Are you searching and selecting an office for your company? Or maybe you are considering moving to a new place? One of the most important questions you need to answer is about the kind of space you’re renting. Today, in addition to traditional rental, you can choose a serviced private office. In Warsaw, Krakow and other large cities, this is already a standard. How are the two models different? What advantages and disadvantages do they have? What to choose? We explain.
Traditional office space rent – what are its rules?
What does renting an office on traditional terms mean?
Primarily:
lease of space for a longer period (3-5 years)
spaces only for you – including kitchen and social facilities, conference rooms, and sometimes also toilets
“empty space”, which you arrange yourself from scratch or from the condition left by the previous tenant
independent choice of internet provider and other media/services (e.g. cable TV, cleaning).
Rental in this formula is long-term. This means the need to sign a contract, the early termination of which could affect the payment of contractual penalties. You are responsible for your a space startin from fitting it out to cleaning .
What are the advantages of traditional rental?
Traditonal rental gives you:
- guarantee of the stability of the company’s headquarters,
- a high sense of independence, also in terms of the arrangement of office space,
- the ability to independently manage all matters related to the functioning of the office,
- the possibility of creating a separate company headquarters – e.g. occupying an entire floor in an office building or part of a building.
What are the disadvantages of traditional rental?
The biggest disadvantage of traditional rental is the low flexibility of this solution. In a modern market where the situation is dynamic, it is very difficult to predict what the situation will look like in 2-3 years. Will your company be in the same place as now? Will employees work in-house or will you switch to hybrid or remote mode? Or maybe your team will dynamically expand.
In such cases, the space to be rented may suddenly turn out to be too large or too small. However, with a long-term contract, it is difficult to make quick changes.
In addition, traditional rental of office space is associated with:
- additional fit-out/ arrangement costs – you have to purchase office furniture and other equipment yourself, which can be a significant start-up expense,
- additional labor costs – a company that decides to rent a traditional office must take care of the staff at the office reception, as well as the organization of cleaning services;
- the inability to quickly move in and start work – it is often necessary to refurbish the premises, find appropriate equipment, etc. All this delays the moment of starting the actual activity. The fit-out itself can take up to six months in a medium-sized office.
Therefore, it can be said that traditional rental is a good option for a company that anticipates that its needs and operating model will not change over the next few years and has a need for high independence. Most often, it is a good solution for companies with an established position, for which the office is also a trademark for clients.
Read also: 6 reasons why you should rent flexible office space
What is a serviced private office is about?
A serviced office is a new, more flexible type of office space for rent. In this model, the company rents (usually on the spot) an office that is fully furnished and equipped. In this formula, it also gains access to a number of additional services. These include:
- access to the necessary media, including the Internet,
- possibility of using common spaces, e.g. kitchen, relaxation zone, entertainment zone or social rooms,
- the option of using the reception services – e.g. in the field of receiving correspondence and parcels, and many others,
- cleaning service,
- access to printing equipment, photocopying, etc., without buying your own devices.
Renting a service office can be short-term, but it doesn’t have to be. In this model, you pay all office usage fees on one bill.
What are the advantages of renting a serviced office?
The rental of a serviced private office is primarily:
- one, fixed cost – you pay for all services in one bill, which increases the predictability of expenses;
- less “administrative” burdens – you do not have to worry about, for example, cleaning issues, repairing minor defects or replenish supplies in the kitchen. These are the tasks that are undertaken by the serviced office operator;
- ability of faster start – most service offices are waiting for rent. They are fully equipped and only require minor modifications or none;
- full flexibility – related both to the rental period and the size of the space you need. In many cases, you can operate in the “pay as you grow” model, which means that over time you can expand the office with additional space or, if necessary, reduce its size. Thanks to this, you bear the costs that correspond to your current business needs. You are also not afraid that if your market situation changes, you will not be able to react to it.
What are the disadvantages of renting serviced space?
A disadvantage is a slightly lower independence of operation in the serviced area. It is also not so obvious that you will be able to make significant arrangement changes that would suit you. Remember also that the flexibility you get from the operator of the serviced office in terms of the length of the agreement, i.e. the possibility of terminating it in a short period, also applies to you. This means that the operator can also terminate such a contract. Here, however, it should be noted that this happens extremely rarely.
It seems, that the list of advantages of this solution is longer. This is the reason why more and more entrepreneurs choose this model of using the office space. They include both small startups and much larger market players.
Do you want to know what conditions can be offered to you by a serviced office in Warsaw or Krakow? Contact us and we will help you choose the optimal space for your company.
