Negative review from former Regus tenant in Sheffield

A former tenant of Regus' Sheffield offices has submitted a review on a consumer complaints site, outlining several examples of the company's failure to enforce their "house rules." Included in the list were: misleading rent information from sales representatives; loud neighbours who shouted and played music; near misses with people travelling on Segways with hot drinks; disruption from office cleaners who worked from 9-10am; a receptionist who denied that the tenant's company was in the building; poor customer service and lack of communication; inflexible auto-renewal procedures; and a general detrimental effect on the tennant's company and its clients.

Lakesview Business Park, Hersden, Kent.

A clean well run business park, 90% occupancy, efficient service, prompt repairs, a lovely place for small and start up business to locate to with flexible leasing at a good rate.

Since Regus took over this Business Park some 14 months ago it is now a dirty, poorly maintained site. Rents have risen by over 20%. Broadband speed has halved and basic repairs/maintenance of the grounds and buildings has stopped. Local car dealers use the car parks to store their cars off road. Occupancy has dropped to 40% and still business are leaving, putting staff out of work and causing at least 3 business I know to to fail.

Regus PLC Invoicing is nothing short of a joke, no transparency, random charging and staff with a highly aggressive attitude, where threatening to lock a customer out the office/workshop is almost immediate even when they are to blame.

On taking a lease on a workshop last year a fault with the electric meter was reported immediately. It cuts off the power without warning to all the workshop including lights and sockets at least a dozen times a day plunging the workshop into darkness and endangering staff who maybe using power tools at the time. This was reported and acknowledge by the site manager (verbal and email) as a dangerous situation and the meter was to be checked immediately. The meter was not inspected and low and behold the manager was replaced some 5 weeks later where we had to go through the process all over again. There has been 4 managers in 14 months on this site, all do the same 'plausible denial'. It seems Regus managers don't do handovers or talk to each other when replaced?

14 months later and still this meter has not been replaced. It has cost me money due to a need for battery operated equipment, to avoid the mains being used. We are unable to safely use the workshop in hours of darkness and as it is winter that's pretty much most of the day and I am unable to use the unit to the full potential costing me money in revenue.

I consider this to be an act of negligence on the part of Regus and their staff. Regus is contracted to carry out repairs to which they are responsible for, quickly and efficiently. This has not been done and my staff have been put at unnecessary risk. I want this meter replaced and I demand my company be reimbursed for this unacceptable situation.



Invoicing has been nothing but trouble since Regus took over the site. A £10, 600 water bill, the unit has one toilet and one small sink? The bill should have been £10.60p. Regus reaction, pay the invoice in full and we will consider a credit on investigation. What small business can just handover £10, 600 for an error they did not create. 3 times Regus attempted to remove the money from my account, till I stopped the Direct Debt, their reaction, pay the bill otherwise they will lock the doors to the workshop. I refused and after many insults and threats from the accounts dept (based in god knows what country) they admitted the mistake and adjusted the invoice without apology. I am left with bank chargers and the stress of dealing with this type of accounting.

Six months ago I was given a statement saying my account needed to be brought up to date by £600 (I have 4 units in total). This was paid (we moved from a large unit to a smaller one). 3 months later I am handed a bill for £4, 600. The previous accounts person had left and a new one came in and noticed the error. The incumbent Manager took no responsibility for this, saying it was not her job to check the work of the staff. Well as a manager what exactly would be her role? I was left trying to find over £4, 000 to yet again sort out the Regus error, with again no apology or acceptance of blame. As a not for profit company trying to find large sums of money at short notice is close to impossible and what help does Regus give 'late payment fees'.

I also find it insulting that your manager remarks they have no interest in Community Cohesion Companies, companies that try to benefit the very community where this Business Park is located. There only concern is getting us to pay the rent. That is helpful to know.



This is by no means the extent of the issues we have at Lakesview Business Park. There is not a company on this site that has not been affected by lazy, inaccurate invoicing by individuals who I very much doubt hold a professional qualification in this field. If it is Regus PLCs intention to run this site into the ground for some reason then they should just say and we will all know where we are.



I am in the process of handing back two units on lease. a loss of some £2000 in rent to Regus. No one is asking why, no one is offering to help retain the units, nothing. Just an email telling me the date to vacate. Is that really the way to do business?