Single net, double internet, modified gross, oh my!
The world of industrial lease types and accounting is a wild one, complete of differing types of agreements and expense obligations for both lessees and lessors. In this blog site, we'll go over the numerous kinds of leases, such as net and gross leases, and do some relative analyses, such as triple net vs gross lease, triple net vs double lease, etc.

Let's begin by looking at the 2 most general classifications: gross leases and net leases.
A gross lease in industrial real estate is a lease in which the lessee is responsible just for their rent payment. The lessor pays all other operating costs, such as:
- Insurance
- Residential or commercial property taxes
- Utilities
- Common area maintenance (CAMERA)

The lessee pays a single "gross" amount that represents all of these expenses. Gross leases like this are also called absolute gross leases.
Lessees gain from this structure since it indicates that they have more predictable month-to-month costs, they do not need to handle handling residential or commercial property operations, and they're protected from any abrupt expense increases. Nevertheless, because of the fact that lessors assume the cost of things such as insurance and taxes, the gross amount paid by the lessee is typically higher.
Variations of gross leases exist, such as a customized gross lease, where the lessee pays some expenses. A full-service gross lease is one in which the lessor covers everything. An expenditure stop lease has the lessor covering everything as much as a specific point.
Gross leases are a popular choice for office structures or multi-tenant residential or commercial properties because in these cases it can be tough to different operating costs between occupants.
Net leases are commercial leases in which the lessee pays at least one of the lessor's operating costs. The number of and which operating expenses the lessee is responsible for changes depending upon the kind of net lease, such as single, double, triple, or outright triple.
In general, a good rule of thumb is that if the word "net" is in the name of a lease, it means that the lessee will be accountable for a minimum of one kind of operating expenditure. In an outright net lease, the lessee is accountable for all the operating expenditures associated with a residential or commercial property.
Some benefits of a net lease for lessors consist of:
- Decreased risk
- Increased predictability of income
- Fewer management duties
- Higher residential or commercial property value
Advantages for lessees consist of:
- A lower base rent
- Increased control over residential or commercial property operations
- Direct management of costs
- Openness in running costs
What is a Single Net Lease?
A single net lease is a lease in which a lessee concurs to pay one of the 3 main business expenses in addition to their lease. The business expenses for which a lessee is accountable varies depending upon the contract, but residential or commercial property taxes are the most typical in this kind of lease arrangement.
Lessee duties for this type of lease most frequently include:
- Base rent payments
- Residential or commercial property taxes
- Their individual energies and upkeep
Lessor responsibilities for this kind of lease normally include:
- Insurance coverage
- Typical area upkeep (CAMERA).
- Structural repairs and outside maintenance.
- Business expenses
Single net leases are useful to lessees since they usually get a lower base rent than gross leases, have more predictable costs compared to a triple net lease, have less responsibility for overall structure operations, and have protection from the majority of maintenance costs.
The advantage for lessors is that single net leases transfer the risk of residential or commercial property tax increases to the tenant while enabling them to keep control over building operations and maintenance.
In a Single Web (N) Lease, What Expenses are Typically Covered by the Lessee, and What is Covered by the Lessor?
The expenditures that are paid by a lessee in a single net lease are any lease expenditures together with the residential or commercial property taxes. In a single net lease, the lessee just takes on one of the lessor's business expenses, which is normally the residential or commercial property taxes. Otherwise, all of the other operating costs are still the lessor's duty.
What is a Double Net Lease?
In a double net lease (NN lease), a lessee is responsible for paying their rent together with two of the primary operating costs that would otherwise fall on the lessor. Generally these 2 expenses are residential or commercial property taxes and building insurance coverage payments. Many other operating costs fall on the lessor.
Double net leases are useful for lessors since they transfer some of the operating expense threat to the lessee, they have a greater net operating income than if they were in a gross lease plan, the lessor preserves control over the upkeep of their building, and they are offered security from boosts in tax and insurance coverage costs.
For a lessee, NN leases have really similar advantages to single net leases. The big benefit of a double net lease over a single net lease is that the former has a better balance of duties between lessors and lessees.
These types of leases are frequently used for multi-tenant office complex, medical workplace buildings, and shopping centers.
What is a Triple Net Lease?
Triple internet leases (NNN lease) are leases in which the lessee is accountable for their base rent, but also the residential or commercial property taxes, developing insurance, and common area upkeep charges. Common location maintenance, or CAM, can consist of any cost connected with the upkeep of shared locations of a residential or commercial property which a lessee is leasing.
Advantages for lessors consist of minimal supervisory duties; a very predictable source of earnings and, due to this, a higher residential or commercial property value; decreased financial threat; and generally longer lease terms spanning a years or more.
For lessees, NNN rents offer complete control over the operations of a leased residential or commercial property, the ability to direct control over operating costs, and the capability to maintain constant standards throughout areas.
How Do Absolute NNN Leases Differ from Triple Internet (NNN) Leases?
An absolute NNN lease, or a bondable lease, is various from a NNN lease in one way. In an outright NNN lease, the lessee is accountable for any structure repair work costs, such as a roofing replacement or a different kind of structural repair work. In a triple net lease, lessees normally are not accountable for this type of expenditure.
Triple Web vs Gross Lease
The general difference in between a triple web and a gross lease is that in a gross lease, the lessor is accountable for paying the operating costs, whereas in a triple net lease, many of the business expenses rather fall on the shoulders of the lessee.
Lease Type
Ownership Responsibilities
Upkeep & Repair works
Residential or commercial property Taxes
Insurance coverage Expenses
Typical Area Maintenance
Best For
Renter covers most expenses
Renter accountable
Paid by Renter
Lower base lease, greater responsibility
Long-term commercial tenants, retail areas
Gross Lease
Landlord covers most expenditures
Higher base rent, fewer obligations
Office complex, short-term leases
Full-Service Lease
Property manager covers all costs
Property owner accountable
Paid by Property manager
Greatest base rent, all-encompassing
Premium office, high-end commercial structures
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How does a triple web (NNN) lease vary from a double net (NN) lease?
In a triple net lease, the lessee pays 3 of the primary operating costs that would otherwise be the responsibility of the lessor: The structure insurance coverage, residential or commercial property taxes, and typical area maintenance charges. In a double net lease, the lessee is only responsible for two of these operating expenditures.
What is a customized gross lease, and how does it balance duties in between lessees and lessors?
A customized gross lease is a lease in which a lessee pays some, but not all, of a lessor's business expenses. So rents such as a single or double net lease would fall under the classification of customized gross leases.
What is a Full-Service Lease, and how does it differ from other commercial lease types?
A full-service lease is simply another term for a gross lease. In a full-service lease, or gross lease, the lessor is accountable for all operating costs and the lessee is just accountable for their rent payment. This is various from other business lease types because they can need the lessee to spend for at least among the operating costs.

Are occupants responsible for any extra expenses in a full-service lease after the very first year?
The lessee is accountable for any rising operating expenditures after the first year of the lease. This is called an expenditure stop.