Coworking house rules template

How to use this template

1. Replace everything in [square brackets] with your centre's details.
2. Delete rules that don't apply to your centre, and add any your building or landlord requires.
3. Check the rules against your licence agreement, so the two never contradict each other. Where the agreement says something different, the agreement wins: say so at the end of the rules.
4. Share the rules with every company admin and member at move-in, and keep them where members can find them later.

The house rules

1. Access and hours

• The centre is open [days] from [time] to [time]. [Members with 24×7 access may enter outside these hours with their access card.]
• Access cards are personal. Do not lend them or let others in behind you.
• Report a lost access card to the front desk immediately. A replacement costs [₹ amount].

2. Guests

• Invite guests in advance through [the member app / the front desk], with their name and expected time.
• Guests sign in at reception and wait there until their host collects them.
• Hosts are responsible for their guests while they are in the centre.
• [Day passes and guest passes beyond your allowance are charged at ₹ amount.]

3. Meeting rooms

• Book meeting rooms in advance through [the member app]. Walk-in use is allowed only if the room is free and you book it on the spot.
• Start and end on time, and leave the room as you found it: whiteboard cleaned, chairs back, screens off.
• Cancel bookings you no longer need, so others can use the room.
• [Bookings beyond your monthly allowance are charged at ₹ amount per hour.]

4. Calls and noise

• Take calls in phone booths, meeting rooms or [designated areas], not at shared desks.
• Use headphones for video calls and media.
• Keep conversations in open areas at a low volume. [Quiet zones are marked: no calls or conversations there.]

5. Pantry and kitchen

• Label food stored in the fridge with your name and date. [The fridge is cleared every Friday evening.]
• Wash and put away your own cups and dishes, or place them where housekeeping collects them.
• No strong-smelling food at desks. [Eat in the pantry or café area.]

6. Cleanliness and desks

• Keep desks and shared areas tidy. Hot desks must be cleared at the end of each day.
• Use the right bins for dry waste, wet waste and e-waste.
• Report spills, damage or anything that needs cleaning to the front desk.

7. Parcels and deliveries

• Parcels are received at reception during [hours] and logged in your name.
• Collect parcels within [number] days. [Perishables and food deliveries are not stored.]
• Delivery staff are not allowed beyond reception.

8. Wi-Fi and IT

• Use the network for lawful work only. Do not attempt to access other members' devices or traffic.
• Do not connect routers, servers or network equipment without written permission.
• Report Wi-Fi or printer problems through [the member app / the front desk].

9. Safety and emergencies

• Know where the emergency exits and fire assembly point are. They are shown at [location].
• Take part in fire drills when they are announced.
• Do not block exits, corridors or fire equipment.
• Report safety concerns, injuries or suspicious activity to the front desk at once.

10. Prohibited items and activities

• Smoking and vaping inside the centre.
• Alcohol, except at events hosted by the centre.
• Pets, except service animals [or as otherwise allowed].
• Weapons, hazardous materials, heaters and cooking appliances at desks.
• Any illegal activity, harassment or discrimination.

11. Privacy in shared spaces

• Respect other members' confidentiality: do not read screens, documents or whiteboards that are not yours.
• Do not photograph or record other members, their screens or their documents without consent.
• Lock away confidential papers and devices when you leave your desk.
• [CCTV operates in common areas for security. It does not cover private cabins or washrooms.]

12. When rules are broken

• A first breach is raised privately with the member and their company admin.
• Repeated or serious breaches may lead to suspension of access or termination, as set out in the licence agreement.
• Damage to the centre is charged to the company responsible.

These rules form part of your licence agreement with [operator name]. Where they differ, the licence agreement applies.

Plain-text version to copy

Use this shorter version for the welcome email, a notice board or the centre guide.

Adapting the rules to your centre

• Managed offices with private floors may need fewer shared-area rules and more on access for the client's own staff.
• 24×7 centres need clear rules on after-hours guests and who to call in an emergency.
• Centres in commercial buildings must also follow the building's rules on access, parking, deliveries and fire safety. Add them, or point to them.
• Event spaces need rules on bookings, food and clean-up.

Sharing and enforcing the rules

• Send the rules with the welcome email at move-in, and ask company admins to share them with their teams. The member onboarding checklist shows where this fits.
• Keep the rules in one place members can always find.
• Enforce them consistently. A rule that is enforced for some members and not others stops being a rule.
• Review the rules every six months, and tell members what changed.

See the member experience.

Questions operators ask

Should house rules be part of the licence agreement?

Most operators reference the house rules in the licence agreement, so members agree to them when they sign. Keep the rules short and practical, and put commercial terms such as fees, notice and lock-in in the agreement itself.

How often should house rules change?

Review them every six months, or after an incident. Tell members about changes before they take effect.

Who enforces the rules?

The community manager, with the centre manager for serious breaches. Agree the process in advance so every centre handles breaches the same way.