What are the real risks of finding office space on your own?

Thinking of handling your office search solo? At first glance, it might seem like a smart move – skip the middleman, save some money, do it your way. However, there are problems with that approach – and the real risks of finding office space on your own aren’t always obvious upfront.

The biggest risk? You simply can’t see the whole market – and that one issue leads to a whole host of other risks, from overpaying to picking the wrong space.

In this post, we’ll walk through what most people miss when they try to do it themselves – and how you can avoid the common pitfalls.

1. You only see a fraction of the available offices

The London office market is huge – and it’s not centralised.

Over 500 different agents represent available office space across the city. No single platform or agent shows it all, which means if you’re relying on online searches or calling around yourself, you’re only seeing a slice of what’s out there.

You could contact 50 agents and still miss more than half the market. And when you can’t see the full range, you can’t make a fully informed decision.

2. You could end up overpaying for office space – without realising

Prices for office space aren’t always what they seem. The quoted rent isn’t always the rent that gets agreed – deals are often struck below asking price.

But if you’re not working in the market day in, day out, you won’t see what’s negotiable – or how to benchmark one deal against another. That means you could end up paying more than necessary, just because you didn’t have access to the right comparisons.

3. You risk taking the wrong size office

When you’re not seeing all the options, you’re more likely to compromise – maybe by choosing a space that’s slightly too small, or larger than you need.

That might not sound like a big deal at first, but it can become one. Too small, and your team feels cramped in six months. Too big, and you’re paying for space you’re not using.

The right size space should feel like it fits now and gives you room to grow. But that’s hard to get right if you haven’t seen enough to compare.

4. The IT infrastructure might let you down

Another risk of finding office space on your own that’s easy to overlook? Poor connectivity.

Plenty of office spaces look great on a viewing – but only later do you discover the internet is slow, the cabling is a mess, or there’s no fibre connection available. In some cases, poor IT infrastructure can make space effectively unlettable.

Sorting this out after you’ve signed is time-consuming and expensive. It’s the kind of detail that needs to be checked early – and flagged by someone who knows what to look for.

5. You’ll spend more time on your office search than anticipated

Office searches take time. Chasing responses, arranging viewings, reading through lease terms – it’s rarely a quick process.

If you’re managing this on your own, it usually means doing it outside working hours – which slows things down and adds stress. And the longer it drags on, the more likely you are to settle for a “that’ll do” option, just to be done with it.

A better approach that avoids the risks of finding office space on your own

The truth is, finding the right office isn’t just about ticking boxes – it’s about seeing everything, comparing properly, and knowing what details matter. Trying to do it on your own means working with limited information and limited leverage.

Getting help from a London office agent who sees the whole market doesn’t just save time – it gives you more control, more options, and more confidence in your final choice. And you’ll avoid all the risks of finding office space on your own.