Office Move Checklist UK 2026: Complete Planning Guide

Last updated: 2 October 2026

An office move checklist UK businesses can rely on covers legal notice periods, dilapidations, HSE duties, IT relocation and address changes across at least six months of planning. Central London relocation distances fell to a record-low 0.65 miles in 2026, per Cushman & Wakefield's London Moves 2026 report, meaning most moves are now short but no less administratively complex.

Key Takeaways

• Cushman & Wakefield reports that the average Central London office relocation distance fell to a record-low 0.65 miles in 2026, showing most businesses now move within the same district rather than across the city.
• Savills Research found that 60% of occupiers in Greater London and the South East stayed within the same town when relocating, while 40% moved to a new town, over a two-year study period.
• The British Chambers of Commerce found that 68% of SMEs faced surprise dilapidation bills over £50,000 when exiting a lease, often exceeding the physical cost of the move itself.
• Royal Mail confirms that Business Redirection can take up to five working days to set up, with mail first routed through the old delivery office before forwarding.
• Priority First's operational data shows that three new sites, including a 10-checkpoint serviced residence, were taken from onboarding to fully live coverage within a fortnight — a mobilisation pace directly transferable to office relocation security handovers.

How Far in Advance Should You Start Planning an Office Move in the UK?

Office move planning in the UK should begin at least six to nine months before the target move date, and ideally twelve months if a new lease negotiation or fit-out is involved. Lease exit obligations, dilapidations surveys and fit-out contractor lead times rarely compress into less than that.

Relocation distances have been shrinking for years. Savills Research recorded average office relocation distances of 6.9 miles between 2010 and 2015, falling to 4.8 miles between 2016 and 2019, and settling at an average of 3.5 miles (median two miles) over a more recent two-year period — see the full analysis. Shorter moves might tempt businesses to plan later, but the administrative burden — dilapidations, IT cutover, change-of-address notifications — does not shrink with distance.

A realistic UK timeline runs: months 9–12 for lease review and space search; months 6–9 for design, fit-out tender and removal company selection; months 1–3 for IT migration planning, staff communication and final logistics.

What Legal and Health & Safety Duties Must Employers Meet When Relocating?

Employers relocating an office in the UK remain bound by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which places a duty on every employer to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of employees at work — including during and after a move. This duty does not pause during transition; it extends fully to the new premises from day one of occupation.

Priority First notes that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) requires compliance with the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, covering lighting, ventilation, cleanliness, welfare facilities and safe movement — all of which must be reassessed for a new floor plan. HSE's official guidance sets out these obligations in full, and the accompanying Approved Code of Practice, document L24, provides the detailed standards inspectors work to.

Priority First advises that Display Screen Equipment (DSE) assessments — required under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 — must be repeated for every workstation in the new layout. Priority First also advises that a fire risk assessment under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is mandatory before staff occupy the new building, and that a new employers' liability insurance certificate should be displayed at the new address.

What Needs Checking in the Current Lease Before Moving Out?

The outgoing lease determines exit costs, and dilapidations — the landlord's claim for reinstatement works at lease end — are the single biggest source of unbudgeted expense in a UK office move. A Section 25 or break clause notice, where applicable, typically demands a minimum of six months' formal notice, so this check cannot wait until month three.

The British Chambers of Commerce found that 68% of SMEs were hit with surprise dilapidation bills exceeding £50,000, often surpassing the cost of the physical relocation itself, according to the survey reported by Zentura Workspace. Commissioning an independent schedule of condition or dilapidations survey early — ideally 9–12 months before exit — gives time to negotiate or carry out reinstatement works directly, which is almost always cheaper than a landlord's post-exit claim.

Key items to verify against the lease:

• Notice period required to exercise a break clause
• Reinstatement obligations for any alterations made during occupancy
• Rent, service charge and dilapidations liability up to the exit date
• Whether a schedule of condition exists from lease commencement
• Obligations to remove fixtures, cabling, signage or security equipment installed during tenancy

What Should Be Checked in the New Lease or Property Before Signing?

A new commercial lease in the UK should be checked for permitted use class, business rates liability and any planning permission restrictions before signature, because each can materially affect occupancy costs and legal use of the space. Permitted use under the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order determines whether the premises can lawfully be used as offices, and a mismatch here can block occupation entirely.

The Office for National Statistics reported that average weekly private office rents in Great Britain increased by 5.2% in the year to September 2026, per this analysis — a reminder that rent review clauses and index-linked increases deserve scrutiny before signing a new term. Business rates should be checked with the Valuation Office Agency, since rateable value transfers do not happen automatically and rate relief eligibility (such as small business rate relief) may change with a new address.

Check before signing	Why it matters
Permitted use class	Confirms lawful office use under planning law
Business rates / rateable value	Avoids unexpected liability from the Valuation Office Agency
Rent review clause	Clarifies future increases, in line with ONS rental trend data
Fire safety and building compliance	Confirms Fire Safety Order duties are already met or budgeted
Access, security infrastructure and CCTV coverage	Determines what security and FM provision must be added

How Much Does an Office Move Typically Cost in the UK?

An office move in the UK typically costs businesses a combination of removal fees, fit-out, dilapidations and IT relocation, with dilapidations frequently the largest and least predictable line item. As noted above, 68% of SMEs faced dilapidation bills exceeding £50,000, per the British Chambers of Commerce survey — a figure that regularly outstrips the physical move cost.

Hidden costs that frequently derail budgets include:

• Dilapidations and reinstatement works on the outgoing lease
• Double-running costs where both old and new rent overlap during transition
• IT and telecoms migration, including new cabling and connectivity testing
• Business rates transition and any rateable value increase
• Security and access control installation at the new site
• Signage, way-finding and building compliance certification

With ONS recording a 5.2% rise in average weekly private office rents to September 2026 (see source), rising base costs make early budgeting even more important. Businesses should build a contingency of at least 10–15% on top of the core relocation quote.

Which UK Bodies and Services Need Notifying of the Change of Address?

Every UK business relocating its office must notify Companies House of a change of registered office address, since this is a statutory requirement under the Companies Act 2006 and failure to update it can result in missed statutory correspondence. HMRC also needs updating separately for Corporation Tax, PAYE and VAT registration purposes, as its records do not sync automatically with Companies House.

Royal Mail confirms that Business Redirection can take up to five working days to activate, and mail is first delivered to the old address's delivery office before being forwarded — adding at least one further day, according to Royal Mail's own guidance. This makes early redirection set-up essential, not optional, particularly for finance-sensitive post like supplier invoices or statutory notices.

Notification checklist:

• Companies House — registered office address
• HMRC — Corporation Tax, PAYE, VAT
• Royal Mail — Business Redirection, set up at least a week before move day
• Banks and insurers — including employers' liability and buildings cover
• Utility providers and Ofgem-regulated suppliers — gas, electricity, water
• ICO — if the registered data controller address is publicly listed
• Professional bodies, trade directories and Google Business Profile

How Should IT Infrastructure and Connectivity Be Relocated With Minimal Downtime?

IT infrastructure relocation should be planned as a parallel workstream to the physical move, with connectivity — broadband, leased lines and telephony — ordered at the new site a minimum of 8–12 weeks before move day. Openreach lead times for new leased-line installation regularly run to several weeks, and delays here are one of the most common causes of post-move business disruption.

Office for National Statistics data from 2026 showed that 43% of the UK workforce had adopted hybrid working patterns, per this source, meaning cloud-first infrastructure and remote access continuity now matter as much as physical desk phones. A phased cutover — running old and new connections in parallel for at least 48 hours — avoids total downtime if a fault appears.

Priorities for the IT relocation plan:

• Order broadband/leased line at new site 8–12 weeks ahead
• Test failover and VPN access before the final cutover weekend
• Schedule server and hardware moves for a weekend, not a working day
• Confirm CCTV, access control and alarm system connectivity at the new address
• Brief staff on any temporary remote-working arrangements during transition

Who Should Manage Each Part of the Office Move?

Office moves succeed when responsibility is clearly split between a facilities manager, an IT lead, HR and, in many cases, an external commercial removal company, because no single internal role has the bandwidth or expertise to cover legal, technical and physical logistics simultaneously. A named project owner — usually the facilities manager — should sit at the centre, coordinating the other workstreams rather than executing all of them personally.

In practice, the same discipline that makes security mobilisation reliable applies directly to a move's physical security handover. Priority First's own onboarding data shows three new sites — including a 10-checkpoint serviced residence — taken fully live within a fortnight, with checkpoint mapping, officer induction and photographed patrols in place from night one. Mo Hassan, Managing Director at Priority First, puts the underlying principle this way: "An SIA licence is the floor, not the standard. We screen work history, right to work and references before anyone wears our uniform, because in this industry you are only ever as good as the last officer you deployed." The same rigour — clear checkpoints, documented handover, no gap in cover — applies whether a business is mobilising security on a new office site or coordinating removal, IT and HR teams on move day itself.

In-House Coordination vs External Removal Company

Task	In-house team	External BAR/WRG-accredited remover
Packing and labelling	Time-intensive, staff distraction	Handled to schedule, insured
Furniture and IT hardware moving	Risk of damage, no lifting expertise	Trained crews, appropriate equipment
Weekend/out-of-hours moving	Limited by staff availability	Standard practice for commercial movers
Insurance for goods in transit	Often uninsured	Included in commercial contracts
Compliance with BS 8522	Not applicable	BAR Workplace Relocation Group members follow this standard

How Do You Choose a Reliable Commercial Office Removal Company in the UK?

A reliable commercial office removal company in the UK should belong to the British Association of Removers (BAR), specifically its Workplace Relocation Group, whose members are assessed against BS 8522, the British Standard covering commercial and office relocation. BAR's guidance on choosing a WRG member sets out the accreditation criteria in detail.

A proper quote should itemise: packing materials and crates, labour and vehicle costs, weekend or out-of-hours surcharges, insurance for goods in transit, and IT/server-specific handling if offered. Get at least three quotes and confirm each covers identical scope, since removal quotes vary enormously in what they include as standard.

Your Office Move Checklist

• Commission a dilapidations survey on the outgoing lease at least 9 months before exit
• Confirm break clause or lease-end notice periods immediately, in writing
• Notify Companies House and HMRC of the new registered office address
• Set up Royal Mail Business Redirection at least one week before move day
• Order new broadband/leased line connectivity 8–12 weeks ahead of occupation
• Complete a new DSE assessment and fire risk assessment for the new premises
• Confirm CCTV, access control and manned security provision are live from day one
• Brief all staff on move-day logistics, remote-working arrangements and the new address

FAQ

How far in advance should an office move be planned in the UK?

Planning should start six to nine months ahead as a minimum, and up to twelve months where a new lease negotiation or fit-out is involved. Lease exit notice periods and dilapidations surveys are the main reason early planning matters.

What is the biggest hidden cost in a UK office move?

Dilapidations are typically the largest hidden cost, with the British Chambers of Commerce finding that 68% of SMEs faced bills over £50,000, according to this survey. This figure often exceeds the cost of the physical relocation itself.

Who legally must be notified when an office relocates?

Companies House must be notified of any change to the registered office address, as required under the Companies Act 2006. HMRC, banks, insurers and Royal Mail also require separate updates, since these records do not sync automatically.

How long does Royal Mail Business Redirection take to set up?

Royal Mail Business Redirection can take up to five working days to activate, and mail is first delivered to the old address's delivery office before being forwarded on, according to Royal Mail's official guidance. Setting it up at least a week before move day avoids missed post.

What health and safety duties apply when moving offices?

Employers must continue meeting duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 at the new premises. DSE assessments and fire risk assessments must be repeated for the new layout before staff occupy it.

Should a business use an in-house team or an external removal company?

Small moves with few staff can sometimes be managed in-house, but most UK businesses benefit from a BAR Workplace Relocation Group member, whose members follow BS 8522. External movers bring insured transit, trained crews and weekend availability that in-house teams typically lack.

How is average office relocation distance in the UK changing?

Relocation distances have fallen steadily, from an average of 6.9 miles between 2010–2015 to 4.8 miles between 2016–2019, according to Savills Research. Central London moves fell further still, to a record-low 0.65 miles in 2026, per Cushman & Wakefield.

Securing Your New Office With Priority First

Every office move creates a security gap: the old site's alarm, keyholding and access control arrangements end, while the new site's provision must be live from the first day of occupation, with no window in between. Priority First manages exactly this handover as part of its facilities management and corporate security services, coordinating manned guarding, key holding, alarm response and CCTV monitoring so the new premises are covered from move-in day rather than weeks afterwards.

Priority First's own mobilisation record shows three new sites — including a 10-checkpoint serviced residence — taken from onboarding to fully live, photo-verified coverage within a fortnight, a pace built specifically for situations where cover cannot lapse.

If your business is planning an office relocation in London or nationwide, get in touch with Priority First to discuss corporate security and facilities management provision for your new premises.

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