Freeze the asset list and data-handling plan before removing anything. Office furniture, electricals, storage media and confidential records need different authorisation and evidence.

Governance

Name the clearance owner, IT/data approver, facilities contact and collector. Check lease conditions, landlord property, employee belongings and finance/lease assets.

Inventory streams

• retain/relocate;
• sell or donate with authorised transfer;
• furniture recycling/disposal;
• electrical reuse or WEEE route;
• data-bearing equipment for sanitisation/destruction;
• confidential paper shredding; and
• hazardous/specialist items.

Tag assets only after matching serial/asset numbers. Do not remove a device because it appears unused.

Chain of custody

IT approves data-bearing equipment, method, collector and evidence. Keep collection inventory, vehicle/collector details, transfer notes and destruction/reuse certificates. A certificate should match identifiable batches, not merely state that “waste was destroyed”.

FAQs

How should assets be checked?

Reconcile physical item, asset register, ownership/lease and authorised destination before release.

Who signs off data equipment?

The organisation’s authorised IT/data owner, following security and retention policy.

Suggested component

Use an Office Clearance Asset Board with authorisation, data status, destination and evidence fields.

Related guides

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