Office managers guide to finding an office space

Bosses often bestow the duty of finding a new office space onto the office manager, and while they may take on the job with the utmost enthusiasm, they can quickly find themselves out of their depth. Passing the buck down seems like the sensible thing to do, however the complexity of an office move is far more involved than the average boss may assume.

If you are reading this then it’s safe to assume you are an office manager, and you’re most likely in need of help. Whether your initial feelings were of excitement, dread or fear, this seemingly simple task may have become slightly overwhelming. What your boss doesn’t understand is that finding an office is no walk in the park, and put simply, you’re not qualified for the job.

This is no disrespect to you (after all office experts train for three years with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors in order to navigate through this murky world), but moving workplaces is an intense and time consuming task, and one that needs expert advice and experience.

Nevertheless, just because you’re not qualified, doesn’t mean you don’t have the necessary tools to oversee a smooth office transition. We have prepared a list of things for an office manager to consider when challenged with the task of finding a new office space, in order to ensure moving office doesn’t turn into the painstakingly aggravating duty it can often become.

1. Commercial Property is horribly advertised compared to residential

Your boss may have thought a simple Rightmove or Zoopla search of “Office in the City of London” would be all that was needed to find your next office, but commercial property is a lot harder to find than its residential counterpart. Whilst a quick search for a new flat can provide results in minutes, finding a suitable office to lease in the City is not as easy.

It is important to establish this fact with your boss as otherwise they will be expecting results a lot quicker than they will be available. The City office market in particular is difficult to traverse due to its competitive and ever-changing nature, and so requires an in depth search with knowledge and help of professionals.

2. There are two types of agents

In commercial property there are two types of agents. Those who represent tenants and those who represent landlords. There are also the very confused types who believe they can represent both – these must be avoided at all costs.

3. Be clear about your search area

It’s all very well for your boss to ask you to find an office in the City, but if you can define your search more specifically you will undoubtedly get off to a better start. In our experience companies searching around the City can often end up taking space in Midtown, Clerkenwell, Shoreditch and SE1, so pinning down key areas is vital before you begin your search.

If you are able to, have a talk with your boss to make clear exactly which areas you will consider, and more importantly, which areas you definitely won’t.

4. Make sure you are aware of your time frame

If you’re looking for a larger space for 20 desks upwards then it’s likely that your boss would have asked you to consider leased options (if you are unsure of the difference between leased and serviced offices see our guide here). A Leased office deal typically takes around 4-6 months to complete so it’s always best to ensure you plan well in advance, especially if you have to be moved by a given time. If you are in control of your timeline, you are in control of your move.

The City is one of the most in demand areas of London, sought by City workers, creatives and those wishing to invest in London real estate. Due to this popularity, the earlier you start searching, the better chance you will have of beating other tenants to the best deals

5. Try to get your boss to discuss budget

It may be the case that your boss does not want to disclose too much information about your budget and this could be for a number of reasons. They may not want to show all their cards at this early stage or they simply may not know their budget yet and wish you to research and to feed information on the market. As this may well be the case it would be useful to ask your boss some of the following questions:

• How much do we currently pay?
• When did we take our current space? (this will help to add contact, prices have significantly increased over the last three years)
• Does our budget take into account fit out, furniture and IT & Telecoms?
• How much legroom does our budget allow?

Rents in The City have seen an increase over the last five years. At present, our research shows that rents in the City are averaging anywhere between £45 and £65 per square foot. Some of the surrounding areas such as London Bridge, Tower Hill and Shoreditch can provide excellent value for money and have become popular amongst those who cannot afford prime rents in the City.

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These are just a few tips rather than a full self help guide as every project is unique and complicated. Running such a project is an all-encompassing and lengthily task which is why a lot of companies in London see the benefit of appointing an external consultant to guide them through the process. Typically a fee for this serviced can be agreed between the two parties based on the scale and the scope of your particular search and assuming you’re talking to a tenant only agency the saving of time, energy and money will compensate for any fee.

If you would like some advice on your office move you can reach one of our property consultants on 020 3434 3860. Alternatively you can email us at sales@reesa.com with details of your requirement.