You have viewed two commercial units and can picture your business in either one. One has a better frontage; the other feels closer to the people you want to serve. The agent is asking for a decision, and your notes are a mix of photos, figures and impressions. This is exactly when a simple comparison helps. It will not tell you which property will make money. It can show what you know about each address, where one may fit your concept better, and what needs checking before you take on a lease. Use the same questions for both units so that a confident sales pitch or a memorable viewing does not quietly set the rules.
Set the decision you are trying to make
Before comparing addresses, write down the business you intend to run. Is it a coffee shop, restaurant, hair salon or beauty salon? What service will you offer, who do you hope to serve, and when do you expect customers to visit? SiteFit currently supports these business types in London. A comparison that does not state the business concept can drift into a general property ranking, even though suitability depends on what you plan to do there.
Keep the decision narrow: which unit is more worth pursuing, given the information available today? You may still need a survey, legal review, planning confirmation or more research before signing. “Worth pursuing” is a useful stage in the process; it is not the same as “ready to commit”. Write down what would make you stop considering a unit. This gives each new piece of evidence a clear role and helps prevent the preferred option from receiving a more generous standard than the other one.
Use one comparison sheet for both units
Create a row for each decision factor and a column for each property. Record the observation, source, date and remaining question. Use plain labels such as observed, stated by agent, documentary evidence, estimate and unknown. You do not need a numerical score. If you choose to rank anything, explain the rule and apply it consistently. An unsupported score can make a weak comparison look precise without adding evidence.
A useful sheet is short enough to revisit. Include the customer context, nearby alternatives, route and visibility, premises layout, required works, intended use, operating conditions and lease questions. Some points may be relevant to one concept and not another, so write down why they matter. Keep a separate section for information that is common to both units and information that is specific to one. If a source is out of date or describes a wider area, say that beside the note rather than allowing the caveat to disappear.
- What is known about each property, and how do you know it?
- Which finding is an estimate or interpretation?
- What unanswered point could change your preference?
Compare the customer context around each address
Look at the area each unit sits in and the routes customers might use. Consider homes, workplaces, nearby destinations, public transport, street connections and the times your business expects to trade. Visit both areas at comparable times. If one visit was on a sunny Saturday and the other on a wet Tuesday afternoon, note that difference; do not treat the impressions as a fair head-to-head test. A second visit may be more valuable than adding another broad statistic.
Use local data for the question it actually answers. Information about residents or jobs can describe customer context at an area level. It cannot confirm the number of people who will pass a shopfront, enter a premises or buy from you. A station nearby indicates a transport connection, not automatically a useful customer route. Be clear about boundaries and dates. If one unit seems better connected, explain the route or evidence that supports that view and identify anything that still needs a direct check.
Compare the nearby alternatives for your customer
For each address, identify businesses that could serve the same customer for a similar occasion. A coffee shop may compete with cafés, bakeries or takeaway counters; a restaurant may sit among different cuisines and service styles. Hair and beauty businesses have their own local alternatives. Do not draw a fixed circle and assume everything inside is a direct competitor. Explain why a business is relevant, and verify that it is still trading and offering what your notes say.
Observe the offer, hours and customer experience where practical. Look for what might distinguish your concept and where your idea may face a stronger set of alternatives. More nearby businesses can mean more choice for customers and a more established destination; it can also mean more competition. A quieter map may reflect a gap, a different kind of area or incomplete records. Counts alone cannot decide between those explanations. Record the evidence, then ask what additional observation would help.
Check how each unit works as a premises
Walk through the operation in both spaces. Where do customers enter and wait? Where are staff, stock, equipment, deliveries and waste handled? Can the layout support the service you described? Note visible condition and access, but distinguish what you can see from what requires a survey or document. A unit that looks larger may still have an awkward layout; a smaller unit may be workable for a different format. Your concept and professional advice matter more than a generic preference for size.
List the alterations or approvals your plan might need. Ask for the documents that establish the property's use and any restrictions, and have the appropriate adviser review them. Planning rules and the property's actual history can be more specific than an online listing. For food businesses, the Food Standards Agency's starting guidance covers registration and premises responsibilities. For any commercial use, confirm the case with the relevant local authority and qualified professionals rather than borrowing assumptions from a neighbouring business.
Keep location fit separate from lease and cost checks
A location comparison should sit alongside a separate review of the proposed lease and occupation costs. For each unit, ask for the rent schedule, service-charge information, repair obligations, break terms, rent reviews, deposit or guarantee requirements and any incentives in writing. Check whether the assumptions you used are supported by the documents. A lower headline rent does not automatically mean a lower total commitment, and a high rent does not tell you whether the location fits your customer concept.
For business rates, look up the relevant valuation and current official guidance. The GOV.UK service provides rateable-value information and lets users compare similar properties. Your liability depends on rules and circumstances that should be checked for your own case. Ask a solicitor, surveyor or accountant the questions within their expertise. Keep their advice alongside the property research, but do not blend unverified cost assumptions into a supposed location score.
Make uncertainty part of the comparison
When the evidence is uneven, the right comparison may be conditional. Unit A may look stronger on customer context but have an unresolved permission question. Unit B may have a practical layout but less direct evidence about the times you plan to trade. State both points. Do not convert missing information into a neutral or favourable result. An unknown may be the most important entry on the sheet if it could change your decision.
For each property, choose one next action that would reduce a material uncertainty: request a document, revisit at a relevant time, verify a business, measure a layout or get professional advice. Set a sensible deadline for the information, not for a rushed signature. If the answer does not arrive, decide whether you can accept the uncertainty or whether it means you should pause. This makes your reasoning understandable to a partner, adviser or future version of yourself.
Reach a clear and proportionate conclusion
Finish with a short conclusion: which unit is currently more worth pursuing, what supports that view, what argues against it, and which condition could change your mind. The conclusion should match the strength of the evidence. If neither unit is ready to progress, say so and identify the information needed. You are allowed to choose neither. The fact that you have spent time viewing a property is not evidence that it is the right one.
SiteFit can give an initial London location assessment for a selected address and business type. It helps organise relevant context; it cannot tell you which property will succeed, replace a survey or legal review, or confirm every unit-specific fact. Use it as one input alongside your visits, documents and qualified advice. A comparison is useful when it clarifies what to do next and keeps the remaining questions visible. It is not useful when a single polished score hides the parts you still need to check.
