Concierge & Security Costs in Central London 2026

Hassan Ahmed

Priority First Team

September 23, 2026

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9 min

Last updated: 23 September 2026

A corporate occupier in central London should expect to pay between £18 and £35 per hour for SIA-licensed concierge-security personnel, or roughly £15–£18 per square foot annually as part of a total service charge, according to Priority First's 2026 pricing data. Costs vary sharply by building type, cover hours and specification.

Key Takeaways

London concierge security pricing typically ranges from £18–35 per hour depending on service scope, personnel qualifications and technology integration, per Priority First.
Comprehensive facilities management in prime central London typically costs £15–18 per square foot annually, compared with £10–13 in secondary London locations, per Priority First.
The average Central London office service charge sits at £15 per square foot per annum, reflecting 24-hour access requirements and on-site security or concierge staff, per Find A London Office.
A standard SIA-licensed security guard in London costs between £18 and £35 per hour for a daytime contract, depending on risk level and contract length, per Solomons Facilities Management.
Integrated security and facilities management packages range from £35,000 to £65,000 annually, per Priority First.

What Is Concierge and Security Provision in a Corporate Building?

Concierge and security provision is the combined front-of-house and protective staffing model — receptionists, SIA-licensed officers (individuals licensed under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 to work in the private security sector), CCTV monitoring and access control — that a building uses to manage visitors, deliveries and risk. The Security Industry Authority (SIA), the UK regulator sponsored by the Home Office, licenses individuals carrying out door supervision, manned guarding and CCTV monitoring roles.

For a corporate occupier, this provision typically sits between two extremes. At one end is a basic staffed reception desk covering business hours only; at the other is a 24/7 hotel-style concierge team layered with SIA-licensed security officers, key holding and alarm response.

Most central London buildings — particularly in Mayfair, the City and Canary Wharf — now blend both functions into a single "concierge-security" role, where one trained officer handles parcels, visitor management and physical security duties. This hybrid model is increasingly the norm because occupiers want a five-star welcome without paying for two separate headcounts.

What Is the Typical Cost per Head for Concierge Services in Central London?

Concierge services in central London typically cost £18–35 per hour per officer, according to Priority First's 2026 benchmark data. The exact rate depends on the individual's qualifications, the technology they operate, and whether the role includes security duties.

A basic daytime receptionist without SIA licensing sits at the lower end of this range. A dual-trained concierge-security officer — someone qualified to greet residents by name, log deliveries, and respond to an incident — commands the upper end.

On a per-square-foot basis, comprehensive facilities management (which typically bundles concierge staffing alongside maintenance and compliance) costs £15–18 per square foot annually in prime central London, against £10–13 in secondary London locations and £8–11 in outer boroughs, per Priority First. Occupiers in Mayfair or St James's should expect to sit at the top of that band.

"A concierge is the first impression your building makes, every single day. Anyone can check a visitor list. The standard we hold is that residents and guests are greeted by name, problems are owned rather than reported upwards, and security is done so smoothly it reads as service." — Mo Hassan, Managing Director, Priority First

What Is the Typical Cost for Manned Security Guarding in Central London?

Manned security guarding in central London typically costs £18–25 per hour for standard SIA-licensed officers, per Intraguard. Rates climb with risk level, shift pattern and contract length.

Solomons Facilities Management puts standard daytime cover at £18–35 per hour, while Priority First records a wider corporate range of £12–18 per hour for standard officers, rising to £35,000–65,000 annually for fully integrated security and facilities management packages.

The gap between these figures reflects contract structure. A single officer on an hourly rate costs less per hour than the same officer bundled into a managed annual package that also includes supervision, reporting technology and account management. Occupiers comparing quotes should always check whether the annual figure includes management overhead, holiday and sickness cover, or only base labour hours.

Priority First's operational data shows the scale this labour actually delivers: across its largest managed portfolio of 24 sites, field officers logged more than 4,900 photo-backed patrols by August 2026, each one carrying officer ID, GPS and a timestamp — a level of provable cover that hourly rate alone doesn't capture.

How Do Costs Differ Between Single-Tenant and Multi-Let Buildings?

Single-tenant buildings and multi-let buildings price concierge and security very differently, because the cost base is either dedicated to one occupier or shared across several. A single-tenant building lets the occupier specify and directly contract the entire security and concierge team, giving full control but bearing the full cost alone.

A multi-let building instead recovers concierge and security costs through the service charge, spreading the expense across all tenants by floor area. This typically produces a lower cost per square foot for any individual tenant, but with far less control over staffing standards, shift patterns or supplier choice.

Building type	Cost recovery method	Typical cost exposure	Occupier control
Single-tenant	Direct contract	Full cost borne alone; higher absolute spend	High — occupier specifies staffing, hours, supplier
Multi-let	Service charge apportionment	Shared cost; lower per-tenant exposure	Low — set by landlord/managing agent
Managed serviced office	Bundled into licence fee	Fixed, often opaque	Minimal — no visibility of underlying contract

A large mixed-use development illustrates the multi-let model in practice: Priority First's operational data shows one such site recording 152 photographed checkpoints, up from zero before onboarding, demonstrating how shared-service buildings can still deliver individually auditable cover once the right platform is in place.

What Drives the Price Difference Between Basic and Premium Concierge Offerings?

A basic reception service and a premium "hotel-style" concierge offering differ mainly in staffing qualifications, technology and scope of duties, not just headcount. The basic model covers business hours only, with an unlicensed receptionist answering calls and signing for post.

The premium model runs 24/7, uses SIA-licensed officers dual-trained in hospitality and security, and layers in CCTV monitoring, key holding, alarm response and full digital logging of every parcel, patrol and visitor. Priority First notes that technology integration is one of the three factors — alongside service scope and personnel qualifications — that determines where a contract sits within the £18–35 per hour range.

A Central London courtyard development covering high-end retail and residential units shows what this looks like in practice. Before Priority First's onboarding, deliveries sat in a back room with a paper log and no answer for a resident asking where a parcel had gone. Since going live in February 2026, seven officers now log every parcel on arrival with a photograph and sign it out on collection, and patrols logged since February have passed 135. That shift — from an informal shelf to a documented chain of custody — is exactly the difference a premium offering is paying for.

Who Is Legally Responsible for Security and Fire Safety in a Leased Building?

Legal responsibility for security and fire safety in a leased building is normally split between the landlord (or their managing agent) and the occupier, depending on lease terms and the areas each party controls. The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 places duties on the "responsible person" — typically the landlord or managing agent for common parts, and the occupier for their own demise.

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 additionally requires employers to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of employees and visitors — meaning an occupier retains duties even where security staffing is provided by the landlord. Occupiers should never assume that paying into a service charge for security transfers all legal liability away from them.

Priority First's guide, Building Management vs Security, sets out how these responsibilities are typically divided in practice between building management and dedicated security functions — a useful reference before signing or renewing a lease.

How Are Concierge and Security Costs Typically Recovered?

Concierge and security costs are typically recovered through one of three routes: the building service charge, a direct contract between occupier and provider, or a dedicated management fee within a serviced office arrangement. Multi-let buildings almost always use the service charge route, apportioning costs by floor area across all tenants.

Single-tenant occupiers more commonly hold a direct contract with a security and facilities provider, giving full visibility of the invoice and the ability to negotiate rates directly. Priority First suggests £10–25 per square foot annually as a useful starting benchmark for total UK commercial office operating costs, against which any quoted figure can be sanity-checked.

Occupiers relying on a service charge should request a line-item breakdown, not a single bundled figure, so concierge and security spend can be separated from cleaning, maintenance and utilities.

Your Concierge and Security Cost Checklist

Request a full breakdown of the service charge separating concierge, security, cleaning and maintenance costs.
Confirm every officer's SIA licence status and check whether roles require licensing under the Private Security Industry Act 2001.
Establish whether cover is business hours only or genuine 24/7, and price both scenarios.
Ask whether patrols, deliveries and incidents are logged digitally or on paper, and request evidence.
Compare quoted rates against the £18–35 per hour benchmark and the £15–18 per square foot prime central London range.
Clarify who holds fire safety and health and safety duties under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Check whether TUPE (the Transfer of Undertakings, Protection of Employment regulations) applies if switching providers, and price any transferring staff into the new contract.
Benchmark against comparable buildings in the same postcode before renewing or renegotiating.

FAQ

How much should a corporate occupier pay for concierge and security in central London?

A corporate occupier should expect £18–35 per hour for SIA-licensed concierge-security officers, or £15–18 per square foot annually as part of a wider service charge, per Priority First. Integrated annual packages typically range from £35,000 to £65,000.

What is the average cost per square foot for office concierge and security in Central London?

The average Central London office service charge is £15 per square foot per annum, reflecting 24-hour access requirements and on-site staffing, per Find A London Office. Prime buildings can reach £18–32 per square foot for full facilities management including security, per Priority First.

Is it cheaper to combine concierge and security under one provider?

Combining both functions in a single dual-trained officer generally reduces total headcount cost compared with running separate reception and security teams. This is why most premium central London buildings now favour a hybrid concierge-security role rather than two distinct staff lines.

Who pays for security in a multi-let office building?

In a multi-let building, all tenants typically pay for security through the service charge, apportioned by floor area. In a single-tenant building, the occupier usually holds a direct contract and pays the full cost themselves.

Does a corporate concierge need an SIA licence?

Only if their role includes licensable activities such as manned guarding, door supervision or CCTV monitoring under the Private Security Industry Act 2001. Many premium buildings now require it regardless, so staff can move seamlessly between hospitality and security duties.

What is the difference between a basic receptionist and a concierge-security officer?

A basic receptionist typically works business hours only and holds no security licensing. A concierge-security officer is SIA-licensed, works around the clock in premium buildings, and combines a five-star welcome with patrols, incident response and digital logging of deliveries and visitors.

How can an occupier tell if their concierge and security quote is fair?

Benchmark the quote against the £18–35 per hour range and the £15–18 per square foot prime central London range, then check what's actually included — hours of cover, licensing, technology and reporting. A quote significantly below these ranges may signal reduced hours, unlicensed staff or no digital audit trail.

Concierge and Security You Can Actually Prove

Budgeting for concierge and security is only half the problem; the other half is knowing whether the cover you're paying for is actually being delivered. Priority First builds every contract — from a single Mayfair reception desk to a 24-site portfolio — around photo-backed patrols, logged deliveries and provable checkpoints, not paper occurrence books.

When a Covent Garden site was broken into overnight, Priority First took the call at 12:30, agreed the quote on the same call, and had an SIA-licensed operative on site by 14:30 — two hours from first contact to deployment. That kind of response sits behind Priority First's £1.6 billion in client assets protected and its 100% customer satisfaction rate.

If you're weighing up a service charge quote or negotiating a direct contract for concierge and security in central London, speak to Priority First's Concierge & Front of House Management team for a benchmarked, no-obligation quote.

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