The Dos and Don'ts of Relocating Your Business to London
London is an excellent city for business. It has one of the largest economies in the world, and is second only to New York City as a financial hub. The UK is also home to some of the most innovative tech companies, so if you're looking for a place with plenty of potential, London may be your best choice!
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However, before you pack up and move without knowing what you're doing, you must keep in mind that London isn't the easiest city to navigate. In fact, there are several things you need to know before even thinking about moving your business here.
Below, you will find a comprehensive list of things you must and must not do when moving your business to London.
Things You Must Remember To Do When Moving Your Business To London
Plan The Move Thoroughly
You're going to need a lot of help when moving your business to London. There are so many things that have the potential to go wrong, and if you don't plan ahead, they likely will. Moreover, you may find your company losing some money in the process.
So, make a list of all the tasks and errands that need to be accomplished before your desired moving date. Make sure that you also plan for emergencies by having a backup location in mind if things don't go as planned. You will need to speak with potential landlords about their properties before signing any agreements or renting spaces!
Also, make sure to plan everything out as early as possible so that there are no surprises. If possible, start planning out the moving process three to six months before the move.
Hire Professional London Removals Companies To Help You Out
Moving a business is a lot more complex than moving your personal belongings. You need to be very careful when packing and transporting all of your most essential assets, equipment, supplies, etc.
London removals companies have the experience necessary for these kinds of projects so that you can continue running your business without interruption or loss in productivity. Moreover, this means you won't have to spread your employees too thin over the task, thus helping them stay in their best health and frame of mind.
You will also find that working with London movers will relieve a lot of stress, which is important for both your business and yourself. You will have enough to worry about in terms of planning the relocation!
The best part? You won't even have to worry about spending too much on removal services. London removals companies are competitively priced, which is perfect for most budgets! Such companies, after all, always try to keep their prices as reasonable as possible, as they understand the importance of keeping their customers satisfied.
Keep Your Team Involved And Informed During The Moving Process
Whilst you will need to lead the charge, don't shut out your staff during this difficult time. Allow them to speak up and voice their concerns by making sure they know that everything is going as planned at all times.
You should also make an effort to keep everyone in the loop about what's happening by holding regular meetings or sending out updates. When everyone knows what to expect, they will be a lot less stressed and anxious about the whole moving process, which is definitely something you want when it comes to your employees' productivity levels!
Make Sure All The Necessary Permits And Paperwork Have Been Filed And Secured
When moving your business to London, you must ensure that all the necessary paperwork and permits have been filed. Failure to do so is a big no-no! For instance, if proper permits aren't in place, you're likely going to be faced with some fines and other penalties from local authorities (and don't even get us started on the potential legal consequences you may encounter).
To avoid such issues, make sure that your company's name is on the list of registered businesses in London. You can do this by visiting the local business registry and filing all necessary paperwork there (it should take about a week or so to process). Furthermore, if your business requires licensing to operate, make sure that your business is properly licensed and ready to go.
As a final tip, don't forget about work visas! If you plan on hiring talent from outside of the UK to join your team in London, then you will need to get them special visas so they can legally work for your company. Failure to do this could result in legal issues for your business (and the employee).
Ensure The Security Of Your Data And Other Important Assets
Moving your business to London is a big step and one that must be taken seriously. This means ensuring that all of the data on your office computers or stored in files has been backed up and saved elsewhere (e.g., Dropbox).
You should also look into hiring an IT technician who can come by on moving day itself to ensure that all computers and other gadgets are properly backed up. This way, if anything goes wrong on the day itself, you won't have to worry too much about data loss or any other potentially problematic scenarios that could leave your business in a tough spot!
In addition to digital assets, it's also crucial that you consider physical items such as equipment and machinery that your business may need. If you plan on taking these items with you to London, make sure that they're safely packed and covered beforehand so as not to incur any additional damage or loss!
Declutter Your Old Office Before The Big Move
Before you sign off on the official paperwork for your new office in London, make sure that you've gone through all of your existing files and completed any necessary cleaning. This means throwing away or shredding papers that aren't needed anymore.
In addition to this, you should also get rid of old furniture and unused equipment before said move-in date. Just because you don't need it now doesn't mean that you won't ever find a use for it in the future, so make sure to keep what's necessary and dispose of anything else!
Get To Know Your New Surroundings And How It Can Affect Your Business
While moving your business to London can be beneficial in many ways, it's also essential that you take the time to get familiar with your new surroundings. After all, the things around you will be very influential to your business, no matter what field you're in!
For instance, if you're a tech startup, your team must be surrounded by other startups and entrepreneurs. This way, they'll be constantly energized by the colleagues around them to keep going strong with their work! Not only this, but these people will also serve as valuable connections for when your company inevitably needs external help.
Quite similarly, if you are running a business that requires dealing with customers daily, you must get to know the community around you. This is because understanding the community's needs and wants will allow your business to adjust and tap into a new market of customers who may have never been exposed to it before!
In any case, moving your company to London means that you're going where all the action happens - so get ready for everything that comes with it! So, do not forget to research the area beforehand. Here are some tips on how to impress your new customers.
Things You Must Not Do When Relocating A Business To London
Meanwhile, there are also a few things you should avoid doing when relocating your business to London. Here they are:
Inadequately Plan Your Finances For The Move
The first thing you should never do is move your business to London without properly planning out the finances. After all, many expenses come with doing so, and you should always be prepared for these beforehand!
Being unable to pay for these expenses can lead to bankruptcy or even worse, which is why you must do your research beforehand. This way, there will be no surprises down the road, and you'll know exactly how much you will need to spend for the big move.
Forget To Inform Your Customers And Vendors About The Move
Another thing that you should never do when relocating a business to London is forgetting to tell your customers and vendors about the move. After all, they will likely be very interested in this news!
This way, there won't be any mix-ups over who gets sent what or if their services are needed anymore - so it's best to let them know beforehand. This ensures that both your business and theirs can continue to function properly without any hiccups along the way!
Be sure to contact all of these people at least a few months before you're ready to make the move. Not only will this give them enough time to prepare for it, but it'll also provide ample opportunities for your business to promote its relocation!
Also, remember to change your details on social media profiles beforehand. Otherwise, your followers may never get to hear about your move. This is why it's recommended that you establish a new Instagram account that can remain active after the relocation!
Forget To Coordinate Your The Connection Of The Utilities
Another thing that you should not do when relocating a business to London is forget to coordinate your utilities’ connection. This means coordinating with the government for any internet access, phone lines, water supply and etcetera! After all, the last thing you would want is the moving process and the resumption of operations to get delayed due to such mishaps!
Move Into An Office Space You Haven't Seen Personally
Another thing that you should never do when relocating a business to London is moving into an office space without seeing it first. Since the last thing you want is for your employees and clients to be working in an inefficient office environment!
After all, this can lead to decreased motivation - especially if they've been accustomed to better accommodations beforehand! So to avoid this, make sure that you always get a chance to see the office space before moving in. Read
This way, your employees and clients will be able to conduct their business without feeling uncomfortable or unappreciated! Moreover, doing this ensures that you won't be getting ripped off with an office that you don't need or one that doesn't meet the needs of your business.
Final Thoughts
These are just some of the many things that you should do and not do when relocating a business to London. After all, there is plenty more that could go wrong if you don't prepare beforehand! So make sure to follow these tips and suggestions to avoid any mishaps and stress on moving day!
Meanwhile, if you plan on cleaning and disinfecting your new office before restarting operations, here are some tips you will want to keep in mind.