Managed Office Space: A Flexible Solution for Growing Businesses

Whether you are a founder, co-founder, small business owner, remote team lead or corporate real-estate professional, this guide aims to simplify your new office search. We explore exactly what a managed office is and how managed office space compares with serviced offices, coworking spaces and traditional office space. We also look at what a typical managed office contract involves, why this option has become increasingly popular, and how to choose the right managed office for your business needs.

The rise of managed offices is closely linked to wider office-market trends. CBRE’s UK H2 2025 Flex Insights showed how demand for flexible workspace is evolving, while our Real Estate Market Outlook reports provide useful insight into the UK and US office landscapes specifically. Hot off the press, our UK Real Estate Market Outlook 2026 is teeming with invaluable regional context, while regular market commentary identifies critical insight that could impact your move – such as What does the spike in active demand tell us about the office market? perspective.

Read on for all the information you need to make an informed decision about whether renting a managed office is the right solution your organisation needs.

What is a managed office?

A managed office is a fully equipped, custom-built workspace run by a third-party provider, giving businesses exclusive use of a private office on flexible terms and an all-inclusive monthly fee. Managed offices are often described as a 'hybrid' between serviced offices and traditional office leases, combining the ease of serviced spaces with the control of a conventional lease.

A managed office is a private workspace delivered as a service. Instead of signing a conventional lease and handling every element of the fit-out and office management yourself, you partner with managed office providers (a type of workspace provider or office provider) who take care of all the finer details. The managed office is operated by a third-party provider who runs the space according to the tenant's specifications.

In a typical managed office solution:

• The CBRE team runs the office search and helps you secure the perfect office space.
• A managed provider provides a fully equipped office solution, typically pre-fitted and designed for immediate occupancy, including desks, meeting rooms, breakout spaces, and other facilities.
• They handle ongoing support services, mail handling and facilities, often using their own third-party providers in the background.
• You pay a predictable, all-inclusive monthly fee that reduces upfront costs and minimises hidden costs.

These flexible, all-in-one environments are often referred to as managed spaces, offering cost-effectiveness, ease of management, and strategic benefits such as improved employee experience and space planning. Managed offices provide a professional environment with amenities like meeting rooms and high-speed internet.

So what makes managed offices unique? Unlike serviced offices and coworking spaces, managed offices provide exclusive use and dedicated space for one occupier only. You have strong control over layout, branding and office customisations, while the provider takes on most operational aspects.

CBRE’s flex-market research shows that corporate occupiers are increasingly using flex as part of their portfolio strategy. Across the UK, for example, flexible solutions are expected to constitute 29% of portfolios by 2029, up from 21% in 2025, primarily due to cost considerations (paying only for active use) and reduced capital expenditure.

How do managed offices compare with serviced offices, coworking spaces and traditional offices?

Managed offices sit between fully flexible serviced offices and long-term traditional office space, combining exclusive use for one company and customisation with shorter contracts and lower upfront costs.

Key difference: Lease terms, privacy and flexibility

CBRE’s UK office research highlights how office-attendance and utilisation patterns are reshaping these choices. Office attendance is increasing according to CBRE’s research on year-on-year attendance surges, while take-up in central London is showing strong momentum.

At the same time, the occupancy challenge shows there is still work to do in right-sizing portfolios and improving utilisation – a key reason many firms are pivoting towards managed and other flexible office space solutions, allowing them to more readily adapt their workspace, often through shorter leases, and maintain greater control as their needs evolve.

What services and amenities do managed offices provide?

A managed office offers a bundled package of property, facilities, technology, and support services so you can focus on your core business, not the building.

Most managed workspaces combine several layers of service:

Property, design and fit-out

• Location and office search support.
• Floors are typically delivered fully fitted, with the flexibility to customise the space and create a workspace that reflects your brand.
• Interior design that reflects your brand image and corporate image.
• Fit-out and office customisations: workstations, breakout spaces, meeting rooms, phone booths and collaboration areas.

CBRE’s The Future is Flex is a useful guide for businesses looking to choose shared office space in London.

Facilities and office management

• Day-to-day office management (cleaning, maintenance, health and safety).
• Agreed maintenance response times to keep the office running smoothly.
• Security, access control and exclusive break-out areas for your private office or private workspace.

As hybrid working has become embedded, CBRE has highlighted the role of convenience-enhancing technology and property management solutions in drawing people back to the office – from workplace apps to smart parcel lockers that benefit employees returning to the office.

Technology and support services

• High-speed connectivity for your flexible workspace.
• AV and hybrid set-up in meeting rooms and town-hall spaces.
• IT helpdesk and support services, often delivered by a third-party provider.
• Optional unified communications and mail-handling services.

Technology is rapidly reshaping what occupiers expect from a workplace. CBRE’s Artificial Intelligence and the Future Workplace and Future of AI and the Impact on Demand for Workspace explore how AI, automation and data-driven insights will influence how much space occupiers need, where it should be located and how it is used.

A simple way to think about it: managed offices provide “all the infrastructure you need for a new office” and fold it into one all-inclusive monthly fee, so you are not sourcing and coordinating dozens of suppliers.

How much does managed office space cost?

Managed office space replaces large upfront fit-out spend with a predictable all-inclusive monthly fee.

When considering how much it costs to rent a managed office, compare the cost effectiveness between:

• Leasing traditional office space and funding the fit-out yourself.
• Operating under short-term contracts, often with potential for renewal and price adjustments, in serviced office space

Key cost drivers include:

• City and micro-location (strength of the flexible office market).
• Size of the office and whether you need a larger space.
• Level of office customisations, from straightforward branding to highly specialised fit-out.
• Length of the managed office contract and any break or expansion options.
• Range of support services, other facilities and technology included.

CBRE’s market commentary – including Flex space to account for 20% of London office market by 2030 and what the Spike in active demand tells us about the office market – can help frame your assumptions around future occupancy, rental growth and flexibility.

Instead of paying large upfront costs for capex, furniture and professional fees, you pay a single all-inclusive monthly fee. This model:

• Smooths out cash flow and supports cost effectiveness.
• Reduces the risk of unexpected hidden costs.

Who are managed offices best for?

Managed offices provide a more flexible solution for businesses seeking agility and adaptability, offering flexible office space that works for small businesses, growing businesses and corporate satellite teams who want control without complexity.

Most managed offices provide a faster setup time compared to traditional office spaces, making them suitable for companies looking to grow quickly.

Start-ups and small businesses

For small businesses, managed offices provide:

• A credible new office and perfect office space once they outgrow coworking spaces.
• Dedicated space and exclusive use that can be hard to find in fully shared environments.
• Better company culture and brand image support than hot-desking.

CBRE’s Guide to the best coworking spaces in London is a vital read for firms of all scales looking for the right spot for their business.

Growing businesses and established businesses

For growing businesses and more established businesses:

• A customised space that reflects how the business operates.
• A way to test new markets with more flexible solutions than long traditional leases.

Corporate satellites and remote teams

Enterprise-scale UK businesses use managed office space for:

• Regional hubs and corporate-image-sensitive locations.
• Project and innovation teams that need exclusive use and security.
• Remote or hybrid teams who benefit from a tailored flexible workspace.

Across all segments, managed offices provide an environment designed to help the business thrive without owning or directly managing the asset. For many corporate occupiers, flex and managed offices form part of a broader workplace strategy alongside core HQ space.

Renting a managed office: Pros and cons

Renting a managed office balances flexibility, control and risk; the trade-offs are different from both serviced office space and traditional office space.

Understanding where your business sits on this spectrum is key to choosing the right managed office or alternative flexible office solution, and CBRE’s flex market updates are a useful resource when assessing timing.

How to choose the right managed office – with expert guidance

Choosing the right managed office starts with a clear brief and ends with careful provider due diligence, a process where occupiers don't have to navigate it alone. CBRE, a global leader in commercial real estate, has extensive experience guiding companies, startups, and businesses across London and the UK in selecting the ideal managed office space. We are here to support you from start to finish.

The following checklist is designed to help you start thinking about your needs, and we're here to manage every aspect of the search and selection process for you.

Define how your business operates

• Current headcount and anticipated growth.
• Hybrid vs office-first patterns.
• Specialist needs (labs, studios, secure areas).

Clarify business needs and priorities

• Location, commute patterns and client access requirements.
• Desired office customisations, breakout spaces and meeting rooms.
• Required support services and maintenance response times.

CBRE’s The Future is Flex explores the different options on the market and how you can select these to meet your brief.

Agree your budget and risk appetite

• Target all-inclusive monthly fee range.
• Appetite for longer vs shorter managed office contracts.
• Acceptable level of flexible office vs long-term certainty.

Assess each workspace provider

• Track record delivering custom-built workspaces for similar UK businesses.
• Strength and clarity of service-level commitments.
• Real client testimonials from other businesses in your sector or size band.

CBRE’s dedicated Flexible Office Space services help occupiers brief, search, compare, and negotiate across flex and managed options – we are here to help you every step of the way.

Check move-in logistics

• Proposed move-in date and realistic move-in time for your new office.
• What is included as standard vs extra (to avoid hidden costs).
• How they will manage any future resize into a larger space or second site.

Working through this list helps ensure you select the right managed office and the flexible workspace partner that can support your business needs over the full term.

Spotlight: Flexible office space in London

London offers an array of coworking spaces, serviced offices and managed office space that can be tailored to different business profiles. CBRE’s coworking and flex property search makes it easy to filter by location, building type and workspace style, including:

• Hot-desk options for individuals and micro-teams.
• Dedicated desks for regular users.
• Private offices within coworking centres.
• Serviced offices for plug-and-play occupation.
• London-specific searches via the London coworking and flex portal.

In London’s core markets, especially transport hubs like King’s Cross, Soho, Liverpool Street, Shoreditch, London Bridge, St Paul's, Mayfair, you will typically find:

• High-end serviced office space from major serviced office providers.
• Design-led coworking spaces suited to smaller or more creative teams.
• A growing supply of managed office space aimed at growing businesses and established businesses that want a branded, exclusive-use environment without signing long traditional leases.

CBRE’s coworking guides, such as London’s best serviced offices, the best coworking spaces in London and The future is flex guide to choosing shared office space in London, along with their facilities management services, offer useful grounding if you are shortlisting specific buildings or neighbourhoods.

For larger occupiers or those considering Docklands, our analysis of Canary Wharf’s transformation into a mixed-use destination provides additional context on how location choice interacts with amenity, talent and long-term value.

Is managed office space the right flexible solution for your business?

Managed offices provide a powerful middle ground between fully serviced offices and traditional leases, giving businesses exclusive, customised space on flexible terms and a predictable cost base.

If you want the following, then renting a managed office can be an excellent option.

• A private office with exclusive use and strong brand image.
• Lower upfront costs and fewer hidden costs than a DIY fit-out.
• A flexible office space arrangement that can adapt as your business grows.
• Less time spent on operational aspects and more time on clients and growth.

If, on the other hand, you want maximum complete control over a long period and are comfortable with high capital spend, traditional office space may suit you better. And if you mainly need short-term, ultra-flexible access for individuals, coworking spaces or small serviced offices might be enough.

For most UK businesses looking at their next new office, the best next step is to shortlist a few flexible office solutions – including managed offices, serviced offices and coworking spaces – and compare them against this guide, using CBRE’s Flexible Office Space Advisory Services and Coworking Property Search as needed. That will help you make an informed, data-driven choice about the space that will truly help your business thrive.