Hey everyone, I have a bit of a dilemma and could use some advice from those who have experience moving offices. Our company is transitioning to a mostly remote setup and we're downsizing from two floors in a large office to just eight rooms in a shared space. We currently have a server rack that houses punch-down blocks wired for our entire 4th floor and part of the 3rd floor. I've been informed that this rack, along with the punch-down block, belongs to us.
The issue is: if we take the whole rack with us, it means we would have to cut all the punch-down cables, effectively destroying the ethernet jacks in the walls across two floors. Is this the usual practice? I really don't want to be the jerk who makes the new tenants pay for rewiring when it's not necessary.
4 Answers
It's generally not a good idea to cut all your cabling when moving out. Think of it like plumbing or electrical wiring—you wouldn't just leave it a mess for the next occupants. It's better to take only what you need, like routers and switches, and leave the cabling and patch panels intact. It could save the new tenants a ton of hassle and costs. If you're super unsure, just check your lease for any specific requirements about what you're allowed to remove.
Totally agree. It's kind of a jerk move to cut it all out. I've moved into spaces where the previous tenants just left it behind, and it really made a difference for us.
I've seen both sides of this. Some tenants leave everything intact and others cut everything out. It usually comes down to the lease terms. If it’s not a requirement, you might wanna leave the punch-down blocks—wire is cheap for you, and it could save others lots of work.
Yep, we had a tenant once who took everything, and it just left us with a mess to clean up. Always better to leave behind what's not yours to take.
For sure! I wouldn't want to re-run cables either. If it’s still functional, it’s a gift to the next tenants.
Cutting the cables is typically a sign of bad professional etiquette. Unless it's stated in the contract that you must remove everything, just leave it as it is. Trust me, future tenants will appreciate it, and honestly, it's easier for you too.
Precisely! Plus, they probably won’t reuse old panels anyway. Better to let them deal with that than create extra work for yourself.
Exactly! Just take your own equipment and let the building's infrastructure stay operational for the next guys.
In my experience, cutting cables is a quick way to create a headache for the incoming tenants. It's often required by lease agreements to leave wiring intact. If they want the punch-down block, consider leaving it for good measure. The next occupants will appreciate having it without having to rewire everything.
Right? Last time I dealt with this, we had to re-run all the lines because the previous company cut everything. It was a nightmare!
Absolutely! It's more hassle than it's worth. Just leave it be unless there's a specific reason to remove it.
Exactly! That infrastructure can be a huge help to the new people. Unless your lease says otherwise, leaving the cabling behind is usually the right call.