Capital case for change: Why London needs agile FM

By Mark Hazelwood, Managing Director of IFM and Hard Services

London’s workspace landscape is shifting. And for many growing businesses, that shift brings unexpected responsibilities.

If you’ve recently moved out of a coworking space and into your own leased office, you’re not alone. As of Q2 2025, the total supply of office space in Central London is approximately 25.6 million sq ft, and 99.9% of UK businesses are SMEs – many now managing their own premises for the first time.

But with that move comes new responsibility: fire safety checks, cleaning contracts, air conditioning maintenance, complying with legislation and making sure every service is delivered by a qualified, insured provider. It’s a lot to take on, especially if you’re a managing director, HR lead or finance director who didn’t plan on becoming an FM expert overnight.

Shared offices used to do it all: cleaners, compliance, reception, repairs. But as more SMEs move into leased spaces, they’re realising just how much goes on behind the scenes to keep a building safe, legal, and running smoothly.

That realisation often doesn’t come at the point of signing the lease, it comes when the bins aren’t emptied, the fire alarm certificate has lapsed, or someone asks, “Who’s managing this?”

The silent burden of your own space

Leasing your own office is a big step. It signals stability. Credibility. Control.

But it also makes you the person responsible for making sure the lights stay on – literally and legally. That means:

• Keeping up with statutory inspections and certifications
• Hiring and vetting suppliers for things like cleaning, HVAC and pest control
• Managing invoices, chasing quotes, monitoring service quality
• Being the point of contact when something breaks, floods, or overheats

And unless you’ve hired a full-time facilities manager (which most SMEs haven’t), that responsibility usually falls to someone who didn’t expect it, such as an ops lead, office manager, finance director or MD.

It’s not that these tasks are impossible. It’s that they’re invisible until they’re urgent, and by then, they’ve already disrupted your day.

We’ve taken over contracts in London with huge maintenance backlogs, simply because the business didn’t have the capacity or know-how to get the job done.

These situations can endanger employees and make businesses liable for big fines.

What’s the alternative?

You could build an FM team, but that’s a big commitment if you only occupy a floor or two.

You could juggle it all yourself, but that takes you away from your actual job.

Or you could take an agile FM approach: a flexible setup that keeps things legal, clean and safe, without locking you into complex contracts or unnecessary overheads.

Agile FM isn’t a product. It’s a mindset that says:

• You should have visibility over what’s happening in your space
• You should be able to scale up or down without penalty
• You should get real answers, not jargon
• And you shouldn’t need a full-time FM background to stay compliant

What’s your landlord responsible for – and what’s on you?

Leasing space doesn’t automatically mean your landlord is handling FM.

In many cases, you’re responsible for everything inside your space, including cleaning, fire safety, electrical checks, pest control and water testing. Your landlord may manage common areas, but that won’t cover your internal compliance obligations.

Understanding where their responsibilities end and yours begin is key, and it’s often buried in the lease.

Three smart checks for any growing business with a leased space

If you’ve recently taken on your own premises, ask yourself:

1. Do we know the dates of our last statutory checks?
   (E.g. fire alarm test, fixed wire inspection, legionella)
2. Are our suppliers fully insured and accredited?
   (Would you know if they weren’t?)
3. Can we show compliance to a landlord, board, or regulator – right now?
   (Or would we be scrambling?)

If any of those raise eyebrows, it might be time to bring in some support.

Quick win: Check your lease and your last inspection

Don’t know where to start? Grab your lease, and look for any clauses that reference maintenance, statutory testing, or service provision. Then check the last service dates for your:

• Fire alarm
• Emergency lighting
• Fixed wire (EICR)
• Water testing

If you can’t find the answer in a few clicks or calls, it might be time to get some help.

Final word

This is a blind spot that quietly affects thousands of SMEs across London, just trying to run their businesses without tripping over the red tape of property responsibility.

If you’ve got leased space and no FM headcount, you need a plan. Whether that’s internal, outsourced, or somewhere in between, we’re happy to talk through what good looks like.

Need a second opinion on your setup? Or just want to sanity-check your responsibilities? Visit our FM on Demand webpage, and fill out an enquiry form to have a no-strings chat about your FM needs.