A tenant in a strip mall pays a rental fee that includes all property maintenance charges, utilities, and cleaning services. What is this type of lease called?

The correct answer is a gross lease. In this type of lease, the tenant pays a single fee that encompasses all expenses associated with the property, including maintenance charges, utilities, and cleaning services. This structure provides tenants with predictability in their rental costs, as they do not have to worry about fluctuating operational expenses.

A net lease, on the other hand, typically requires the tenant to pay for some or all operating expenses in addition to the base rental rate. This could include property taxes, insurance, and maintenance costs, which is not applicable in this scenario.

A percentage lease involves the tenant paying a base rent plus additional costs calculated as a percentage of their sales revenue, often utilized in retail environments, but that does not apply to this situation either.

A variable lease generally refers to rental agreements that may fluctuate over the lease term based on certain conditions or metrics, which doesn’t match the steady payment structure described.

Thus, the description of a lease where the tenant pays a rental fee that includes all these expenses aligns perfectly with the definition of a gross lease.