Conventional Office Spaces
Traditional leased office space through RICS accredited partners. When you need a longer-term home for your business.
If flexible or managed workspaces don't suit your needs, a traditional commercial lease lets you take full control of your space and set your own terms.
Conventional office space, meaning a traditional commercial lease in your name, is still a smart choice for many businesses. If you want full control over your workspace, a long-term commitment that helps you build equity in your location, or the kind of scale that flexible providers can't offer cost-effectively, a traditional lease is often the best option.
We partner with RICS accredited chartered surveyors in the UK and around the world to help you find, negotiate, and secure traditional leased spaces on the best terms. You benefit from the expertise and protection of regulated property professionals, along with our consultative, client-focused approach and global reach.
Traditional leases, modern advisory
A longer term home for your business
If a traditional lease is right for you, whether you are outgrowing flexible options, combining several offices, or want full control of your space, we help you find, negotiate, and secure a lease with terms that work for your business over the long term.
RICS accredited expertise
We work with professionals accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). This ensures you receive regulated and insured property expertise, paired with our consultative approach. You get top-quality advice on valuation, lease terms, and market conditions, as well as truly independent strategic guidance.
Commercial outcomes, not just transactions
A lease is a multi-year financial commitment and is often the second largest operating cost after payroll. We take this seriously. Our advice looks at more than just the rent. We also consider break clauses, rent reviews, service charge caps, fit-out contributions, dilapidations, and all other factors that affect the true cost of occupying a space throughout the lease.
End-to-end lease advisory
Lease negotiation
We negotiate every commercial clause, from rent and lease terms to break clauses, rent reviews, service charges, and dilapidations, to protect your interests and give you maximum flexibility.
RICS accredited partners
Our chartered surveyors offer regulated expertise, professional indemnity, and follow industry-standard processes in every transaction.
Market analysis
We give you pricing advice based on actual comparable sales, not just asking rents. Our goal is to show you what buildings are really worth, not what landlords wish they could get.
Portfolio strategy
We help businesses with multiple locations create strategies that manage consolidation, support growth, and control costs across all their sites.
Renewal management
Proactive lease management covers rent review negotiation, break clause execution, and renewal strategy. This way, you avoid being rushed into poor decisions when it matters most.
Transition support
If you are moving from a serviced or managed office to a conventional space, we handle the entire transition. This includes timing, managing any overlap, addressing dilapidations when you leave, and taking care of the fit-out when you arrive.
From requirements to completion
Requirements definition
We work with you to create a detailed occupational brief that covers your space needs, preferred locations, budget, flexibility, fit-out goals, and timing. A strong brief sets the stage for a successful deal.
Market search
Our RICS partners carry out a careful and detailed property search across all available leased options. We also look for off-market opportunities, upcoming spaces, and buildings where current tenants might be open to assignment.
Shortlisting & viewings
We give you a carefully chosen shortlist with clear, objective assessments of each building's suitability, including location, specifications, cost, lease terms, and negotiating position. We also join you for viewings and share up-to-date market insights as you make your choice.
Heads of terms
Once you have made your choice, we guide the negotiations on the heads of terms, which are the main commercial points that will shape your final lease. Getting this part right can save months of legal work and thousands in professional fees later on.
Legal & completion
We manage the legal phase by instructing solicitors, coordinating surveys, reviewing lease drafts, and working with your legal team to negotiate the final commercial points. After that, we help with fit-out planning and move in logistics.
When a conventional lease makes sense
Established, stable businesses
Your team size and space needs are now predictable. You no longer need flexibility; instead, you want stability, control, and the savings that come with a long-term commitment.
Scale beyond flexible economics
When you need more than 200 desks, flexible and managed workspaces usually cost more per desk. At this size, traditional leases often offer much better value over the length of the lease.
Complete brand and design control
You want a space that's completely your own, with no shared areas, no outside management, and no limits on how you use it. With a traditional lease, you have total control over your workspace.
Long-term location strategy
Your location matters for how clients see you, how you attract talent, and for your daily operations. When you choose a spot, you want to commit to it. Signing a 10-15 year lease in the right building helps secure your place and builds equity in your location.
Common questions about conventional leases
How long does it take to secure a conventional lease?
The time from your initial brief to moving in is usually between 3 and 9 months. This depends on things like the market, which buildings are available, and how much work the space needs. If you're leasing a fitted space with a simple agreement, it can take as little as 3 to 4 months. More complex deals, such as those involving new buildings, major renovations, or several rounds of legal review, may take 6 to 9 months or even longer. We'll give you a clear timeline at the beginning based on your needs.
What are "heads of terms" and why do they matter?
Heads of terms are a non-binding summary that covers the main points of a deal before lawyers step in. This includes things like rent, lease length, break dates, rent reviews, and fit-out contributions. These details are important because they set the direction for the final lease. A well-prepared heads of terms can help avoid costly legal disputes, while a weak one often leads to them. This is why having experienced advice at this stage is so valuable.
What's the difference between a full repairing and insuring (FRI) lease and an internal repairing lease?
With an FRI lease, the tenant must repair, maintain, and insure the entire building. This can be a major long-term responsibility. In contrast, an internal repairing lease means the tenant only looks after the inside of their space. This difference has a big impact on your costs over the lease term. We help you understand your obligations and work to secure protections where we can.
What's typically included in the rent?
Usually, only the rent is included. Service charges for things like common areas, building management, and security, as well as insurance and business rates, are typically extra. These can add 30-50% to your total cost of occupation. We always show you the full total cost of occupation, not just the headline rent, so you can compare your options accurately.
Can you help with break clauses and rent reviews?
Yes, these are important moments in the life of a lease. Break clauses are rarely simple to carry out, as landlords and their solicitors often look for procedural reasons to challenge them. Rent reviews can also lead to significant cost increases if not handled well. We continue to manage these events for our clients long after the original deal is done.
What are dilapidations and how do they affect me?
Dilapidations are the costs you may face at the end of a lease to return a property to its agreed condition. These costs can be significant, sometimes reaching tens or even hundreds of thousands of pounds, and they often lead to disputes when a lease ends. We help protect you from the start by negotiating measures like schedules of condition, dilapidations caps, and reinstatement obligations. We also manage the exit process to reduce your risk at the end of the lease.
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