London Office Move Checklist

An office move London checklist needs to cover more than packing boxes and booking a van. A typical office relocation involves coordinating IT equipment, building access at two addresses, staff communication and often a move outside normal working hours, and most of this needs starting weeks or months before moving day itself, not the week before.

This guide sets out a practical timeline, what to arrange and when, so nothing gets missed between confirming your new lease and your team sitting down at their new desks.

A timeline working back from moving day

Every office move is different in scale, but the order of tasks is usually similar. Working back from your move date helps identify what needs booking earliest, particularly building access and any council permits.

When	What to arrange
8 to 12 weeks before	Confirm your move date, review your current lease exit terms, and book your removals provider. Start planning your IT relocation and identify anything that needs a specialist.
4 to 6 weeks before	Confirm building access requirements at both addresses, including lift bookings, loading bays and security passes. Apply for any parking bay suspension your loading address needs.
2 to 3 weeks before	Notify staff, clients and suppliers of the move date and new address. Confirm your IT specialist's schedule for disconnecting and reconnecting equipment.
1 week before	Confirm final details with your removals team: timing, access points, out-of-hours arrangements and any last-minute changes to the building's requirements.
Moving day	Crew arrives within the agreed access window, works to a labelled plan by department, and delivers to the new address for reassembly and placement.

IT and workstation handling: what we do and what needs a specialist

IT equipment is one of the most common sources of confusion in an office move, mainly because responsibility is split between the removals team and IT support. Getting this division clear early avoids last-minute gaps.

Our team handles the physical move of workstations, monitors, printers and general office equipment, including dismantling and reassembling desks and furniture. Disconnecting and reconnecting servers, network infrastructure and specialist equipment is usually best left to your own IT provider or a dedicated IT relocation specialist, since this involves data handling and configuration that sits outside a removals team's role. We can coordinate timing with your IT specialist so their work and ours run in the right order on the day.

Moving out of hours or at a weekend

Out-of-hours and weekend moves are common for office relocations, since they let a business be fully operational again on the next working day. Evening and weekend availability is part of our standard service, so a move can be planned around your working hours rather than during them.

Out-of-hours moves also tend to suit buildings with quieter goods lift access and easier loading bay availability outside the working day, which can make the whole process more straightforward at both ends.

Building access at both ends

Office buildings in London, particularly in central areas and dense commercial estates, often manage access tightly. This typically includes a goods lift that needs booking in advance, a security pass or induction process for the crew, and a designated loading bay with a fixed time window.

We confirm these requirements with building management at both your current and new address well ahead of moving day, so the crew arrives already briefed on security procedures, lift bookings and loading arrangements rather than working it out on arrival. Our Canary Wharf page goes into more detail on how this works in one of London's densest commercial estates.

Permits and parking for an office move

If your loading address is on-street rather than in a building with a dedicated loading bay, a parking bay suspension is often needed, and the notice period and cost vary by borough. We cover this in detail, including specific council sources, in our guide on parking and access for a central London move.

The same applies to moves within the wider Central London area generally, where congestion charging and ULEZ also apply. Our fleet is ULEZ-compliant, so there is no surcharge added to your quote regardless of which zone your office move touches.

How we can help with your office move

Our office removals service is built around exactly this kind of planning: building access, out-of-hours timing, and coordination with your IT specialist, all confirmed before moving day rather than on it. We do not treat you as a job number, and every quote is transparent and fixed before you book.

If you are starting to plan an office move in London, get in touch as early as possible so we can work through your checklist together.

Frequently asked questions

How far in advance should we start planning an office move in London?

For most office moves, starting 8 to 12 weeks ahead gives enough time to confirm your removals provider, plan IT relocation, and arrange building access at both addresses. Larger moves or moves involving a parking bay suspension benefit from starting even earlier.

Do you handle IT equipment as part of an office move?

We handle the physical move of workstations, monitors and general office equipment, including dismantling and reassembly. Server disconnection, network infrastructure and data-sensitive equipment are usually best handled by your own IT provider, and we coordinate timing with them.

Can you move our office outside normal working hours?

Yes. Evening and weekend moves are part of our standard service, and many businesses choose this option specifically to avoid downtime during the working week.

Do we need to arrange building access ourselves or can you help?

We confirm goods lift bookings, loading bays and security procedures directly with building management at both addresses once your move is booked, so you do not need to manage this separately.

Will we need a parking permit for our office move?

If your loading address is on-street rather than in a building with a dedicated loading bay, a parking bay suspension may be needed. This varies by borough, and we cover the details in our guide on parking and access for a central London move.

Do you charge extra for moving within the ULEZ or Congestion Charge zone?

No. Our entire fleet is ULEZ-compliant, so there is no surcharge added to your quote regardless of which zone your office move touches.