May 17, 2018
passfort office

Exciting Tech Start-up Successfully Expands into Second London Office

PassFort are a young and exciting FinTech business, who have grown and expanded rapidly, from 2 Partners in a serviced office, to 40+ people across London.

The Lorenz Consultancy had previously handled the acquisition of their first conventional London office, comprising some 1,500 sq ft, but PassFort soon found that they were in need of more space.

Due to their high-speed expansion, PassFort were forced to take quick, flexible, short-term workspace, in the form of additional desks in a serviced office – at an excessively high desk rate and situated halfway across London, quite a distance from their existing offices.

The separation of the company across two different locations led to PassFort reapproaching The Lorenz Consultancy and instructing our Agency Team, for the second time. Tasked with acquiring new office space, to facilitate their continued expansion, and enabling them to reconsolidate their growing team under one roof.

As is the case with most businesses, functioning across two separate buildings simply did not work for PassFort. The division had created communication problems, not to mention the negative impact on staff-to-staff relationships, with some members of the team having not yet met one another.

With PassFort still growing, their new home had to accommodate the existing team with room for more, which meant one thing – lease flexibility!

**Lease flexibility involves either a Landlord or Tenant, or both, having the option to determine the lease at a time which is shorter than the ‘market norm’. The most advantageous opportunities for occupiers are where Landlords or disposing Tenants have 1-2 years, or thereabouts, prior to a development date or Tenant break date. Incoming Tenants can use these distressed situations to negotiate dramatic rental discounts, rent free periods, or reverse premiums, as a quid pro quo towards taking the space. **

So we undertook an extensive office search, identifying suitable options across London’s flourishing tech hubs, specifically Spitalfields, Shoreditch and Old Street, as well as the City’s financial districts – St. Pauls to Aldgate, and everywhere in between.

Following our introduction of several office buildings, PassFort eventually decided that 24 Cornhill, situated close to Bank, would be their new home. The mezzanine floor comprised some 4,206 sq ft and was only available on a term certain of 12 months – with the existing lease containing a mutual break option.

After entering extensive negotiations with the existing Tenant and the Landlord alike, we agreed to enter into a new lease, for a term of 2 years, outside the Landlord and Tenant Act. The agreed terms included an extremely competitive rent, as well as benefiting from a substantial reverse premium from the existing Tenant – which was paid as a quid pro quo towards relinquishing them of their remaining liabilities.

As for PassForts existing accommodation, we advised them to exercise their break clause and, with their new lease commencing shortly before this date, it left the perfect amount of time to undertake fit-out works and relocate from both of their offices, with only a very short period of double overheads.

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Emma Whittle

Executive Team Assistant

Emma joined the team in June 2018 as an executive assistant, having previously worked as an estate agent in sales. Emma enjoys baking, walking her dog, and is very creative in art and crafts in her spare time. 

Misty

Welfare Officer

Misty became part of the Lorenz family at the start of 2023. As Head of Office Welfare, she has the momentous job of maintaining client satisfaction and ensuring her colleagues are at the top of their game from 9-5.30 with consistent tail wags and hugs.

Yolandi Verschoor

Executive Team Assistant

Yolandi moved to London from South Africa in January 2022, and joined the team in July 2022 as an executive assistant.

With previous experience in the same role at a law firm in South Africa, she brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her position.

Christina Samuel

Executive Team Assistant

Christina joined the team in September 2019 as an executive assistant, having previously worked as general manager for hospitality group The Piano Works.

Christina has a BA and Masters in English from King’s College London, and she enjoys regularly attending yoga, spin, and box fit classes, as well as playing badminton.

Gill Pritchard

Operations Manager & Executive PA to Anthony Lorenz

Gill has been an integral part of the team since its formation in November 2007. With vast experience working as a Legal PA in London for various UK law firms, Gill currently serves as the Operations Manager & Executive PA to Anthony Lorenz.

Her extensive knowledge and skills ensure the smooth functioning of the company’s day-to-day operations.

Gill is a music fan often attending concerts and collecting vinyl records. She also is an enthusiast of historic trains and planes often visiting museums and train / air shows. 

Sammy Conway

Associate Director

Sam joined The Lorenz Consultancy in January 2022 as an Associate Director, bringing more than a decade of experience in various aspects of commercial property, including agency, lease advisory, and management.
He is a qualified professional, having received certification in October 2016.

With a specialisation in transactional disposals and acquisitions across various asset classes, Sam’s niche lies in central London offices and retail & hospitality, and his focus is working in the expanding agency department in lettings and lease acquisitions.

Additionally, works closely with the lease advisory team, further strengthening firm. Sam is also a registered counsellor, providing support to APC candidates.

Sam is a football enthusiast supporting Arsenal FC, and enjoys frequent travelling with South America being a favourite destination. He also plays multiple instruments and is a member of a band as the drummer.

Bailey Crouch

Partner & Joint Head of Agency

Bailey became part of The Lorenz Consultancy team in October 2016 and was promoted to Associate Director in 2021. His expertise lies in providing advice to both tenants and landlords on the acquisition and disposal of commercial property in the UK, with a particular focus on office spaces in central London. Bailey also collaborates closely with the professional department to facilitate successful negotiations for lease renewals, rent reviews, and lease restructuring.

Bailey is a Formula 1 and Rugby enthusiast, and enjoys golfing and is a member of West Sussex Golf Club, where he has an impressive handicap of 1.

Andrew Knights

Partner & Joint Head of Agency

Andrew is head of agency who joined The Lorenz Consultancy team in March 2008, the inception of the agency department. With a strong focus on the core West End and Central London, Andrew specialises in acquisitions and disposals across various sectors, including office, retail & hospitality, and industrial. He brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our firm, helping clients to identify and capitalise on opportunities in the competitive London & UK market. Andrew also collaborates closely with the professional department to facilitate successful negotiations for lease renewals, rent Reviews, and lease restructuring.

Andrew grew up and continues to reside in North London. In his free time, he enjoys staying active and participating in sports, including tennis, football, and golf. He spends most weekends playing golf at his local course.

Frank Perri

Associate Director

Frank is an Associate Director at The Lorenz Consultancy and has over 10 years of experience working in property, qualifying as a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in 2016.

His primary focus is Lease Advisory, where he works alongside Anthony Lorenz & Richard Russell in rent reviews, lease renewals, lease restructuring, and asset management for a wide range of clients. He has experience in providing both written and oral evidence at third party and in Court.

Outside the office, Frank is a football enthusiast who brings a competitive spirit and dedication to the team. He won The Property Cup 2022 alongside a team of peers in the industry.

Richard Russell

Head of Lease Advisory Professional Department

Richard is our Head of Lease Advisory, who joined our team in July 2016. With over 25 years of experience in the commercial property industry, Richard brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our firm. His focus includes rent reviews, lease renewals, lease restructuring, and asset management across London and the UK.

Richard has represented both landlords and tenants in negotiations, and he is experienced in preparing expert witness reports for arbitration, expert PACT, and court procedures.

He also has a strong background in portfolio strategy, helping clients identify opportunities within their portfolios and advising across all commercial property sectors, including offices, retail, leisure, and warehouse/industrial.

Outside of work, Richard enjoys a family lifestyle with his wife and two daughters.

Anthony Lorenz

Founder & Managing Director

Anthony Lorenz is a highly respected figure in the London commercial property market with over 55 years of experience in the industry. Anthony founded Baker Lorenz in 1972, focusing on agency and professional work, including rent reviews, lease renewals, and lease restructuring. Under his leadership, the firm quickly became a nationally recognised name in the industry.

In 2001, Baker Lorenz was acquired by Hercules PLC and merged with Dunlop Heywood to become Dunlop Heywood Lorenz.

However, Anthony’s passion for delivering exceptional service to clients led him to form The Lorenz Consultancy in 2007.

Anthony enjoys spending time in his Mayfair home entertaining clients and friends in the evenings. On weekends, he retreats to his 13th-century country home, where he enjoys an equestrian lifestyle and plays competitive polo throughout the summer.