The price is fixed after an on-site inspection and depends on the size of the premises, the volume of furniture and whether reinstatement is included. You get a written price with no hidden fees, and we invoice companies.
Guide · Business
Office clearance in Gothenburg – a guide for companies moving or closing down
Confidentiality, IT security and reinstatement requirements make an office clearance something other than an ordinary clearance. Here is the whole process, step by step.
An office clearance in Gothenburg is normally planned two to four weeks in advance and often carried out in evenings or at weekends so the business is not disrupted. The price is fixed after an on-site inspection and depends on the size of the premises, the volume of furniture and whether the space must be reinstated to its original condition.
What separates this from a private clearance is that an office has three things that must be handled correctly: confidential documents, IT equipment holding company data, and a lease that often requires the premises to be returned in a certain state. Getting any of those wrong can be expensive. This guide covers the whole process for companies moving, downsizing or closing down.
Planning
When should planning start?
Start two to four weeks before the premises must be empty. That sounds like a lot, but in practice you need time to: terminate or renegotiate subscriptions, inventory what moves to the new premises, inform staff, book the lift and loading bay in the building, and agree with the landlord what reinstatement covers.
For larger wind-downs – a whole floor or several premises – six to eight weeks is more realistic, especially if furniture is to be resold rather than recycled. We are happy to come out for a free inspection early in the process, even if the clearance itself is far off, so you have a budget figure to work with.
The lease
Reinstatement to original condition – what does it mean?
Most commercial leases contain a reinstatement clause. It means the premises must be returned in the same condition as when you moved in, apart from normal wear and tear. In practice this usually means removing what you installed yourselves.
- Dismantling partition walls and glass screens added later.
- Removing signage, logos and decor from the facade, entrance and glazing.
- Removing fitted furniture – kitchenettes, reception desks, built-in cupboards.
- Making good holes and fixings in walls and ceilings left by shelves and screens.
- Removing cable trays and network cabling installed for your operation.
- Final cleaning ahead of the inspection with the landlord.
Read the lease before ordering – what counts as reinstatement varies. We walk the premises with you at the inspection and point out what is likely covered, so you can confirm with the landlord in good time. See also our office clearance service.
Documents
Confidentiality: documents and GDPR
This is where things most often go wrong. An office holds personnel files, contracts, customer registers, payslips and notes containing personal data. Throwing them in a skip is not an option – under the GDPR you remain responsible for that data until it has been securely destroyed.
The routine we recommend: sort into three piles before clearance day – to keep (move, digitise or archive as required by accounting law), to destroy securely, and contains no personal data. What is to be destroyed is handled separately through secure document destruction, not as ordinary paper waste.
Remember that accounting records have a statutory retention period – they must not be destroyed even if the business is closing. If in doubt, keep and digitise.
IT
IT equipment and data security
Computers, servers, copiers and even modern printers contain storage media with company data. Simply sending them for recycling without action is a security risk. Before equipment leaves the premises, hard drives should either be securely wiped or physically destroyed.
Bear in mind too that copiers and multifunction printers often store copies of everything scanned – this is almost always forgotten. If equipment is leased it must be returned to the lessor rather than scrapped; check the agreements before clearance day.
Working IT equipment often has a resale value. We help separate what can be sold on from what should go to electrical recycling.
Furniture
What happens to the office furniture?
Office furniture is the category with the best chance of a second life. Desks, sit-stand frames, conference furniture and task chairs from known brands often have a clear resale value – particularly if under ten years old and in good condition.
We go through the inventory with you and divide it into: sellable (can be valued and offset against the cost), donatable (schools, associations and non-profits are glad to receive working furniture), and recycling (metal, wood and textiles sorted separately). Read more about how sorting works in what happens to the items after a clearance.
Execution
Evenings, weekends and a business still running
Most office clearances we carry out in Gothenburg happen outside office hours. There are two reasons: so the business can continue undisturbed until the last day, and because lifts and loading bays are free in the evenings and at weekends, which makes the work faster.
In buildings with a shared entrance and a limited loading bay we book a slot with the property owner in advance. If a whole floor is being cleared we plan the order room by room so walkways stay clear. If you need to clear in stages – one open-plan area at a time, for example – that works well.
More services
Businesses, warehouses and whole properties
If it involves more than an office, we also help with business clearance of warehouses, shops and workshops, plus property clearance for owners and managers. For housing associations we offer recurring collection of bulk waste.
We work across the region, from office premises in central Gothenburg to industrial areas in Mölndal, Hisingen and Partille. See all areas.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about office clearance
Two to four weeks for a normal-sized office. For larger wind-downs or several floors we recommend six to eight weeks, especially if furniture is to be resold.
Yes, that is the most common arrangement. The business can continue undisturbed until the last day and lifts and loading bays are free, which speeds the work up.
Documents to be destroyed are handled separately through secure document destruction, not as ordinary paper waste. We recommend you sort them out before clearance day.
Hard drives should be securely wiped or physically destroyed before equipment leaves the premises. Working equipment can often be resold; the rest goes to electrical recycling.
It can be. We walk the premises with you at the inspection and point out what is likely covered by the reinstatement clause, so you can confirm with the landlord.
Often yes. Desks, chairs and conference furniture in good condition have a resale value that can be appraised and offset against the cost of the clearance.
Yes. We handle warehouses, shops, workshops and entire properties, not just offices. Describe the premises in the quote request and we will price exactly that.
Yes. Many choose to clear one open-plan area or floor at a time, particularly when downsizing where the business continues in smaller premises.
Yes, we invoice on standard payment terms and hold Swedish F-tax registration. You get a fixed price in writing before the work starts.
Related
Related
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