Key Takeaways
- Choosing the right move-in date can significantly impact costs and productivity during an office relocation.
- We always advise checking your lease deadlines and break clauses to avoid paying rent on two properties at the same time.
- Seasonal weather can affect the cost, safety, and logistics of an office move, particularly in extreme conditions.
- We recommend confirming staff holidays to ensure those needed for the move are available.
- Evaluating the overall cost of moving, including potential disruptions, is essential when selecting a move date.
Choosing when to move into a new office can significantly affect costs, productivity and cause more disruption than many companies realise. A well-planned move-in date can help to reduce expenses and make the transition easier.
Once you’ve decided you’re ready to move office, chosen the right flexible office space and settled on a location, the next step is deciding when to move. In this article, we look at the factors that can influence your move-in date, from lease deadlines and notice periods to seasonal considerations and your own business cycle.
Lease Dates
A lease expiry or break clause date determines when you can leave your current space. For organisations moving before their lease ends, a break clause offers valuable flexibility. However, failing to meet the clause's required dates or conditions may mean paying for your existing office until the lease expires.
When helping businesses plan a relocation, we always check how their preferred move-in date aligns with the end of their current agreement. This helps us to identify any potential overlap before they sign a new contract.
Notice Periods
Most office agreements require tenants to give notice before leaving, with the required period varying by workspace type and agreed terms. Serviced and managed offices offer more flexibility and typically need 1 to 3 months' notice, whereas leased offices often require 6 months or more. We often see companies give notice too late, forcing them to pay rent on two properties when they’re already committed to their next workspace.
Office Space Setup
Your move-in date is only realistic if your new office will be set up in time. We recommend you work backwards to establish how much lead time you’ll need. Serviced offices are typically ready for immediate occupation, while traditional leased or managed office spaces may require additional time for fit-outs.
To get a better understanding of this, see our guides on how long it takes to move into a new office and to complete a fit-out.
Office Dilapidations
Before leaving your current office, most leases require you to return the space to its original condition, known as dilapidations. This can involve inspections, contractor work and sometimes negotiations with the landlord. Unfinished dilapidations work can leave you liable for repair costs or extended rent on a space you’ve already left.
Time of Year
The time of year can also affect your office move, and although no season guarantees good weather, summer and winter each carry different risks worth considering.
Extreme winter weather, such as snow, ice, and storms, can disrupt transport networks, make loading and unloading unsafe, and damage equipment or furniture if it isn't properly protected. Road closures can prevent staff and the removal team from travelling, and severe weather can also cause power outages. In some cases, the removal team may need to postpone the move entirely.
Summer heatwaves bring different challenges. High temperatures can make physically demanding work harder, and extreme heat can also affect roads and rail services. Sensitive IT equipment may also need extra care during transport, especially if it's left in a hot vehicle for an extended period.
In our experience, spring and autumn offer a better balance, with milder temperatures. While unexpected weather is still possible, these seasons may be worth considering if your lease dates and business commitments allow.
Seasonal changes can also influence office rental prices, and our article on the best time to rent office space in London explains how these costs vary throughout the year.
Staff Holidays
Staff holidays can clash with your move at any time of the year; however, summer school holidays and the Christmas and New Year period are particularly popular for annual leave. This can create difficulties when those responsible for IT, office management or coordinating the relocation are unavailable.
As a result, we recommend that our clients check key staff members' availability before finalising a move date.
Day of the Week
Choosing the right day to move can reduce disruption to your business, but you should also consider removal costs and the rules of the buildings you’re moving between.
We often see businesses choose to move offices on a Friday or over the weekend because it lets them set up the workspace before employees return on Monday. This can also limit disruption to staff productivity, client meetings, phone calls and daily operations.
Despite this, weekends are the most expensive time to move, as removal companies often charge more for out-of-hours work, especially when they need extra staff. Not all buildings allow weekend access, and some serviced or managed offices restrict large deliveries and removals outside of standard working hours. Many properties also require booking loading bays in advance or ask for insurance and contractor details before granting entry.
Therefore, it’s worth weighing the extra removal costs and any access restrictions against the potential productivity loss of moving during the week.
Time of Month
Many office agreements begin or end at month-end, making this a busier period for removal companies. If your contract allows flexibility, setting a move-in date mid-month may offer better availability and potentially lower removal fees.
However, when comparing dates, we encourage businesses to consider the overall cost of moving rather than the removal company’s quote alone. A cheaper removal slot may not be the most cost-effective option once additional rent and other moving expenses are considered.
Financial Year Budgets
Many of the businesses we work with 'plan' relocations around the start of the financial year, when relocation budgets are approved, and funding becomes available.
Each company sets its own financial year-end, often aligned with its incorporation date or the end of a calendar quarter. In some cases, internal budget approvals may also determine when a relocation is actually feasible.
Your Peak Trading Period
Moving during a busy trading period can affect productivity and revenue. Therefore, before setting a date, we advise reviewing your upcoming workload, including major deadlines and projects.
Even a straightforward move can involve several days of preparation, packing and setup to settle into a new office. Where possible, we suggest planning the move during a quieter period to reduce disruption, but it's worth weighing this against any extra costs, such as a more expensive removal quote for a weekend move date.
We work with businesses across a wide range of industries, and a date that works well for one company may be completely unsuitable for another. Some organisations work around fixed obligations and seasonal patterns, while others follow project cycles and ad hoc work.
There is no single best move-in date. The right choice depends on your existing agreement, business commitments, removal costs and the practicalities of the move itself. While seasonal conditions and the day of the week can influence your decision, fixed constraints such as lease deadlines and notice periods often take priority when planning a relocation.
Whether you’re planning to move next month or next year, our team can help you find an office space across London and the UK that fits both your requirements and timeline.
