Moving into a new office is exciting, but it opens the door to risks that can drain time and money. Scammers, poor documentation, and weak access controls may show up during viewings and the first months after move-in. This guide gives you practical steps to protect your people, your data, and your budget from day one.
Check the Landlord and the Letting Agent
Start with identity and track record. Ask the agent for a written list of who owns the property, who manages it, and who is authorized to sign. Confirm names, company numbers, and addresses match what appears on business registers, professional body directories, and the property listing. If something does not match, pause the process.
Look at payment details early. Request a pro forma invoice that shows the legal entity, VAT details, and bank account name. Compare the account name to the legal entity and ask your bank to confirm if the payee name matches. Funds only go to the verified account listed in the signed lease.
Manage Inquiries and Unknown Callers
Office listings attract lots of calls and messages, and not all are genuine. Unknown calls spike when an office listing goes live. Before you call back or share details, run a quick reverse phone number lookup to check if the number has reports of spam or abuse. If anything looks off, use a work phone policy and a call-back number from the company’s website.
Use a standard script for first contacts. Ask for the caller’s full name, company, and a business email at a domain that matches the firm. Tell staff never to share access codes or alarm details over the phone. If a stranger claims to be a courier, building engineer, or landlord’s contractor, verify with your agent or the building manager before you grant access.
Confirm the Property and the Paperwork
Before you pay any holding deposit, confirm the property’s title and the party with the authority to lease. Ask for proof of ownership and check that the person signing has the right to do so. If there is a head lease or a superior landlord, request a copy of the clause that allows subletting and any required consent.
Check safety and compliance documents. Ask for fire risk assessments, gas and electrical certificates, asbestos records, and any planning permissions that affect your fit-out. Make sure the building’s insurance aligns with your use. Keep copies in a shared folder so facilities, finance, and legal can review them together.
Secure Access, Keys, and Credentials
Treat move-in like a security reset, and change locks or re-pin cylinders if allowed in your lease. If you inherit a fob system, wipe the database and re-enroll only your people. Set visitor hours and define who can meet vendors and contractors at the reception. A short delay at the door is cheaper than a breach.
Create layered controls so a single failure does not expose everything. Use badges and PINs for normal entry, separate codes for plant rooms, and keys held in a managed cabinet. Keep the access list short and review it every week during the first month, then every month after that.
- Change physical locks or re-pin cylinders
- Reset alarm codes and admin passwords
- Re-provision all fobs and badges
- Post visitor rules and escort requirements
- Test cameras, lights, and door sensors
Vet Vendors, Utilities, and Deliveries
Fraud hides in routine setup tasks like internet, cleaning, and waste contracts. Ask every vendor for a written proposal on company letterhead and check the domain, registration number, and service address. Compare bank account names to legal names and use a second channel to confirm bank details before paying.
Plan delivery days. Require photo ID for drivers and match delivery notes to purchase orders. If a contractor says the landlord sent them, call the building manager to confirm. Keep serial numbers for IT gear and record where it is installed. Simple logs deter theft and help with claims.
Build a Phone and Email Fraud Defense
Phone and email are the main paths for impostors. The 2024 Fraud Barometer from KPMG highlighted the scale of fraud reports and multi-billion-dollar losses, which shows why strong controls are necessary even for small offices. Use that reality to justify simple guardrails that your team can follow.
Adopt a call-back rule for any request to change bank details, grant access, or share sensitive info. Make the call using a number you find on the company’s official website, not one supplied by the caller. Set up mailbox rules that flag lookalike domains and warn the user when an external address appears similar to a supplier’s domain.
Train your Team and Set Protocols
Security habits beat security hardware. Run a short briefing before move-in and again two weeks after you settle in. Walk through the access rules, visitor steps, and what to do when something feels off. Official government guidance stresses reporting suspicious calls to national fraud lines, which helps authorities act and keeps your records tidy for any insurer review.
Make training concrete and practical. Show examples of spoofed phone numbers and phishing emails your industry sees. Give people a one-page playbook so they know who to call inside the company, when to notify the landlord, and how to document an incident.
Keep Records, Insure, and Review Often
In 2024, Cifas reported a record number of filings to the National Fraud Database and a year-on-year rise, which shows how threats keep evolving across sectors. Use that context to schedule regular checks of your controls and to keep your insurer informed about the steps you take.
Build a simple rhythm. Review access logs monthly, vendor lists quarterly, and key security documents every six months. After any incident or near miss, run a short debrief and update your playbook. Keep your insurer and broker in the loop about changes to locks, alarms, and surveillance, and ask if additional endorsements or endorsements-in-waiting would lower your premiums.
Protecting a new office is about steady routines, not one big purchase. Start with clear checks on people and paperwork, and keep phone, email, and access tight as your team settles in. With a few habits and regular reviews, you can focus on growing the business while the basics keep trouble at the door.
