The right office removal company protects your equipment, keeps downtime to a minimum, and sticks to the price it quoted. The wrong one can cost you days of lost productivity and damaged assets. Asking these seven questions before you book will tell you which type of company you are dealing with.
1. Are You a Member of the British Association of Removers?
The British Association of Removers, known as BAR, is the recognised trade association for the UK removals industry. Members are inspected annually against criteria covering premises, vehicles, staff, and insurance arrangements, and must follow a Consumer Code of Practice approved by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute. Many BAR members also belong to the Workplace Relocation Group, a specialist sub-group focused specifically on commercial and office moves. BAR membership is not the only mark of a good removal company, but it is a fast way to confirm a baseline of accountability and standards.
2. What Insurance Do You Carry, and What Does It Actually Cover?
Ask specifically about goods-in-transit insurance and public liability cover, and ask for the limits, not just confirmation that insurance exists. A company that hesitates to give you a policy summary or certificate is a warning sign. For higher-value equipment such as servers or specialist machinery, ask whether additional cover is available and at what cost.
3. Can You Provide a Fixed Quote After a Proper Survey?
A phone estimate without a site visit or detailed inventory is often the starting point for a quote that grows on moving day. A company confident in its pricing will offer a pre-move survey, either in person or via video walkthrough, and provide a fixed quote based on what they actually see. Ask what is excluded from that figure, since fit-out, IT relocation, and out-of-hours work are commonly quoted separately.
4. Do You Have Experience With Office Moves Specifically?
House removals and office removals require different skills. Office moves involve IT decommissioning, confidential document handling, out-of-hours or weekend access, and coordination with building management and lift bookings. Ask for examples of office relocations the company has completed at a similar scale to yours, and whether they can work within your building’s access restrictions.
5. How Do You Handle IT Equipment and Confidential Files?
Servers, network equipment, and archived files need different handling from desks and chairs. Ask whether the company has a documented process for decommissioning and recommissioning IT, and how confidential files are transported and secured in transit. Some office removal companies offer this as a specialist add-on rather than a standard part of the service, so confirm it is included or priced separately.
6. What Happens If Something Is Damaged or the Move Overruns?
Ask how claims are handled if equipment is damaged, and what the process is if the move runs beyond the booked access window at either building. A reputable company will have a clear, written claims process rather than a vague verbal assurance, and should be able to explain what happens if your booked access window is exceeded due to delays on their side.
7. Can You Provide References From Recent Office Clients?
Recent references from businesses of a similar size give you a realistic sense of how the company performs under time pressure. Ask specifically for office relocation references rather than general house removal reviews, since the two jobs are different in scale and complexity.
Red Flags to Watch For
- Reluctance to provide a written quote or insurance documentation
- No physical address or verifiable trading history
- Prices significantly below every other quote you have received, without a clear reason
- Requests for large upfront payment before any work has been agreed in writing
- No experience with office-specific requirements such as IT decommissioning or out-of-hours access
Frequently Asked Questions
What is BAR membership and why does it matter for office removals?
BAR, the British Association of Removers, is the UK removals industry’s recognised trade association. Members are audited annually against standards covering vehicles, staff, and insurance, and many belong to the Workplace Relocation Group, a BAR sub-group focused specifically on commercial and office moves.
How much does an office removal company in London typically charge?
Removal-only costs in London commonly range from £2 to £5 per square foot for a standard commercial move, though this varies with office density, distance, and access conditions. Fit-out, dilapidations, and IT relocation are usually quoted separately.
Should I get more than one quote before booking an office removal company?
Yes. Getting quotes from at least two or three companies, each based on a proper survey rather than a phone estimate, is the most reliable way to spot outliers on price and compare what is actually included.
Do office removal companies handle IT equipment, or do I need a separate IT relocation specialist?
Some office removal companies offer IT decommissioning and recommissioning as part of their service, while others expect a specialist IT relocation provider to handle it. Confirm which applies before you book, since assuming coverage that is not included is a common cause of moving day problems.
Get a Quote From a Local Office Removal Team
Shaheen Express Removals carries out office relocations across St Albans, Luton, Hertfordshire and London, with fixed quotes based on a proper pre-move survey rather than a phone estimate.