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Chief Operating Officer, Office Freedom
- 10 Minute Read
- 09th December 2022
Six key questions to ask when moving offices
Updated: 8 September 2026
Moving offices is a major business decision. The right office move can reduce costs, support a company’s growth, improve employees’ working experience and give the business greater flexibility. The wrong move can leave a company paying for unsuitable space or committed to an office that no longer meets the business’s needs.
Before beginning an office search, it is important to first establish:
Why the business is moving
What type of office it currently occupies
Where it is currently based
Preferred locations
Total headcount and expected office attendance
Required move date and any current notice period
Total monthly budget
Preferred workspace type, e.g. serviced or leased
Essential facilities
Expected future growth
Understanding these points makes it easier to compare the right options and avoid wasting time viewing unsuitable offices.
1. Why does the business need to move?
Start by identifying what the move needs to achieve. Common reasons include:
Increasing headcount
Reducing the amount of space occupied
Reaching the end of a lease or licence
Reducing overall office costs
Moving to a better-connected location
Improving the quality of the working environment
Encouraging employees to spend more time in the office
Gaining greater contractual flexibility
Creating more private or branded space
The reason for moving will influence almost every part of the search. A growing business may need expansion options and approximately 10% additional capacity. A company downsizing because of hybrid working should focus on peak office attendance rather than total headcount alone. A business trying to encourage employee office attendance may place greater importance on location, facilities and employee experience.
Documenting and understanding the purpose of the move at the outset gives senior management a clear basis for comparing different properties.
2. What type of office is the business leaving?
The current arrangement is an important part of the brief.
A business leaving a serviced office will often choose another serviced office because it already values a flexible agreement, furnished space and an inclusive monthly cost. However, a company that has twenty or more employees or one that has grown significantly may also consider managed or leased space to gain greater control, privacy, branding and dedicated facilities.
A business leaving a conventional lease is more likely to compare all three options: another lease, a managed office and serviced workspace. It may also be more comfortable making a longer-term commitment.
The current office can help establish:
Which services and facilities the business values
Whether it wants more or less responsibility for managing the space
Whether the business has enough internal resource for office management
What it currently pays
Which costs are included or paid separately
Whether furniture, IT or other assets need to be moved
When the existing commitment expires
Whether an overlap between the two offices will be required
For a detailed explanation, read our guide to serviced, managed and traditional leased office space.
3. How much office space is required?
Office size should be guided by how the business works rather than a fixed calculation based solely on total headcount. Consider:
Total number of employees
Normal and peak office attendance, especially on Tuesdays to Thursdays
Number and size of meeting rooms
Phone booths and quiet rooms
Breakout and collaboration areas
Private offices for senior management
Kitchen and dining space
Storage and IT server space
Reception or client-facing areas
Expected growth
Where appropriate, allowing approximately 10% for growth can prevent a business from outgrowing its new office too quickly. The exact allowance should still be guided by the client’s plans, commitment length and appetite for additional cost.
A serviced office generally provides access to shared meeting rooms, kitchens and breakout areas outside the private office. A managed or leased office is more likely to require these facilities within the business’s own space. Two offices with the same desk capacity can therefore have very different overall space requirements.
4. Where should the new office be located?
Location decisions normally balance:
Senior management’s preferred area
Employee commuting patterns
Transport connections
Proximity to clients
The company’s desired image
Rent and total occupancy costs
Proximity to the existing office
Access to restaurants, shops and other amenities
Many businesses want to remain close to their existing office to minimise disruption. Others move specifically to improve connectivity, upgrade their environment or achieve better value.
Employee commuting information can inform the decision, but office moves are normally led by senior management rather than decided through a company-wide vote. In Central London, recruitment considerations may be less significant than accessibility because most established business districts have strong transport connections.
Businesses considering the capital can compare current London office space and individual areas such as Mayfair, King’s Cross, Liverpool Street and London Bridge.
5. What is the total office budget?
Clients often begin with either a total monthly budget or a comparison with what they currently pay.
Where a business does not yet have a firm budget, Office Freedom can explain the likely cost of suitable options in its preferred locations. The company can then adjust its budget, specification or search area with an understanding of the available market.
Different office types should be compared according to their total occupancy cost—not headline rent alone. The price of a serviced office will usually include:
Furniture
Business rates and service charges
Utilities
Building management
Reception or on-site support
Standard internet access
Inclusions vary between operators and buildings. Cleaning may or may not be included. Enhanced internet and IT packages can cost extra. Some operators provide monthly meeting room credits, while others charge separately for every booking. Parking is normally an additional cost and is rare within Central London.
Managed and leased offices can require a more detailed cost comparison, covering fit out, furniture, utilities, rates, service charges, dilapidations, cleaning and office management.
6. Should the business choose serviced, managed or leased space?
There is no single correct answer. The appropriate choice depends on the business’s size, plans and budget.
Serviced offices
Serviced offices are normally furnished and ready to occupy, with many property costs combined into one monthly payment. They particularly suit businesses that value:
Faster occupation
Flexible and shorter-term commitments
Shared amenities and meeting rooms
The ability to expand or reduce space
Minimal responsibility for managing their office space
Managed offices
Managed offices provide a dedicated workspace that can be configured and branded for the occupier, while many property and operational services remain managed by the provider. They may suit businesses that need:
Greater privacy
A customised layout
Dedicated meeting and breakout space
Company branding
More control than a standard serviced office
A slightly longer-term commitment that still provides a level of flexibility
Inclusive costs without upfront capital expenditure on fit out and furniture
Conventional leases
A conventional lease can give an occupier the greatest level of control but also brings more responsibility, cost and commitment. It may suit an established business seeking:
A long-term base
Full control over design and fit out
Exclusive occupation
A larger amount of space
Greater control over the building environment
The decision should be based on the complete commercial and operational costs, not simply the quoted rent.
7. When should the office search begin?
Businesses can approach Office Freedom at any stage for market knowledge and early planning. The most productive period for actively searching and viewing depends on the workspace type. While it’s possible to find a new office within as little as a week, the ideal time frames are:
Serviced office: begin the active search, ideally within six months of the required move
Managed office: allow around six months or slightly longer
Conventional lease: allow approximately nine to twelve months
A leased or managed search may take longer because of negotiations, legal work, design and fit out requirements. Flexible offices can also accommodate urgent requirements. Where necessary, Office Freedom can identify serviced offices capable of occupation the following day.
Businesses should distinguish between seeking early market advice and beginning formal negotiations. If the occupation date is too far away, operators may not yet know which offices will be available or what the final pricing will be. More importantly, they are unlikely to hold available space for a long period.
8. Which facilities are essential?
Separate genuine requirements from preferences before arranging viewings. These may include:
Internal meeting rooms
Internal or external phone booths
Breakout areas
Private executive offices
Kitchen facilities in the building and tea points within the space
Showers
Cycle storage
24-hour access
Company branding
Enhanced internet or IT provision
Security requirements
Pet-friendly access
Wellness spaces and gyms
Outdoor space, e.g. a roof terrace
Pet access is particularly important to disclose at the beginning. Many buildings do not permit pets, so introducing this requirement after viewings have taken place can eliminate otherwise suitable options and waste considerable time.
Accessibility, security and specialist IT requirements should also be confirmed early, as these may determine whether a building can be considered at all.
9. Who will manage the office move?
A senior decision maker should take responsibility for the brief and final decision, supported by relevant internal specialists. Depending on the size of the business, the project may involve:
Senior management
Heads of Real Estate
Finance
HR
IT
Operations
Legal advisers
Office designers
Furniture suppliers
Removal contractors
Avoid allowing too many people to redefine the requirement during the search. Internal feedback is useful, but a clear decision-making process helps keep the project focused and prevents delays.
Office Freedom can manage the office search element by establishing the brief, researching the market, producing a shortlist, arranging viewings and supporting negotiations. Read more about how our free office-search service works.
10. How many offices should a business compare and view?
The size of the initial market search depends on the area and complexity of the requirement. For a typical Central London search, Office Freedom may prepare an initial schedule of approximately 25 to 30 relevant options. The client would normally view around five to seven buildings during the first round.
Further rounds may be needed if:
The original brief changes
The first viewings clarify the client’s priorities
Availability changes
The business wants to compare additional locations
Other decision makers in the business need to see the options
A managed or leased solution requires more detailed investigation
Managed and leased searches often involve more options or stages because the proposed layout, fit out and commercial terms must also be evaluated. The objective is not to view every available office. It is to understand the wider market and then inspect the strongest candidates.
Additional office move considerations
What should a business assess during office viewings?
A viewing should assess much more than whether the private office looks impressive. Shared space can materially change the experience and value of a workspace, particularly where the private office has limited room for meetings, calls, collaboration or breaks.
Check whether lounges, kitchens, meeting rooms and phone booths are genuinely sufficient for the number of occupiers—not simply whether they look attractive during a quiet viewing. A Friday viewing tells a very different story to one on a Tuesday.
It is equally important to understand the operator. Different operators provide different levels of service, approaches to resolving issues and workplace communities. These factors affect the business throughout its occupation and can be difficult to judge from photographs or a price comparison alone. An experienced broker can explain how operators differ and which are likely to suit the client.
What should a business ask employees before moving office?
Although senior management will normally lead the decision, employee input can provide useful evidence about commuting and office use. A short staff questionnaire could ask:
How frequently do you expect to work from the office?
Which days are you most likely to attend?
How do you normally travel to work?
Which stations or transport connections are most important?
Which parts of the current office work particularly well?
Which parts of the current office make working difficult?
Do you regularly need quiet space or phone booths?
How frequently do you use meeting rooms?
Which facilities would improve your working day?
Are there any accessibility requirements that need to be considered?
The responses should inform the workspace brief, while senior management retains responsibility for balancing employee preferences with costs and business objectives.
Office relocation checklist
Before beginning the search
Confirm why the business is moving
Review the existing lease or licence
Identify notice and expiry dates
Establish the required move date
Review current office costs
Set an indicative total monthly budget
Analyse headcount and office attendance
Allow for appropriate growth
Identify preferred locations
List essential facilities
Nominate the decision-maker
During the office search
Compare total occupancy costs
Check everything included in the quoted price
Confirm internet and IT requirements
Confirm cleaning arrangements
Check meeting room charges or credits
Confirm access hours
Disclose pet and accessibility requirements
Inspect approximately five to seven shortlisted options
Record comparable information after each viewing
Before signing
Confirm the complete monthly and upfront costs
Check deposit requirements
Review the agreement and commitment length
Confirm the occupation date
Check expansion or contraction possibilities
Agree the final layout and fit out
Confirm furniture requirements
Confirm branding rights
Agree internet and IT provision
Record any negotiated incentives in writing
Preparing for the move
Appoint removal and other specialist contractors
Create an IT and communications migration plan
Arrange new furniture and equipment
Inform employees of the moving date
Notify clients and suppliers
Update the company website and online profiles
Update stationery and official records
Confirm access, security and building procedures
Plan an overlap period if required
Test the new office before occupation
After the move
Confirm that internet, phones and access systems work
Resolve outstanding fit out issues
Gather employee feedback
Review whether the layout works as intended
Complete obligations relating to the previous office
Update remaining business records and directories
Negotiation is not limited to the headline rent. Depending on the workspace and market conditions, Office Freedom may also negotiate rent-free periods, meeting room credits and fit out improvements or contributions.
Frequently asked questions about moving offices
How early should a business start looking for a new office?
For serviced space, the active search should normally begin within six months of occupation. Managed offices may require up to six months or slightly longer, while a conventional lease can require nine to twelve months. Businesses can contact Office Freedom earlier for initial market advice.
Can a business move into an office immediately?
Yes. Some serviced offices can be occupied the following day, subject to availability, agreement and the client’s requirements. Managed and leased offices normally take longer.
How many offices should a business view?
Around five to seven initial viewings will often provide a useful comparison. More may be required for managed or leased offices or for certain busier locations.
What information does an office broker or agency need?
An office broker will normally need the reason for moving, current office arrangement, preferred locations, headcount, expected attendance, budget, required date, preferred office type and key facilities.
Should employees decide where the new office will be?
Office moves are normally led by senior management. Employee commuting and workplace feedback can inform the decision, but must be balanced against cost, availability and wider business objectives.
Is using Office Freedom free?
Yes. Office Freedom’s office search service is free for businesses looking for workspace. We are paid by the workspace provider when an agreement is completed.
Find the right office for your business
Office Freedom has helped more than 40,000 businesses find workspace since 1993. We compare serviced, managed and leased office options, produce tailored shortlists, arrange viewings and help negotiate commercial terms.
Our service is free for businesses searching for office space.
Call +44 203 8723, email enquiry@officefreedom.com, or contact Office Freedom to discuss your office move.