We've built Upmo with one thing in mind: to make moving office space easier, fairer and more transparent for everyone. Our belief is that renting an office should be as easy as renting a room on Airbnb but up until now there hasn't been a platform that allows you to rent space without engaging a broker. Upmo is the first to offer a digital alternative that means you don't have to go through a middle person, instead you can deal direct while still comparing the full market. The question though is why wouldn't you use a broker? This guides sets out some of the key reasons behind this choice.
More efficient
Renting serviced office space doesn't require an expert to guide you, so there's really no need for an agent unless you have a very complex or large requirement. By cutting out the person in the middle of the transaction and allowing you to deal direct we're creating a more efficient process. No waiting while your broker checks on details. No uncertainty around the information you're being provided. Just straight answers from the people who know best - the Providers.
A better experience
By removing the middle person we can focus on automating parts of the journey and putting you in control of your own experience. Our powerful search allows you to find and compare spaces in an instant, you can then create a tour of the spaces you like and book your viewings/contact providers all in one place. For us, this is just is just a start. There's a lot more to come in this space.
No unsolicited phone calls
If you've done an office search before you'll know that as soon as you register your details with a broker site you will get bombarded with unsolicited calls about your requirement. This is because your broker will register you with multiple different providers across London even if you're not interested in them. We never do that. We'll only make introductions to the people you have contacted either by requesting a viewing, calling them through our site or messaging them using our contact form. We value your data and will never share it to the wider market.
No hidden fees
While a lot of broker sites will tell you they operate for free, this isn't entirely true. Brokers make their money by charging 10% of the first year of your rent to the Provider of the office space. As an example this means that a broker in central London will make around £20k if they introduce a 20 person company/team to a Provider that signs on for a year! We that in most cases this isn't justified, especially given providers naturally factor this cost in and this charge is ultimately born by you.
Here at Upmo we do things differently. As of September 2021 we don't charge a penny to anyone, although eventually we will ask for a small fee from Providers to list on our site, meaning there will be no charge on the transaction, saving you around 10%.
No biased opinions
We really believe in transparency and we're working hard to lift the lid on some of the industry practices that go against this. One of these that is common in the industry is a term called "enhanced fee propositions". These are fee incentives that Providers will offer brokers in order to get them to push their clients (you) into their buildings. In practice this means that, without you knowing, the broker will earn an additional 5, 10 or even 20% in fees if you decide to sign on with that particular Provider.
While we can't claim that all brokers are influenced by this behaviour it's fair to say that in some cases you will not be getting impartial advice on which space is the most suitable space for you to move into.
Because we don't charge any commission on the transaction we will never be influenced by these enhanced fee propositions and you can be confident that you'll never be pushed into an option that isn't right for you.