The Business Relocation Checklist: Everything to Do Before, During and After Your Move

A commercial relocation is not just a property transaction. It is a business-wide project that involves solicitors, surveyors, insurers, IT providers, HMRC, suppliers, staff, and customers — often simultaneously and to tight deadlines. Businesses that treat a move as primarily a removal exercise consistently underestimate the complexity and run into avoidable problems.

This checklist sets out everything that needs to be addressed, organised into the three phases of a commercial relocation: before you commit to a new property, during the transition, and once you have moved in.

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Phase 1: Before You Commit to New Premises

Define your requirement clearly

Before approaching the market, agree internally on what you actually need. This sounds obvious but is frequently skipped, leading to wasted time on unsuitable viewings and rushed decisions.

• Agree minimum and maximum size in sq ft
• Define the location requirements — specific towns, postcodes, or proximity to transport or motorway access
• Set a maximum budget including rent, rates, service charge, and fit-out
• Agree the lease length and flexibility you need — including whether you require a break clause
• Identify any operational requirements — floor loading, eaves height, power supply, parking, loading access
• Decide on timing — when must you be out of your current premises, and when do you need to be operational in new ones?

Understand your obligations under the current lease

Before committing to a new property, know precisely what your obligations are under the existing one.

• Confirm the lease expiry date or the next break date
• Calculate the notice period required to exercise a break clause or vacate at expiry
• Identify any dilapidations obligations — what condition must you return the property in?
• Obtain a Schedule of Condition if one was not agreed at the outset (a surveyor can advise on your likely exposure)
• Check the lease for any reinstatement obligations — are you required to remove fit-out, signage, or partitioning?
• Confirm subletting or assignment rights if you intend to transfer the lease rather than vacate

Search the market properly

• Engage a commercial property agent or chartered surveyor to act on your behalf — their fee is typically paid by the landlord on completion
• Post your requirement on a reverse marketplace such as REmatch so that landlords and agents with matching space respond directly to your brief
• Search traditional portals and set up alerts for new listings matching your criteria
• Visit all shortlisted properties in person — floor plans and photos are not sufficient for a commitment of this size
• Compare properties against your defined requirement, not just your impression on the day

Carry out proper due diligence on the new property

• Instruct a solicitor experienced in commercial property to review the draft lease
• Commission a commercial building survey from a RICS-qualified surveyor
• Check the EPC rating — is it E or above? Will it meet the proposed future minimum standards for the duration of your intended occupation?
• Confirm the planning use class permits your intended use
• Verify the rateable value and estimated business rates liability with the local authority
• Check broadband and telecoms availability and capacity at the property
• Confirm power supply — amperage, whether three-phase is available, and any upgrade requirements
• Review service charge accounts for at least two years if moving into a multi-let building
• Obtain a copy of the asbestos management plan if the building was constructed or refurbished before 2000

Negotiate and agree Heads of Terms

• Negotiate rent, lease length, break clauses, and rent-free period before instructing solicitors
• Agree the basis and frequency of rent reviews
• Confirm repairing obligations — FRI or IRI — and the standard of repair required
• Agree whether a Schedule of Condition will be prepared and incorporated into the lease
• Confirm permitted use under the lease and ensure it covers your current and anticipated activities
• Agree any landlord's works or capital contribution to fit-out costs
• Confirm the alienation provisions — can you sublet or assign if circumstances change?

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Phase 2: During the Transition

Legal and financial

• Instruct solicitors as soon as Heads of Terms are agreed — delays here compress the available fit-out and move time
• Arrange commercial property insurance for the new premises from the date you take occupation (or from exchange if required)
• Notify your bank of the new address and update mandate documentation
• Update your lease deposit or rent deposit deed if required
• Register the new lease at HM Land Registry if it is for a term of more than 7 years (your solicitor will handle this)

Fit-out and works

• Obtain any necessary landlord consent for fit-out works before commencing
• Obtain planning permission or building regulations approval for structural works if required
• Appoint a fit-out contractor — obtain at least three quotes and check references
• Agree a fit-out programme that gives you operational readiness by your target move date with contingency built in
• Confirm who is responsible for reinstatement of the fit-out at the end of the new lease — agree this in writing at the outset

IT and telecoms

• Order broadband and telecoms lines for the new premises as early as possible — lead times can be 6–12 weeks for business-grade connections
• Plan the IT infrastructure layout and server/data room requirements
• Arrange for IT equipment move and set-up — consider a phased or weekend migration to minimise disruption
• Test all systems thoroughly before staff move in

Operational and staff

• Communicate the move to all staff with as much notice as possible — include the rationale, timeline, and new address
• Carry out a consultation process if the move may affect staff under their employment contracts (changes in commute distance may be a contractual matter)
• Arrange car parking permits, access passes, and security systems for the new premises
• Notify your landlord at the current premises of the move-out date in writing and in line with your lease obligations
• Arrange professional cleaning of the current premises before handover
• Commission a dilapidations survey at the current premises before vacating so you know your likely liability

Notifications — a checklist of who to inform

• HMRC — update your registered address for corporation tax, VAT, PAYE, and any other registrations
• Companies House — update your registered office address within 14 days of the change
• Your bank and all financial institutions
• Your insurance providers — building, contents, employers' liability, professional indemnity
• All suppliers and service providers
• All customers and clients — update terms, letterheads, and email signatures
• Royal Mail — set up a mail redirection from the old address
• The local authority — for business rates notification at both the old and new premises
• Your domain registrar and any business directory listings
• Google Business Profile and any other online listings showing your address

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Phase 3: After the Move

At the old premises

• Return keys and access passes to the landlord on the agreed date
• Obtain a written confirmation of key return and premises handover
• Retain all documentation relating to the dilapidations negotiation and any settlement agreed
• Ensure the lease is formally surrendered or expired — do not assume vacating means the liability ends
• Notify the local authority that you have vacated so business rates are transferred correctly

At the new premises

• Confirm all utilities are in your name and meter readings are taken on the day you take occupation
• Update your website, Google Business Profile, and all online directories with the new address
• Update all printed materials — letterheads, business cards, signage, and marketing collateral
• Conduct a post-move review — did the fit-out deliver what was specified? Are there any snagging items to pursue with the contractor or landlord?
• Diarise all key dates in the new lease: rent review dates, break notice deadlines, and lease expiry

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a commercial relocation take to plan properly?

For most SMEs, planning a commercial relocation properly takes a minimum of 6 months from the decision to move to being operational in new premises. For larger businesses, businesses with complex fit-out requirements, or businesses moving to purpose-built or substantially refurbished space, 12–18 months is more realistic. Starting the process late is the single most common cause of a poor outcome.

Do I need a solicitor to negotiate my new commercial lease?

You are not legally required to use a solicitor, but it would be inadvisable not to. A commercial lease is typically a 30–100 page document with financial consequences that can run to hundreds of thousands of pounds over the lease term. A solicitor experienced in commercial property will identify onerous provisions, negotiate improvements, and ensure the lease reflects the Heads of Terms agreed at the outset.

Who pays the agent's fees in a commercial property transaction?

In the UK, the landlord's agent's fee is normally paid by the landlord. If you instruct your own agent (a tenant's agent or acquiring agent) to act on your behalf — which is advisable for larger transactions — their fee may be paid by the landlord as part of the deal, or may be a cost you bear. Agree the fee structure with your agent before instructing them.

What is a dilapidations survey and do I need one?

A dilapidations survey is an assessment by a RICS-qualified surveyor of your repairing and reinstatement obligations under your current lease. It tells you, before you vacate, what the landlord is likely to claim and what it will cost. This information is valuable both for budgeting and for negotiating a settlement — a dilapidations liability that surprises you at the point of handover is far harder to manage than one you have planned for.

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Planning a move? Post your requirement on REmatch — tell us what type of space you need, where, and when, and landlords and agents will respond directly to your brief. It takes a few minutes and costs nothing.