In addition to rent, there are certain other regular payments that you as tenant may need to make to the landlord. Particularly where you occupy only part of a larger building, the landlord may charge you a portion of the cost for services that he or she supplies for the building as a whole: maintenance of common parts, decoration and maintenance of the exterior of the building and the like. This will generally be described as a ‘service charge’. It is important to ensure before signing the lease that you understand the basis on which service charges will be calculated and the sums likely to be involved.