Opening a London Office: A Guide for US Companies (2026)
What a US company pays for a London office in pounds and dollars (median £475, about $630 per desk a month), the contracts, timing, VAT and entity questions, step by step.
For a serviced or managed office in London you do not pay a broker: the operator pays an introduction fee when you sign, and your price is the same as going direct. For a conventional lease the landlord pays its letting agent, and a tenant who wants its own adviser either pays that adviser or negotiates for the landlord’s fee to be shared. A broker is worth using once you are comparing more than a handful of buildings, need 20 desks or more, or are new to London; SquareFoot lists 2,325 London centres, 872 with the operator’s own price, and our local team in London handles viewings and terms at no cost to the tenant.
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Who pays whom
| Product | Who pays the broker | What the tenant pays |
|---|---|---|
| Serviced office or coworking | The operator, as a referral fee when a contract is signed | Nothing extra; the price is the operator’s own |
| Managed office | The operator, as with serviced | Nothing extra |
| Conventional lease, landlord’s agent | The landlord | Nothing to the landlord’s agent, who acts for the landlord |
| Conventional lease, tenant’s own adviser | The tenant, or a share of the landlord’s letting fee if negotiated | Depends on the engagement; agree it in writing first |
Is the price higher if I use a broker?
Not for serviced or managed space. Operators publish one rate card and pay the introducer out of their margin, so the tenant pays the same whether it comes direct or through a broker; a good broker often gets a better rate because it can compare offers across operators. Ask any broker to confirm in writing that they charge you nothing.
When a broker is worth it
- You need 20 desks or more: the best suites are not always on operators’ websites, and managed floors are quoted on enquiry only.
- You are new to London: districts, transport and price levels are hard to judge from abroad.
- You are weighing serviced against managed against a lease, which need different quotes.
- You want one point of contact for viewings across several operators in a day.
When you can skip one: a team of one to five that knows the district and building it wants.
Brokers, marketplaces and tenant advisers
- Flex brokers and marketplaces list many operators and are paid by them: Hubble, Instant Offices, Workthere (Savills), Rubberdesk and others, and SquareFoot.
- Leasing agents and tenant representatives handle conventional space: JLL, CBRE, Savills, Knight Frank, Cushman & Wakefield and many independents. On a lease, check whether the firm acts for you or for the landlord.
- SquareFoot is a licensed commercial real estate brokerage founded in New York in 2011 that represents tenants. In London it lists every operator’s space with prices, and our local team in London books viewings and negotiates. Free for tenants.
What to ask a broker before you start
- Who pays you, and will you put that in writing?
- Which operators do you not work with? (A broker that cannot show you a building should say so.)
- Do you act for any landlord in the buildings you are showing me?
- Will you get quotes on the same headcount, term and start date from each operator?
- Who negotiates the licence or heads of terms, and who reviews the contract?
Counts and prices are from SquareFoot’s live London listings as of November 2026: 2,325 centres, 872 with a published asking price per desk per month, collected from the operators’ own pages. Derived and conventional-lease prices are listed but never counted in a median. Written by SquareFoot; reviewed November 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay a broker to find a serviced office in London?
No. The operator pays an introduction fee when you sign, and the price you pay is the operator’s own published rate. Ask the broker to confirm in writing that it charges you nothing.
Who pays the agent on a London office lease?
The landlord pays its own letting agent. If you appoint a tenant adviser, you agree its fee, which is sometimes met from a share of the landlord’s letting fee.
Is it cheaper to go direct to the operator?
Not usually. Operators pay introducers from their margin, so the rate is the same direct or through a broker, and a broker comparing several operators can often negotiate a better one.
What does a tenant representative do in London?
Acts only for the tenant on a lease or a large flexible deal: searches, shortlists, negotiates heads of terms, rent-free and break clauses, and coordinates with the tenant’s solicitor.
Does SquareFoot charge tenants in London?
No. SquareFoot shows London offices with the operators’ own prices and our local team in London arranges viewings and negotiates; the operator or landlord pays.
Also: How to find office space in London · Flexible office vs lease in London · Office space FAQ
Related: Every London office with prices · London office space prices by district · How much an office costs in London (per desk and per sq ft) · Serviced offices in London · Office space for 20 to 50 people in London · Office space for 50+ people in London · Managed vs serviced offices for teams of 20+ · Opening a London office: a guide for US companies
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