Things To Consider Before Leasing An Office In London

Looking to lease an office in London? Regardless of whether you're looking for a single, standalone office or plan on renting for an entire team of employees, there are various things that must be considered before committing to any premises. Here at sub800, we have put together a selection of different things that should be taken into account, which can in turn help you to discover an office space that ticks all the right boxes!  

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‍Type of Office

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Choosing the right type of office for yourself and your employees is perhaps the first thing to consider. Co-working can allow you to get the office space setup faster, by sharing with other companies in a fully serviced environment. These spaces can be suitable for one or two people to work simultaneously, but are not practical for large teams. However, they do offer a relatively affordable monthly price, as a result.   

You can also opt for a traditional lease, which is where one office, or building of offices, will be used exclusively by your company. These will have locked doors, allowing you to keep stock and supplies in them, while also eliminating the distractions associated with shared spaces. The cost of a traditional lease is almost always higher than co-working counterparts but can accommodate teams of varying sizes.  

At sub800, we also offer a hybrid solution, allowing people to co-work but in a building that is used solely by one company. These offices come fully serviced and can be used straight away. They share almost all of the advantages associated with both types of offices mentioned above, while also offering an effective solution for working now, and in the future.  

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‍Location

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Having an office in a location that is both accessible and practical can be make or break for a lot of businesses. This point will vary from business to business, depending on the requirements, but here are just a few ways that the location can influence daily operations:   

• Public Transport - It's likely that some employees will attend work via public transport, so ensuring that these links are available is key.  
• Nearby Parking - On the other hand, people may also prefer to drive to the office, so having parking for their vehicles is another area to consider.  
• Local Amenities - While most areas of London do have an abundance of amenities, this is still a point to take into account before selecting the office. Food spots, pubs and grocery shops could offer high levels of convenience to workers, too.
• Delivery Space - If the company requires physical products to be delivered on a regular basis, the appropriate storage space should be available within the office itself.

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‍Office Size

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Of course, the current size of the company is also something that should be taken into account. If you are a sole proprietor or plan to find yourself a workplace to manage a team of remote workers, this can be a relatively straightforward task.   

However, if the business has a large team of employees that need office space, appropriately sized premises will need to be found. According to experts, approximately 50 square feet is required per desk, while also giving each employee sufficient space. 50 more square feet should be added per person to ensure that communal areas are large enough. This means that if, for example, you are looking to lease an office to accommodate 12 workers, a minimum space of 1,200 square feet may be needed.   

If the company has plans to expand in the future, this should also be addressed. Rapid growth can sometimes leave a company with no space to take on new staff, which can be a huge problem, especially if the entire workforce needs to collaborate on tasks.   

There are two different approaches to this, with the first being to simply buy a bigger space than is required. Business owners can sometimes predict future growth, which can give a rough idea of how many employees will be needed within the office.  

Option number two is to lease an office in a location that has lots of availability. This can give business owners a greater chance of acquiring more space in the future, if and when it is needed. Keep in mind that there is no guarantee of a space being available, however.  

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‍Contracts

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Like with all contracts, they must be carefully evaluated before signing on the dotted line. This is no different when it comes to leasing an office. Establishing the costs, terms, and length of the lease is important. 

For example, some landowners may not allow for specific modifications to be made to a property, which could be detrimental to the success of a business moving forward. In addition to this, having a longer lease can offer greater levels of security to a business at a fixed monthly rate, but can limit options moving forward.  

Contracts with sub800 are designed to be quick and easy, removing a significant bottleneck from the standard process of securing a new office.   

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‍Budget

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The final point we will be touching on is the budget, which is crucial when it comes to any business-related expense. Virtually all office spaces will require payment on a monthly basis, which is something that must be factored into a budgeting plan.   

Many business owners take different approaches with their office space to save on costs. Some may choose to operate in a part of London that has lower associated fees, such as Battersea or Hackney. On the other hand, some owners may sacrifice some of the available space to work in a location that is more convenient.

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‍Conclusion

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Those are just some of the things to consider before leasing an office in London. For those that know what they're looking for, or perhaps just want to weigh up their options, Sub800 is here to help. We offer a modern and comprehensive search tool to filter out office spaces that are not of interest, helping you to narrow down the options available through sub800 with ease. All of the information for each premise is clearly displayed, with a virtual tour also allowing for an in-depth viewing, without the need to leave the house.

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