Office Relocation Checklist for a Small Business in SA

The safest order for an office move is: view the new space, confirm what you are getting in writing, order your internet and phone lines, tell clients and suppliers, then move furniture and update your business address everywhere. Most moves go wrong because these steps happen in the wrong order, not because the packing was hard.

This checklist is written for a small South African business moving into rented offices. It runs from the first viewing to your first week in the new space. Use it as a working list and adjust the dates to your own lease and your own team.

Office relocation checklist at a glance

These timings are a guide. Your lease and the installation times of your providers decide the real dates, so check both first.

Step 1: Plan the move and check your current lease

1. Find the notice clause in your current lease. It tells you how much written notice you must give and whether you must restore the space to its original state. Missing the notice date can leave you paying rent on two offices.
2. Do not cancel the old lease until the new one is signed. The overlap costs money, but a gap with nowhere to work costs more.
3. Name one person to run the move. In a small business that is usually the owner or office manager. One person should hold the list, the supplier contacts and the dates.
4. Set a budget with a buffer. Include movers, new lines or equipment, signage, printed stationery, any restoration of the old space, and a few days of lower productivity.
5. Decide what is not coming. Old furniture, broken equipment and years of paper are cheaper to dispose of now than to move.

Step 2: View the new space before you commit

A viewing tells you things a brochure cannot. Go in person, ideally at a busy time of day, and take this list with you.

• Access and traffic. Drive the route at the times your staff and clients will use it. Check how easy it is to find and to turn into.
• Layout against your team. Count desks, meeting needs and storage, then walk through where each will go.
• Shared facilities. Ask which of a boardroom, kitchen, waiting area and toilets are included, and who may use them.
• Security. Ask how access is controlled and what security arrangements apply to the building.
• Connectivity. Ask which internet providers can connect to the building and how long installation usually takes.
• Power. Ask what is in place for outages, since that affects your equipment and your working day.
• Lease terms. Ask for the rent, escalation, deposit, notice period and what is included, all in writing.

If you are still comparing buildings, our guide on what to look for when you are choosing an office park goes through these questions in more detail.

Viewing a space at Eldo Office Park

Eldo Office Park offers A-grade, modern office space to rent in a beautifully designed building at 1257 Willem Botha Drive, Wierdapark, Centurion, on a corner of one of the busiest streets in the area. The facilities include a boardroom, armed response, a waiting lounge, a kitchen and public toilets. Available space, sizes and rent are given on request, so contact Eldo Office Park to ask what is available and arrange a viewing. You can also read about the office space to rent in Centurion before you visit.

Step 3: Sort your internet and phone lines early

Connectivity is the item most likely to delay a move, because you depend on someone else's installation schedule. Start as soon as the new lease is signed.

1. Confirm which providers serve the building. Ask the landlord or building manager before you order anything.
2. Order the new line immediately. Installation lead times vary, so ask your provider for a date in writing and plan around it.
3. Keep the old line running until the new one is tested. Cancel only once the new connection works, and check your contract for cancellation notice.
4. Ask about your phone numbers. Find out whether your existing landline number can move with you, or whether it is tied to the old area. If you use VoIP or a cloud PBX, ask your provider how to move the service to the new address.
5. Plan the physical setup. Decide where the router, switch, printers and phones will sit, and whether you need extra network points.
6. Arrange a backup connection. A mobile data router or second line keeps card machines and cloud tools working if the main line fails.

Step 4: Tell clients, suppliers and staff

Give people enough notice to update their records, but not so much that the message gets forgotten. About a month before is a sensible point for most small businesses.

• Staff first. Share the date, the new address, the commute change and what they need to pack. Staff who hear it late tend to pass the confusion on to clients.
• Clients. Send a short email with the new address, the effective date and any days you will be harder to reach. Repeat it in your email signature and on your website.
• Suppliers and couriers. Deliveries sent to the old address are the most common move-day problem. Update your delivery address with every regular supplier.
• Landlord and neighbours. Tell the old landlord when you will hand over the keys, and ask the new one about move-in times, lift or loading access and parking for the movers.

Step 5: Update your business address records

Your address appears in more places than you remember. Work through this list in the two weeks around the move.

• Company registration details with CIPC
• Your tax profile with SARS, including VAT details if you are registered
• Your bank, card machine provider and accounting software
• Business insurance, so the new premises are covered from day one
• Your website, Google Business Profile, social media pages and online directories
• Invoices, quotes, letterheads, email signatures and stationery
• Industry bodies, licences and any government registrations you hold

Check the process for each organisation directly, as requirements and forms change.

Step 6: Furniture, equipment and packing

1. Measure first. Check that desks, cabinets and large equipment fit through the new doors and into the planned positions.
2. Draw a floor plan. Mark where every desk, printer and cabinet goes, and give a copy to the movers.
3. Back up all data. Do this the week before and again the day before. Keep a copy off-site or in the cloud.
4. Label by destination, not by content. Write the new room or desk name on every box so movers place it correctly.
5. Get quotes from movers. Ask for a written quote that states what is covered, including insurance for damage, and book early for month-end, when many leases change over.
6. Pack IT last and unpack it first. A working computer and connection get the business running before the boxes are done.

Step 7: Signage and first impressions

Clients need to find you and know they have arrived. Ask the landlord what signage is allowed on the building, at the entrance and on directories, and whether approval is needed. Give signmakers time to produce and fit it. Order it early so it is ready on the first day.

Also update your Google Maps listing, add directions to your website and email signature, and tell clients about parking and the entrance if it is not obvious.

Step 8: Move day and the first week

1. Walk the new space with the movers before they start and again once they finish.
2. Test internet, phones, printers, card machines and alarms before anyone leaves.
3. Confirm keys, access cards and security arrangements for every staff member.
4. Put up the signage and send a brief message to clients saying you are open at the new address.
5. Collect any outstanding items and complete the handover of the old space, including a final inspection if your lease asks for one.
6. Keep a list of problems found in week one and send it to the landlord or provider in a single email.

Common office relocation mistakes

• Ordering the internet line after signing the lease, then waiting weeks for installation
• Forgetting to update the delivery address with suppliers
• Not checking the old lease's restoration or notice terms
• Moving on a date that clashes with your busiest trading days
• Assuming what is included in the rent instead of getting it in writing

Frequently asked questions

How long before the move should I start planning?

Start at least three months before your current lease ends, mostly because of notice periods and the time it takes to view, decide and sign for new space. Internet installation can take its own time, so order it as soon as the lease is signed.

What should I check at a viewing of small office space to rent in Centurion?

Check access and traffic, the layout against your team size, which shared facilities are included, how security works, which internet providers serve the building and exactly what the rent covers. For space at Eldo Office Park, you can ask about available sizes and arrange a viewing.

Do I need to change my business address with CIPC and SARS?

Yes. Your registered and tax details should show your current address. Check each organisation's process, and update your bank, insurer and accounting software at the same time.

Can I keep my phone number when I move offices?

Sometimes. It depends on your provider and on whether the number is tied to a particular area. Ask your provider before you commit to a move date, and ask before you cancel anything.

How do I find offices to rent in Wierdapark or elsewhere in Centurion?

Start by listing what you need: number of desks, meeting space, security and a location that suits your clients and staff. Then view a few options in person. Eldo Office Park is on Willem Botha Drive in Wierdapark, and details of available space are given on request.

Next step

If your move is still at the planning stage, a viewing is the most useful first step, because it shows you what the space really offers before you give notice on your current one. You are welcome to contact Eldo Office Park to ask what space is available.