"All-inclusive" is one of those phrases that does a lot of heavy lifting.
In some buildings it means everything. In others it means everything except the things you'll actually use, which you'll find out about on your first invoice.
So here's what it means at The Groves, line by line, and a few questions worth asking wherever you're looking.
The traditional way: a stack of bills
If you take a conventional office lease, you're usually paying for a lot of things separately:
- rent
- service charge
- business rates
- utilities
- broadband
- cleaning
- furniture and fit-out
- meeting rooms, if you have any
Each one comes with its own supplier, contract and invoice. For a small practice, that's a lot of admin for something that's meant to be the background to your actual work.
What's in the fee at The Groves
At The Groves, every suite is let to one business on an all-inclusive licence. One monthly fee covers:
- rent
- service charge
- business rates
- utilities
- wifi
- cleaning
- 5 hours of meeting and boardroom access
- 24/7 access
On top of that, every occupier gets:
- a kitchen and breakout area with free tea, coffee and milk
- monthly social and business events
- free hire of the event space for a monthly business event of your own
- bike storage and showers
- use of the building as your registered business address, with mail handled
The full list lives on our amenities page.
Why business rates matter
Business rates are the line people most often forget to ask about.
They can be a significant cost, and in some "all-inclusive" offers they sit outside the fee. At The Groves they're included, so the monthly figure is the figure.
Meeting rooms: check the small print
Plenty of workspaces include meeting rooms "subject to availability", which can mean "rarely".
Our licences include 5 hours of meeting and boardroom access. The boardroom seats up to 12, and two meeting rooms seat up to 6 each. They're for occupiers and virtual office members, so you're not competing with the general public for a slot.
Licence terms
Suites are let on licences of 12 to 24 months, with 3 months' notice. That's long enough to settle in properly and short enough that you're not tied into a ten-year lease for a business that might double in size next year.
The full terms are set out in each licence agreement, and we're happy to walk you through them. Our FAQs cover the common questions.
What isn't "included" (anywhere)
To be fair to everyone, there are things no all-inclusive fee should be expected to cover, such as your own phones, your software and whatever your team orders for lunch.
The point isn't that everything under the sun is free. It's that the costs of running the space are in one predictable number, so you can plan around it.
Serviced, managed or leased?
The language around workspace can be confusing, so here's a rough guide.
A traditional lease gives you a space and leaves you to run it. You sort the fit-out, the furniture, the utilities, the broadband, the cleaning and the rates. It suits larger businesses with a long-term view and someone to manage the building.
A serviced office usually means a desk or room in a larger centre, with services bundled in and shorter terms. It's flexible, but you're often sharing space and facilities with a lot of other people.
A managed office, which is what The Groves offers, sits in between. You get your own self-contained suite, let to your business alone, with the running of the building handled for you and the costs rolled into one fee.
None of these is right for everyone. The question is how much of the running of the space you want to take on yourself, and how much privacy you need.
Questions to ask any workspace
Wherever you look, these are worth asking:
- Are business rates included?
- Are utilities capped or fully included?
- How many meeting room hours do I get, and who else can book them?
- Is cleaning included, and how often?
- What's the licence length and notice period?
- Are there setup fees or extra charges for out-of-hours access?
- Can clients visit easily, and is there somewhere decent to meet them?
If the answers come with a lot of asterisks, that tells you something.
Predictability is the real benefit
The money matters, obviously. But the bigger benefit of an all-inclusive licence is predictability.
When the costs of your space sit in one number, you can plan. You know what the office costs this month, next month and next year. There's no surprise bill when the rates are revalued or the energy contract renews.
For a small practice watching its cash flow, that certainty is often worth as much as any saving.
Why we built it this way
I started out in hospitality before property. In a good restaurant, you don't get a separate bill for the cutlery.
We wanted The Groves to feel the same. Move in, do your work, meet your clients, and let us worry about the building.
FAQs
Are business rates included at The Groves? Yes. Business rates are included in the monthly licence fee.
How long are the licences? 12 to 24 months, with 3 months' notice.
Are meeting rooms included? Every licence includes 5 hours of meeting and boardroom access.
If you'd like to talk it through in person, book a tour or have a look at the suites. We won't be sending you a surprise invoice for the coffee.
Marcus