What Is Included in a Serviced Office?

The appeal of a serviced office is simple: one monthly invoice instead of a dozen. But what sits inside that invoice varies by operator, and the extras are where budgets slip.

Almost always included

Rent for your private suite, business rates, service charge and building insurance. Heating, lighting, power and water. Business grade wifi and wired internet. Daily cleaning of your suite and the common areas. Reception and post handling. Kitchen facilities, tea, coffee and usually fresh fruit. Access to breakout areas and phone booths. Security, alarms and 24 hour access.

Usually an allowance, not unlimited

Meeting room hours are typically credited monthly, often five to ten hours per suite, then charged hourly beyond that. Printing is generally metered after a monthly allowance. Some operators cap the internet bandwidth on the standard package and sell a dedicated leased line separately.

Commonly charged extra

Car parking, secure bike storage in some buildings, dedicated phone lines and handsets, additional IT support, extra furniture, signage and branding, deliveries out of hours, and any suite reconfiguration you request.

The questions worth asking

How much notice do I give, and how much does the price move on renewal? What is the deposit, and is it one, two or three months? Is there a service charge uplift clause? What happens if we need two more desks in six months?

OfficeZen asks these on your behalf, gets them confirmed in writing, and compares the true monthly cost across every shortlisted building, free of charge.