5 Things Removals Companies Should Know Before Disposing of Old Office Furniture

Ida Gorecka • April 17, 2025

Did you know that as a removal company, you're missing out on thousands of pounds in potential revenue every time you let old office furniture head to landfill? 


With over 300 tonnes of used office furniture entering UK landfills daily, your clients are starting to expect more than just transportation from A to B - they want complete, environmentally responsible solutions that protect them from legal liability and fuel their ESG goals.


Read this article to find out more about the hidden costs of landfill and why office furniture recycling can save you money and time. 


Let's break down five essential things you should know before disposing of old office furniture to increase your profits and meet your clients' evolving needs.

1. The Opportunity in Every Office Clearance You Likely Miss

During a typical office survey, you'll likely find that about 40% of furniture won't be making the trip to the new location. Rather than seeing this as a disposal problem, it's actually a revenue opportunity.


At Coggin SOS, we specialise in refurbishing quality second-hand office furniture to look and perform like new. Premium furniture from manufacturers like Herman Miller and Steelcase is built to last decades. When your clients upgrade their workspace, they're often throwing away valuable assets with plenty of life left. By partnering with us, you can tap into this value, offering clients a rebate while creating a new revenue stream.


Contact our team today to find out more about our refurbishing process.

2. The Documentation Gap That Could Cost Your Clients Thousands

Every UK business is legally required to dispose of their waste responsibly. Your clients have a "duty of care" for their office furniture waste - even after it leaves their premises. Without proper documentation, they face serious legal risks.


For complete compliance, your clients need:


  • Verification that you're a licensed waste carrier
  • Waste transfer notes for each collection
  • Hazardous waste consignment notes when applicable
  • Final reports detailing what was removed and where it went


As your recycling partner, at Coggin SOS we handle all this documentation automatically. Our detailed waste transfer notes and final reports give your clients the paperwork they need, while you focus on what you do best - moving furniture.


To find out more about meeting your client’s expectations, go here.

3. ESG Metrics That Will Win You More Corporate Contracts

Although not yet a legal requirement, companies increasingly expect detailed reports proving their furniture's end-of-life journey. Without proper documentation, your clients may face difficult questions from their ESG stakeholders.


By partnering with Coggin SOS, you can provide clients with our exclusive Savings Certificates that detail:


  • Items diverted from landfill
  • Weight saved from waste streams
  • COâ‚‚ savings calculated in real-world equivalents
  • Financial benefits compared to traditional disposal


These certificates can turn your ordinary office clearances into measurable sustainability initiatives - a key differentiator when bidding for corporate contracts.


Want to start offering this valuable documentation to your clients? Get in touch with our team today.

4. You Can Deliver Valuable Savings to Your Clients

Let's be honest about what traditional furniture disposal actually costs:


  • £80-£120 per ton for transportation and processing
  • Up to £100 per ton in landfill taxes (and they're only going up)


For a typical office clearance of 10 tons, that's £800 to £1,200 in direct disposal costs.


By partnering with Coggin SOS as your dedicated recycling specialist, you can help clients eliminate these costs completely. Instead of paying for disposal, they could actually receive value back through furniture refurbishment.


Find out how our zero-landfill guarantee can help you deliver both environmental and financial benefits to your clients.

5. How Smooth Integration Creates More Project Value

The days of simply moving office furniture from A to B are practically over. Today's clients aren't just looking for movers anymore. They want partners who handle sustainable disposal too, something most removal companies struggle to deliver effectively.


By partnering with Coggin SOS, you gain an instant end-to-end solution with:


  • No additional staff needed
  • No extra equipment to buy
  • No specialist recycling knowledge required
  • No complex compliance procedures to learn


We work quietly in the background, handling the technical aspects of furniture assessment and material separation, while you maintain your direct client relationships. For your clients, nothing changes except the outcome - they still have one contact point and one invoice, but now with genuine environmental metrics shown in documents.


Understand exactly what happens to furniture after collection by reading our comprehensive breakdown.

The Choice That Defines Your Future in Office Removals

When was the last time a client didn't ask about sustainable disposal? Count how many recent tenders required green credentials. You know the trend.


Your clients aren't just hoping for sustainable options anymore-they're expecting them. The real question isn't if they'll demand this from you, but whether you'll be ready when they do.


Your clients are already searching for a removal company with end-to-end capabilities. Be that company-contact Coggin SOS today.

Why Buying Cheap Costs More: The Long-Term Value of Quality Refurbished Furniture

By Ida Gorecka • July 30, 2025
You’re in the middle of planning an office space. Budgets are tight. Lead times are short. It’s tempting to type “cheap office chairs” into your browser and find something that fits the spreadsheet. But here’s the problem: cheap furniture is rarely cheap in the long run . The market is saturated with budget desks, chairs, and storage that look good online, but fall apart in practice. And when they do, they cost more - more to replace, more to dispose of, more to fix (if that’s even possible), and more in lost time and productivity. It’s a vicious cycle that undermines your budget, timeline, and any potential ESG goals. According to WRAP , the UK disposes of over 200,000 tonnes of office furniture every year - much of it barely used. When furniture fails quickly, so does your investment. In a commercial setting, that failure shows up in missed deadlines, spiralling budgets, and sustainability goals slipping out of reach. So before you hit "order" on another bulk buy of flat-packed furniture, take a moment. In this article, you'll learn the hidden costs of cheap office furniture and why refurbished premium office furniture is the smarter alternative. If you're looking to reduce hassle, save money, and build a workspace that actually lasts, keep on reading. Need help getting started? Get in touch with our team for advice, audits, or to browse our refurbished stock .

Refurbished Office Furniture Saves Overbury Over £2000 on Site Setup Costs

By Ida Gorecka • July 18, 2025
Anyone who's worked in construction knows that site setup costs can quickly spiral. For Overbury , one of the UK's leading fit-out and refurbishment specialists, managing these costs while maintaining professional standards is a constant balancing act. When setting up their latest construction site office, they faced a challenge familiar to many in the industry: creating a functional workspace quickly and cost-effectively. After seeing what we achieved together on their previous project, Overbury approached us with clear priorities - they needed a professional office setup delivered on a construction timeline. With tight deadlines to meet and costs to manage, they needed their office space ready quickly while avoiding the expense and environmental impact of buying new office furniture. Like many construction projects, this one came with complex requirements - specific layouts, tight timelines, and budget constraints - yet Overbury knew from experience that refurbished office furniture could deliver exactly what they needed.

From Purchase to Repurpose: How to Extend the Lifespan of Your Office Furniture

By Ida Gorecka • July 16, 2025
If you're managing an office move, refit, or hybrid transition, you've likely faced this question: do we buy new furniture, or make use of what we have? Every year, over 1.2 million desks and 1.8 million office chairs are sent to landfill in the UK- enough to fill Wembley Stadium twice. ( Source: WRAP ) With Landfill Tax raised to £126.15 per tonne in April 2025 (S ource: UK Government ), the cost of disposing office furniture is increasing fast. If you’re trying to balance budgets , meet ESG goals , and minimise downtime , choosing refurbishment over replacement could be the most strategic decision you make this year. In this guide, we’ll show you how to get more from what you already own. Saving thousands, supporting your ESG goals, and creating a more flexible, future-proof workspace. Got a project coming up? Get in touch and we’ll help you explore your refurbishment options.