Virtual office with a bookable meeting room
Lease a small commercial suite and rent out a business address, mail handling and an hourly meeting room.
- A$8k-35k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.
What it is
You lease a small office or shopfront in a good address, then rent the address to businesses that do not want a full office. You sort and hold their mail and rent out a meeting room by the hour or day.
Your first three steps
- Shortlist a few commercial suites in a business-friendly area and check the lease terms, including whether you can let the address to others
- Price your plans against local serviced office and virtual office providers, then set a simple monthly address and mail plan plus meeting room rates
- Set up a basic booking and mail logging system and a simple website, then approach local accountants, solicitors and business groups for referrals
Who pays
Sole traders, online sellers, consultants, interstate or overseas firms wanting a local presence, and home-based businesses needing a professional address and a place to meet clients.
How it makes money
Monthly plans for a business address and mail handling, plus pay-as-you-go charges for meeting room hire, parcel handling and mail forwarding.
Skills that help
- Friendly, professional customer service
- Organised with mail, bookings and records
- Basic selling and local networking
Watch out for
- Check your lease and the landlord's consent before offering the address to other businesses
- Check with your local council that the zoning and permitted use allow this type of business
- Identity checks on clients using your address and mail service, and what records you should keep
- Public liability and contents insurance, plus cover for lost or damaged mail
- Commercial lease commitments and rent are fixed costs even while you build clients
- Check GST registration once your turnover reaches the threshold
Deep research report · Australia
Everything you need to start: virtual office with a bookable meeting room
Researched with live web search for Australia: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a virtual office in Australia?
Startup costs are typically estimated at around $8,000 to $35,000, depending on the suite you lease, its fit-out and how you equip the meeting room. Rent is a fixed cost even while you build clients, so plan for that.
How much can a virtual office with a meeting room earn?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how many businesses rent your address and how often the meeting room is booked. Estimates start from about 15 hours a week.
What should I check before offering a business address to others?
Check your lease and the landlord's consent before offering the address, and check with your local council that zoning and permitted use allow it. Also check identity checks and records for clients, insurance including mail cover, and GST registration.
Other ways to run this business
Similar business services ideas
Rural water treatment supplier
Visit farms and rural homes to test tank, bore or dam water and supply filters, UV units and treatment chemicals.
- A$8k-35k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Boutique executive search firm
Build a small team that runs leadership searches for a range of employers from a shared or small office.
- A$8k-35k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Local paper supplier to printers and offices
Buy paper in bulk and deliver it to small printers, offices and resellers in your area.
- A$8k-35k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Money transfer agent shopfront
Run a small counter sending money overseas for local families as an agent of an established transfer network.
- A$8k-40k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Refurbished mailing equipment and servicing
Sell and service reconditioned folders, inserters and mailing machines for offices and mail rooms.
- A$8k-30k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Small temp and contract staffing agency
Supply short-term and contract workers to local businesses and earn a margin on every hour worked.
- A$10k-40k
- Full-time
- Own premises