Should you pay an office finder fee in today’s digital world?

Would you be mad to pay an agent a office finder fee in today’s digital world?

You’d certainly think so. But if we’re talking about longer-term leased offices – as opposed to short-term flex space – you may not be mad at all.

I’m going to look under the bonnet of the London office market to share an insider’s view of how it works. By the time you reach my conclusion, you’ll see that this market is fundamentally different from others. And in many cases, it’s best accessed with some extra help.

The office market has always been hard to see.

If you walk down the high street, you’ll see residential estate agents with shopfronts designed to showcase their listings. But how often have you spotted a shop window displaying offices to rent? Probably never.

Unlike homes, offices have traditionally been marketed in a much more discreet, business-to-business way. The big commercial agencies tend to be hidden away on upper floors, with no public shopfront at all.

Limited online platforms make DIY searching tricky

While residential agents fully embrace portals like Zoopla, Rightmove, and OnTheMarket, most office agents have not. Despite millions of square feet available in Central London, it’s extremely hard to get a comprehensive list of spaces that match your criteria online.

Try it yourself – you’ll quickly see how incomplete and inconsistent the listings are.

What about serviced offices?

Short-term serviced offices are the exception. Operators market them much more like hotels, often with glossy online listings and strong digital advertising. But even here, you’ll struggle to find truly comprehensive availability yourself.

The upside is that serviced office agents are paid by the operators (the landlord) – not by you. So if you use an agent to find serviced or flex office space, the service is often free for your business.

This post explains which is better for your business – serviced or leased office space.

Offices are marketed differently – and more complex to negotiate

Leasing an office involves a far more complex negotiation than buying a house. When you take a lease, there are multiple terms to agree:

• Lease term
• Rent
• Service charge exposure
• Repairing liabilities
• Rent-free periods
• Fit-out responsibilities
• Dilapidations at the end
• Break clauses
• Reletting rights

Most tenants need help navigating all of this. Compare it to buying a home: you can often find the property online and negotiate the price yourself, because the process is simpler and more transparent.

Why paying an office finder fee can make sense

So – would you be mad to pay an office finder fee? I don’t think so, for three clear reasons:

1. A good agent provides a genuinely comprehensive list of spaces that fit your size, location, budget, and style – including on- and off-market options.
2. They’re likely to uncover many more suitable offices than you would alone.
3. Most importantly, they know how to handle commercial negotiations and put you on equal footing with professional landlords.

Often, businesses start out trying to search themselves – hoping to avoid paying someone – but quickly get stuck for all the reasons above. A quick chat with an experienced, well-connected agent can change their mind almost instantly. Once they see the value, most are more than happy to pay a fee for the guidance, expertise alongside the time and money saved. My colleague Michael Fraser tells us how to choose the best office agent here.

In a strong market, a good agent can help secure the space you really want. In a weaker market, they can often save you significant money across rent, incentives and the rest of the commercial terms.

Final thoughts

At this point, you may be wondering how much office finders actually charge. That’s a fair question – and one I’ll cover in my next blog.