Renting an Office For a Day in London: Your Checklist

Picture this; you’re a small business owner who runs your company from home. You have a small team of remote workers and usually only meet up a few times a year. But today, you and your team need to work together in-person, due to unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances. Where do you go?

This is where day office spaces come in; but trying too rent an office for a day in London isn't simple.

The demand for day offices has exploded as thousands of businesses that have become remote since 2020 suddenly find themselves in need of office spaces on an irregular basis.

This has led to the rise of daily office space rentals where businesses, freelancers and short-term contractors rent space on an hourly or daily rate.

These flexible workspaces are cost-effective, dynamic and packed full of amenities, making them the ideal option for teams needing access to a professional environment on an ad-hoc basis.

They are also great for remote teams wanting access to a meeting room for employee or client meetings and all the amenities in offices that workers can’t access at home.

Our comprehensive guide offers a full breakdown of all you need to know about daily office rentals in London, answering common questions and giving practical tips to make the most of your workday.

Looking for a workspace? Find day office spaces in London.

Before You Book

Determine your needs

You may only need the office space for the day, but that doesn’t mean you need to make sacrifices.

Great day offices come with all the essentials you’ll find in a permanent office space, including ergonomic furniture, high speed internet, hot desks, phone booths, meeting rooms and coworking spaces.

But beyond the must-haves, it’s important to consider the following factors when searching for day office rentals:

• The number of people you require desk space for on any given day
• The type of workspace you need such as a coworking space, serviced office, private space or conference and meeting rooms.
• Office space location preferences so that your team can easily travel to the rental
• Access to amenities such as printing facilities, internet/VPN connections, kitchen areas and breakout spaces
• Day offices that are budget-friendly and cost effective

Research providers

As short term workspace becomes increasingly popular, hundreds of daily office rentals have popped up across London, giving teams plenty of options to choose from.

But not all day office providers are created equal.

Before choosing the first workspace you find on Google from your ‘renting office space London’ search, it’s important you spend some time familiarising yourself with day office providers so you make an informed decision.

Servcorp, for example, boasts three first-class workspaces across London where businesses and workers can access a full suite of amenities such as world-leading technology infrastructure and administration and IT support services. The company also has a global presence, where clients can work from any of the over 150 locations across the world if need be.

Meanwhile, other day offices may have a more localised presence and instead choose to offer fewer amenities to ensure their private day offices suit teams requiring less resources.

We recommend reaching out to providers to ask them any questions you may have about their spaces and services to help you make an informed decision before booking in.

Booking Your Office

Typically, booking your daily office space rental is a straightforward process.

Most providers allow you to simply complete an online booking form. First you select the location that you’d like to rent and then you’ll be prompted to an online form. Once you’ve filled out the form, which includes your name, company, contact and date you’ll be attending, your booking is all locked in.

Be mindful that some providers may require payment upfront as you book and may or may not charge additional fees in this process.

Before the day of your office rental, your provider may reach out via email to confirm your booking and may request you complete some documentation for security and legal purposes. You can also use this contact to ask any questions you may have to make the most of your day.

Breakout panel: How to secure the best deal on a daily office rental

A few office space providers offer discounted prices in their day offices under certain circumstances.

These can come in the form of early-bird specials by booking weeks in advance or renting the space during off-peak times of the year around holidays and long weekends. Some providers may also provide deals for businesses who exceed the minimum number of workers who need desk spaces for the day or who book multiple days in a row.

Servcorp recommends planning your day office rental visit up to a few weeks in advance to take advantage of these discounts. Selected locations can also have their own discounts so take a look at all locations a provider may service to see if you can get a bargain.

Related: Top 7 Reasons Why You Should Rent an Office in London

On the Day of Your Rental

Arriving at your office space

Once you get to your rented office space, a friendly receptionist will welcome you into the workspace and give you and your team a tour of the premises.

During this time, you may be asked to sign in either by filling out a sheet or completing a QR code form confirming your presence. As part of this, the form will usually ask you for your signature, the time you arrived and how many hours you plan to be there for. This is done to ensure the security and safety of all patrons utilising the offices and the site overall.

From here, you’ll be escorted to your day office, whether this is a private office space for just your team or a shared office with multiple workers and companies occupying the area. You’ll also be given the details of who best to reach out to for any questions or troubleshooting.

If you’ve gone with a higher-end provider, your desk areas will already have all the technological connections set up so your team can dive straight into work.

Making the most of your time

Now that you’ve settled into your workspace, it’s time to get productive! Of course, that’s easier said than done when you’re in a new and dynamic space.

To maximise your time in day offices, you and your team will need to establish clear objectives of what you want to get out of this precious office time, and plan accordingly.

It’s also critical that you plan ahead of time to make sure you can access meeting rooms or collaboration zones without overlapping with other clients. You can arrange this during the booking process or you can ask reception to organise this for you on the day itself.

To enhance your day office experience, you can leverage your access to these amenities and facilities by arranging conference or phone calls to line up with your visit or hosting important team sessions in a private office.

You can further optimise your time by taking advantage of the amenities and facilities offered onsite, such as taking breaks in communal areas designed for recreation or utilising quiet areas for more focused work.

Remember, day offices are designed for productivity and collaboration in mind to support your professional endevours, so use them wisely!

Learn more on how to stay focused in day offices

After Your Rental

Leaving the office

At the end of the day, you’ll need to formally sign out of the daily office space rental.

At most office spaces, this will mean either filling out a form or having the receptionist mark off your exit.

Before you go, make sure you check to make sure you haven’t left anything behind, especially any work materials that may be sensitive or confidential.

Providing feedback

After your day in the office, many providers will directly ask for feedback through an email form or survey, or require you to leave a review.

This is important not just for the provider but also for your business to evaluate the time spent and whether or not it was worthwhile.

Once you’ve taken the time to offer feedback, it’s worth checking in with your team to get their thoughts on the space, whether it was beneficial and determine if day offices are the way to go if required again anytime soon.

Planning ahead

After a successful day in the office space rental, you may already be planning your next visit.

If you anticipate that you’ll be requiring the space again, it’s critical you take the time to assess the cost, location, amenities and environment to determine if that particular day office was the right fit.

Perhaps you want to try another space with the same provider at a more prime location or you want to try a new provider altogether.

Planning ahead by either setting the next time far in advance or taking more time to research options will put you on great footing for the next time.

Alternative Options

If you were satisfied after your day office visit and wanted more consistent in-office workdays, there are other flexible workspace options that you can explore that don’t require constant rebooking of the space and upfront payment every time.

One of the most popular flexible office spaces are coworking spaces, a more cost-effective solution where your team can access a workspace whenever they need.

Offered on a monthly membership basis, coworking spaces offer all the same benefits are day office rentals but can be accessed anytime your business needs.

This is also great for teams where some workers want to use the space more often, whilst others may only venture into the offices once a month, or who are looking to establish a professional business address.

Coworking Spaces in London FAQs: Your Questions Answered

A virtual office package may also be a great option for businesses that benefit from the amenities of day office rentals but won’t be using the space for more than a day or two per month.

With virtual offices, your business is set up with all the administrative and IT supports and infrastructure for remote workers, whilst also using the office as your company address.

Virtual Offices in London FAQs: Everything You Need to Know

Ready to Rent Office Space for a Day?

Day office rentals are a fantastic way for businesses and contractors alike to access office spaces whenever they need without the large expense of renting fixed traditional spaces.

Whether you’re renting your own private office space for a day or sharing hot desks in a shared environment, these offices are the best spaces for teams needing access to on an infrequent schedule.

Businesses, entrepreneurs and freelancers no longer have to be stuck in rigid long-term office leases, as day offices and other flexible workspaces start to make a splash in the market.

Whether you’re looking for a day office, coworking space or virtual office, Servcorp offers the finest workspaces to help you and your business thrive.

Reach out to our friendly team via online form or give us a call to get started in your future office spaces today.