A Step-by-Step Guide to Renting Office Space with One One One
There are well over a million offices in London, and finding the right one for your business can be tricky to say the least.
With such a wide degree of varying office space available to rent, just how can you make sure you don’t just pinpoint the perfect workspace for you, but also that you seal the deal and run a smooth negotiation that always benefits your brand?
Well, the team at One One One are here to help.
Many people think an agent simply shows you an office and that’s that, but the truth is much different.
They help throughout the full process and beyond, and in this blog, we’re going to tell you just how.
Let’s take a look.
Working with an Agent Like One One One
When it comes to finding your way through the commercial real estate of London, having an experienced professional with a wealth of office knowledge to share is a big help.
An agent is more than someone who shows you offices, they are an advisor, who can help guide your office search, filtering through places that don’t fit your needs and answering any questions that arise along the way.
Your chosen agent will become a collaborator, and work with you to make sure you are in your dream workspace as quickly and smoothly as possible.
There are many different stages to this process, which we will run through next, and an agent will be by your side through each one, using their experience, knowledge, industry connections, and more to always get you the best office on the best terms.
Check out our blog if you want to know more about why working with an agent is always a good choice.
5 Step Guide to Renting London Office Space
So, if you’re thinking of getting an agent to help secure your next office, here are five steps you will take along the way.
The Consultation Period
This is when it all begins, and it all starts with you.
During this step, you get in touch with our team and let us know the kind of thing you’re looking for.
We like to get to know you a bit during these early stages and love to get to know more about your business and the kind of workspace that would suit you and your staff.
The more information you can provide us with here, the more we will be able to filter through our office database and pick out the best space for you.
This is why our build your own office tool is so handy, as you can supply us with tons of detail into the kind of thing you’re looking for, and we can go away and find it for you much quicker than if we are working with little information.
Workplace Strategy
An office is an important place for any brand.
It can promote wellbeing, productivity, collaboration, and physical health, as well as being a representation of your brand and what you represent.
While this doesn’t always have to come at this early stage and can be done in an existing office, we find it really helpful to really get to know what you want from an office and can use this to build a strategy and find the perfect office to fulfill it in.
We form a workplace strategy by asking you a wide range of questions in which we will try to decipher what your employees would want from an office, how you see a workspace driving your business forward, and much more.
With the information gleaned from this, we can find you a space that is ideal for you and provide you with a blueprint on how to make it just right.
Premises Search & Selection
So, now we know what you want, it’s time for us to find it for you.
We have a huge database (with access to Every London Office) and can use this to select a handful of offices that we can present to you.
These will have been carefully selected as offices that match the criteria supplied by you, whether it be special features, location, size, and more.
Through our wide list of contacts, we can provide on-market and off-market opportunities and provide exclusive looks into offices you may not have been able to find elsewhere.
Once we have chosen a batch of suitable office spaces, it’s time to take a look around, and one of our agents will gladly show you each property, providing information and asking questions as they do.
The end goal here is that you get a great idea of what is out there through viewing a wide range of properties and find one that really stands out.
Once you find the office, it’s time to secure it.
The Negotiations
Of course, not every aspect of finding the perfect office is to do with what is inside the workspace.
There are other important factors to consider, and right at the top of this list is the cost. This is why we always like to prepare financial information for several of your preferred offices, so you can be sure to get the best deal.
While we always take into account your budget (this is one of the first questions we ask) it is important that contract negotiations are handled carefully, as there may be opportunities to spend less.
Our team has over 20 years of experience in the commercial property industry, and what this means is that we can be a big help in ensuring you achieve a great terms package.
Your financial and leasing terms are important and could have a big impact on your business for many years to come, so allowing our experts to handle the negotiations on your behalf is your best chance of securing a deal that works for you.
We always operate on behalf of the tenant and are extremely thorough in every aspect of the contract.
Only when we know we have the best deal possible, will we encourage you to sign on the dotted line.
The Future
Once the contract is signed and you’re in your office, our services don’t just stop there.
There are many other ways we can help your business. Including:
- Rent Reviews – Every five years, you typically get a rent review. This is where your rent prices may go up and down, and most of the time means a rise in rental payments. Our agents can act on your behalf, ensuring the review is fair and represents the market.
- Site Disposals – If your business circumstances change and your office is no longer suitable, you may need to dispose of this space. We can help with this by looking through the options available and providing you with the best possible outcome, whether it be sub-leasing the space, assigning a new tenant, or simply surrendering it back to your landlord.
- Dilapidations – When you rent an office, the responsibility for maintaining a good condition is on your shoulders. If you are looking to move office, and there are some repairs that need to be made (often referred to as dilapidations), these must be handled, and our agents can help you manage this.
- Lease Restructuring – Before your current lease expires, you may find that a lease restructure may give you more flexibility, more stability and you may benefit from better lease terms. This could affect the contract length, sub-letting options, rental payments, and more. Our agents can work with you during the lease restructuring process and ensure the alterations are always in your favour.
- Expansion – Whether national or international, our team can help guide you as your business grows. Acting as your in-house commercial property team, we can keep track of your full portfolio, as well as showcase new offices when needed. Our agents can devise a bespoke property strategy to get your business where it deserves to go.
We don’t lose contact as soon as the contract is signed. Instead, we are with you every step of the way as your business grows and develops.
Work with One One One Today
If you have read the above and think that working with One One One would be a good fit for you and your business, then get in touch with our team today.
We would be glad to help you locate the right workspace for you and provide plenty of support throughout the search and selection process and beyond.
Finding a London office can be tricky, but with the help of our team, we can make it much easier.