Frequently Asked Questions

What is a serviced office?

If you haven’t’ used one before, you’ll find it different to a standard lease agreement.  It’s an office where you can work without the costs or long-term commitments of regular office space.  The price you pay includes all the services you need and you’ve got the flexibility to increase or decrease the amount of space or time you use, dependent on your business needs.

What is co-working?

Co-working is a shared workspace where you work alongside other people / businesses in a flexible way.  You can use it for anything from the odd session through to being a full-time base for your business.  We have all business facilities on site and refreshments are included.

Can you offer admin or VA services?

We have a wide range of very good local Virtual Assistants in all of our sites and can put you in touch with someone who can support you.

Can I increase or decrease my space if my needs change?

Yes but obviously subject to us having the right sized space for you available. We’re working to build a couple of offices in each of our locations which gives us flexibility to offer you smaller or larger offices. We do find however that our clients tend to stay with us once they have joined so we don’t have lots of space available. The best plan would be to talk to us early so we can plan our business alongside yours and if we need to find a new building for you as you grow, then we’re always happy to go looking!

Do you offer registered address and mail handing?

Yes, we can offer all mail services. We just need to complete some money laundering checks and agree the right package with you and can then set this up quite quickly. We have slightly different services at different sites as a some are permanent staffed and some aren’t but we can discuss this with you and work out the right package for you.

What’s included?

Our licence fee includes all the services you need – the obvious things like desk, chair and cleaning but some of the things you might not think about such as maintenance, legal fees and refreshments. We don’t have many optional additional costs but these cover parking, telecoms, meeting rooms and storage if you need them.

Are there any additional charges?

We try to make our rates as transparent as possible so that you always know what to expect and can budget effectively. You won’t incur any additional costs without opting in first and these cover specific items such as parking, telecoms supply, storage or meeting rooms.

Do you offer discounts?

We can sometimes offer discounts but this depends on other factors such as any bespoke fit-out or furnishings you might need or the duration of your contract. This is one to discuss with you in person so we can get the right overall package for you.

Do you use a lease?

We use a flexible licence agreement rather than a lease. This is more flexible, quicker to set-up and doesn’t incur legal costs. We can give you a copy of this and talk you through it when you take a look around the building.

How quickly can I get in?

It can be as quick as the same day but usually takes a couple of days. We need to sign our licence agreement with you and conduct some basic money-laundering checks with ID and address confirmation for you / your company and then we’re good to go.

Do I need a solicitor?

No, although you can chose to use one if you wish. We offer a standard licence agreement which has been legally drafted. This is written in plain English without legal terms so you know what you’re committing to. The licence agreement has a different basis in law from a full lease which provides greater flexibility and reduced legal costs.

What happens if my situation changes, can I get out?

We’ll talk to you before you start with us and work out a contract that suits your situation. That way, you don’t need to commit to a longer term deal if you’d like to keep things flexible. Once you’ve entered the contract, you’re signed up for the duration you agreed to although we prefer to treat people like human beings rather than contracts so if you do have problems, talk to us early and we’ll see what we can do. We might be able to release you early if we can find someone to take up your space but that would always be on a case by case basis.

Do I have to pay dilapidations at the end of the term?

No, we just ask you to return the office and furniture in a reasonable condition and make good and damages or changes you have made. Your fees include reasonable wear and tear so we’re not expecting you to return everything freshly painted and re-carpeted – thats one of the benefits of using serviced offices rather than a lease

Do you have meeting rooms?

Some of our sites have meeting rooms but not all. Where we have them, they are bookable but members can usually pop into them for free to take the odd call or for a quick catchup. If you’re not a member of the site already, get in touch and we can discuss rates and availability with you.

Are refreshments included?

Yes, tea, coffee and milk etc are included and topped up by us regularly. On some sites, we also have premium coffee machines which are chargeable but much cheaper than you would pay on the high-street.

Do you have parking?

Most of our sites are in town-centre locations and so there is limited or no parking on site. Where we do have spaces, they are available for members to book on a long-term basis on a first come first served basis. All of our sites are close to good local public parking so we can provide you with more details on the best site to use and long term parking rates.

Do you have a reception?

We have a full time Centre Manager at Perch Co-working in Bicester but our other sites have a dedicated Client Manager who is a regular point of contact with clients but not based on site. We have set up our systems to be able to do most things without being their permanently which means we can invest the savings in creating fantastic buildings rather than having to employ people you don’t really need.

What internet speed and setup do you have?

This varies slightly by site so check with us but we usually offer 50 or 100mb on a 100mb bearer. For our serviced office sites, we have a lease line and and FTTC line so there is backup and redundancy on site should any equipment fail. It also gives you business resilience should anyone drill through a cable in the road!

Do you provide telecoms?

We can provide a fully inclusive call-system for you with your own dedicated number, inclusive calls and call-handling. We can provide and manage the phone system through our local partners and can do more bespoke packages should you need. We don’t insist you take our packages though so if you have your own existing way of doing things then that’s fine.

What is your client community?

We try to build a strong network of connections within and across our sites by running events, socials or just talking to people and connecting them with other businesses. Quite a few of our clients do business with each other within the centres and we’ve even had companies take stakes in each other. We think it’s really important to build supportive communities eg through the Coronavirus outbreak, we helped companies access grants, ran webinars and provided expert advice on topics such as access to funding, finance and marketing.

What links do you have with the local business community?

We make strong local connections with the wider business community. We’re an active part of local networking groups, join the Chambers of Commerce and speak at local business events. We find that allows us to connect our clients with other potential connections locally and help introduce them to the right forums or people to promote their own businesses.

Are you connected with any charities?

Our partner charity is Youth Concern – a local organisation who provide support to vulnerable and potentially homeless young people to help them stay off the streets and get the support they need. This cause is close to our hearts – partly as it is property related and partly as it helps young people and hopefully solves a problem before it starts to become a longer term issue.