Collect-and-Store archive service for local firms

Small offices and sole professionals with a few boxes of old records: accountants, solicitors, consultants, schools and charities.

A small monthly fee per box stored, plus a fee for each collection, delivery or retrieval.

• Reliable and punctual
• Careful record keeping
• Comfortable lifting and driving

• Many self-storage contracts limit commercial use or insurance cover, so check before you sign
• You will handle confidential records, so check your UK GDPR duties and the ICO data protection fee
• Insurance for goods in your care and in transit, plus vehicle business use cover; check with an insurer
• Damp, theft and fire are risks to client records, so check how the space is protected
• If you also move waste paper for destruction, check whether you need waste carrier registration

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £1,000 to £5,000, depending on the storage space you rent and your vehicle. Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around £300 to £1,500, depending on how many clients and boxes you handle.

Check whether your self-storage contract limits commercial use or insurance cover. Also check your UK GDPR duties and the ICO data protection fee, insurance for goods in your care and in transit, and waste carrier registration if you move waste paper.

The estimates suggest at least around 8 hours a week. You will need to be reliable and punctual, keep careful records, and be comfortable lifting and driving when collecting and returning clients' archive boxes.