Why is finding a room to rent so difficult?

[Haung Pnong]

Good afternoon,

I am a mobile massage therapist with an existing client base looking for a room to rent so that I can just work from just one place on a P/T basis (getting sick of lugging my massage couch up and down stairs, finding parking and everything else that comes with being a mobile masseuse) but I am having difficulty finding somewhere. I have looked on places like uk classified, gumtree, shop windows, newspapers but no luck.

I am looking in the Surrey region and wondered if anyone knew of any websites where I might have some luck. Are there any sites that specialize purely in this sort of thing?


Many thanks

 

[BeBE Banks]

I'm a few hundred miles north of Surrey, but just did a brief websearch and found Commercial property for rent in Surrey - Find a Property

When I was looking for a room in 2002, I went through yell.com and looked at all my local commercial property rental agencies. I went through all their listings until I found a property that suited - it took a few weeks, but I was very happy with the result and stayed with my choice for 6 years. I would avoid shop window adverts - keep it very professional and also take into account that you may be faced with things like business rates and utilities (water/electricity/phone line etc). I found a place that cost me £7000 per year - the utilities were extra, and I came to resent paying business rates for water, when all I had was a loo and a cold water tap!!! In 2007 I had a clinic built in my garden, and wish I'd done it 10 years earlier!!

Any chance you could share a space in an established therapy centre where all you would need to pay is room hire and possibly fees towards group advertising?

 

[life-lover]

I'd so the exact same thing Jabba but I haven't got my own garden and I live in a one bedroom flat so I cannot convert a bedroom into a therapy room either.

I would like to find a room in a therapy centre/salon/beauticians/spa type of set up but I have been looking for weeks with no luck.

 

[dallenmarket]

Have you called in to talk to people in any local salons etc? Taken in your CV? When I lived in the USA in the late 80's I bought a local area map and drew a circle covering a 2 mile radius from where we lived. I then went through the yellow pages looking up all the local salons/spas (therapy centres didn't exist in the town at that time), and within 2 weeks had found a room in a small spa, which was available for 6 hours a week. I was with them for 2 years - one off the best experiences I've had, and I still get letters from some of the clients I had then. I did the same thing when we lived in Brussels, but came unstuck when I went for an interview at our local 'council' office to apply for a working licence. I was told that I would have to register as a sex worker........ Needless to say, I didn't pursue it and did something else for a while, leaving massage therapy and reflexology for friends and neighbours!

 

[risitos17]

What about your local gyms? The majority of them have rooms to let and there is the added bonus of plenty of passing trade!

 

[Randomness]

Are gyms generally receptive to massage therapists rwnting a room from them? I'm thinking of doing this when I move to London.

 

[bribri]

Most of the large gyms have rooms to hire - I have a room at Fitness First.

It can be a bit noisy sometimes, so check where the room is in relation to the studio, spin room, etc. Where I am, they put the therapy rooms right below the studio!

Not a problem for me, though, as many of my clients are gym members and I have the class timetable so know when to book in the ones who need quiet!

Some gyms are cheaper than others and have easier terms, so check that too.

 

[Hammy]

I phoned three gyms and they took my details should a room become available in the future. The price range was £35-£50 p/d.