Introduction

Stories that don’t make it into contracts often outlive the contracts themselves. This is about trust, about square meters that don't really exist, and about years of unquestioned overpayment.

Imagine this: over 15 years ago, a tenant and a landlord agreed to lease a large area. They signed a letter of intent. It mentioned an approximate figure — about 20,900 m². A round number. Clean. Easy to work with for initial planning. But not supported by any measurements or calculations.

That number, meant to be provisional, ended up copy-pasted into the lease agreement. Years passed. The contract was renewed. Payments kept coming. People changed. But the area remained the same. No clarification. No verification. Just the classic: “it’s always been this way.”

The story

At the time, standards like BOMA were not yet widely known in Ukraine. Space was discussed “by eye” or “based on verbal agreement.” Actual measurements were often skipped — or if they were done, questionable coefficients were used without justification. What was written in letters of intent was often copy-pasted into the main lease agreement. And so it went, year after year.

Lease contracts sometimes included the phrase:
“The area for the purpose of rent calculation is defined according to ANSI/BOMA Z65.2...” But in practice, it was just a formality. The standard was mentioned — but not applied. No calculations. No explanations.

As a result:

• tenants trusted that the landlord had calculated everything correctly;
• landlords weren’t always motivated to double-check the numbers, especially if they knew they were higher than they should be;
• the system simply kept working on autopilot.

Why It Matters

At first glance, 20,900 m² may seem like just a number. Maybe the actual area is smaller — say, 19,500 m². That’s a difference of 1,400 m². But what does it mean?

• monthly rent paid for space that doesn’t actually exist;
• utility costs calculated proportionally to this overstated area;
• maintenance expenses, VAT, indexation;
• years of payments without verification.

All this can easily cost hundreds of thousands of dollars over 10–15 years. And all of it — without any legal violation, just due to a lack of tenant-side review.

Conclusion

Area isn’t just a number in a lease. It’s the basis for calculating real money that changes hands every month. And both parties must understand where that number comes from.

If the landlord can clearly explain how the area is calculated, which documents and standards are used — that’s the mark of a reliable partner.

If not — then it's time to ask the right questions.

And now — a message to all of us

If you’re a tenant and all you have is a final number:

• ask how that number was calculated;
• request a sample area calculation;
• contact us — we’ll help you ask the right questions, review the documents, or conduct an independent analysis.

If you’re a landlord, and your lease mentions BOMA but no one ever did the math:

• don’t worry — but don’t delay either;
• we’ll help you perform your first accurate area calculation;
• prepare a supporting document for both parties;
• and explain the results clearly to you and your tenant.

Because at the end of the day, area is money. And understanding where it comes from — is the shared responsibility of both parties.

This material is for educational purposes only. Any resemblance to real events or companies is purely coincidental — or maybe not. If you recognize yourself as a tenant — don’t hesitate to ask your landlord the right questions. And if you're a landlord and you know that “something’s off with the numbers” — it’s time to get things in order. Silence is no longer an option.