Do You Need an Office Broker in London? Who Pays
For serviced and managed offices in London the operator pays the broker, not you; for leases it depends. Who pays whom, when a broker helps, and what to ask before using one.
A US company can open a furnished London office within two to three weeks, at a median of £475 per desk a month (about $630 at £1 = $1.33 on 12 November 2026) in November 2026: a ten-person office is about £4,750, or $6,296, a month all-in. That median covers 872 priced serviced offices on SquareFoot. Most US companies start in a serviced office on a twelve-month licence, which usually needs no UK entity, and move to a managed floor or a lease once the London team passes 20 to 30 people.
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What it costs, in pounds and dollars (November 2026, £1 = $1.33 on 12 November 2026)
| Team | Monthly at the London median | In USD | Annual in USD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 people | £1,425 | $1,889 | $22,667 |
| 5 people | £2,375 | $3,148 | $37,778 |
| 10 people | £4,750 | $6,296 | $75,557 |
| 20 people (£550/desk at centres taking 20+) | £11,000 | $14,581 | $174,974 |
| 50 people (£555/desk at centres taking 50+) | £27,750 | $36,784 | $441,411 |
Add VAT at 20% on top of most quotes; a US company without UK VAT registration usually cannot recover it, so budget the gross figure.
By district (median per desk a month): Mayfair £850 ($1,127), Kings Cross £800 ($1,060), Soho £778 ($1,031), Marylebone £680 ($901), Monument £650 ($862), Fitzrovia £650 ($862), Liverpool Street £630 ($835), Clerkenwell £600 ($795).
The three ways in
| Route | Contract | Ready in | Commitment | Needs a UK entity? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serviced office | Licence, 1-12 months | 1-3 weeks | Low | Usually no |
| Managed office | Operator agreement, 12-36 months | 4-12 weeks | Medium | Often a UK entity or a guarantee |
| Conventional lease | Lease, 5-10 years with a break | 3-6 months plus fit-out | High | Usually a UK entity, rent deposit or parent guarantee |
Leases are quoted per sq ft per year before business rates, service charge and fit-out (Knight Frank prime headline, Q3 2026: City Core £112.50, West End Core £200, Canary Wharf £62.50 per sq ft). Serviced and managed space is quoted per desk, all-in.
How it differs from leasing in the US
- Licences, not leases, for flex: a serviced office licence gives no security of tenure; the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 does not apply.
- All-in pricing: business rates (the UK property tax) and service charge are inside a serviced office fee; on a lease they are separate bills.
- VAT: 20% on top of most rents and fees.
- Lease length and repairs: UK leases run longer than typical US flex terms and are usually full repairing and insuring, with a dilapidations bill at the end.
- Measurement: UK leases quote net internal area in sq ft; serviced offices quote desks.
- Hours: London is five hours ahead of New York for most of the year.
Step by step
- Decide the first-year headcount and districts (clients, investors, hires, and Heathrow access via the Elizabeth line at Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon and Liverpool Street).
- Shortlist on the London market page or send us the brief; our local team in London confirms availability and prices.
- Viewings: most US teams do one London trip of one or two days; virtual viewings work for a first cut.
- Sign the licence: operators usually ask for company registration documents, ID for the signatory and proof of address, and a deposit of one to two months.
- Move in: one to three weeks after signing for a serviced office.
- In parallel, if needed: a UK limited company at Companies House, which needs a UK registered office address, and UK payroll and tax registrations for local hires. Take UK legal and tax advice.
What to get right
- Price in dollars at today’s rate, and stress-test a 10% move in sterling.
- Ask for the twelve-month rate and the rolling rate.
- Confirm VAT treatment in writing.
- Check notice periods and the right to expand in the same building.
- For 20+ people, get a managed-floor quote alongside serviced suites.
How SquareFoot helps
SquareFoot is a New York tenant brokerage founded in 2011. In London it lists every operator’s space with prices, and our local team in London confirms availability, arranges viewings and negotiates, free for the tenant – the operator or landlord pays. US time-zone calls are fine.
Legal and tax points are general information, not advice. Sources: SquareFoot London listings (November 2026); exchange rate £1 = $1.33 on 12 November 2026; Knight Frank, The London Office Market Report Q3 2026, published 3 November 2026.
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
How much does a London office cost for a US company?
A serviced office costs a median of £475 per desk a month in November 2026, about $630 at £1 = $1.33 on 12 November 2026; a ten-person office is about £4,750 ($6,296) a month all-in, plus VAT.
How should a US company budget a London office in dollars?
Take the sterling quote, add VAT at 20% unless the company will be registered for UK VAT, convert at today’s rate and stress-test a 10% move in the pound. At the November 2026 median of £475 a desk (about $630), a five-person office is about £2,375 a month before VAT.
Does a US company need a UK entity to rent a London office?
Not usually for a serviced office: a licence can usually be signed by the US company with its registration documents and ID. Managed floors and leases often need a UK entity, a parent guarantee or a larger deposit. Take UK legal advice for your case.
How long does it take to open an office in London?
One to three weeks for a serviced office, four to twelve weeks for a managed floor, three to six months plus fit-out for a lease.
Do US companies pay VAT on London office rent?
Most London operators and landlords charge VAT at 20%. A company registered for UK VAT can usually recover it; one that is not usually cannot. Confirm the treatment with a UK tax adviser.
Also: Flexible office vs lease in London
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+ · Do you need an office broker in London?
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