Moving Premises

1. Planning the Move

1.1 For your move to be a success, start planning at least six months ahead.

• The top priorities are involving your employees (see 2) and keeping customers happy (see 3).

1.2 Draw up an outline programme with a timetable for the main planning and implementation stages.

• Some tasks will have longer lead times than you might think.For example, altering directory entries, arranging leased telephone and data lines and finding removal contractors (see 6).
• Plan to move during a quiet period.
• Taking the proposed moving day as D-day, give each task a completion date such as D-2 (two weeks before the move) or D+1 (a week after the move). The date for D-day itself may change as time goes by.

1.3 Check that there are no legal problems which might prevent you either quitting your existing premises or moving into the new premises on D-day.

(See Getting out of a lease and Renting premises.)

• If your lease continues after the move, and your old building is empty, you may be eligible for rates relief. (See Rent reviews and rating assessments.)

1.4 Agree a preliminary budget for the move.

• Property costs may include acquiring and fitting out the new premises, upgrading equipment and disposing of old premises.
• People costs may include relocation and redundancy expenses, recruitment costs, and the costs of briefings and time lost during the move.
• Sales may suffer from the disruption.

1.5 Put together a small move team, with one individual - the move co-ordinator - in overall charge.

• The move co-ordinator can liaise with other employees, the removal company and any other subcontractors. The co-ordinator will delegate specific areas of responsibility to individual members of the move team.For example, space planning and furniture; moving IT equipment; telecoms and data; regulations and health and safety.
• Employees can draw up their own task lists, in date order, to meet the completion dates in the outline programme.Ensure each individual has enough time to carry out the tasks.

1.6 Timetable regular meetings to co-ordinate progress and keep the momentum going.

• Plans and costs will need to be agreed.
• Take advantage of the help available from your chosen removal company by bringing the contractors in on planning meetings.