connection, another depends on high bandwidth and redundancy.

As a result, the same building can be a perfect fit for one tenant and require additional investment for another. It is not a question of whether the building is adequate, but of the match between the available infrastructure and the requirements of the business operations. What a tenant should check in advance is described in our overview of what to pay attention to as a tenant.

From IT4 to IT1? It is possible

A lower IT delivery level does not mean a building is limited. It means a larger share of the digital setup still needs to be arranged. A tenant can realize that setup itself and thereby considerably raise the digital quality of the rented space.

Possible investments include:

• additional data cabling and patch facilities;
• enterprise WiFi with full coverage;
• redundant internet connections;
• professional network equipment;
• cybersecurity measures;
• a dedicated server room;
• smart building solutions.

This way, a building that today sits at the IT4 CORE or IT5 SHELL level can grow to a higher level through targeted investments. The IT-Label shows where you start, not where you have to end up.

Why this actually provides clarity

Transparency prevents surprises. When the digital starting point is established in advance, both parties know what is present, what is missing, which investments are advisable and who becomes responsible for what.

That saves discussion during fit-out and after handover. Instead of assumptions and loose agreements, a shared starting point emerges. In the division of responsibilities within the lease agreement as well, it helps to have that starting situation clearly on the table.

A practical example

Suppose a landlord delivers an office with a basic IT delivery level. An AI company is considering moving in. During the discussions it turns out the organization needs extra capacity and redundancy for its computationally intensive work.

In consultation, it is agreed that the landlord will expand the fiber connection and the tenant will invest in enterprise WiFi and network equipment. Both parties know in advance where they stand. That is exactly the strength of the IT-Label: it makes the conversation concrete instead of vague.

Transparency above all

The IT-Label is not a certification that labels buildings as good or bad. It is an objective inventory and a shared language with which landlord and tenant align their expectations.

Not every building needs to be a fully digital ecosystem right away, and not every tenant has the same digital needs. That is why the IT-Label is not about right or wrong, but about transparency. It shows where a building stands today, so that informed choices can be made from that starting point. Those who want to understand the system behind the classification can find an explanation in our overview of the IT-Label classification from PREMIUM to SHELL.

Your next step

Would you like to know, for your own property or intended lease, what the digital starting point is and how to clearly divide responsibilities? Start by mapping out the current situation. Take a look at how the IT-Label works and what information a classification provides, so you can base the conversation about investments and responsibilities on facts. A successful tenancy does not start with assumptions, but with clarity.