Relocation accommodation: an employer's guide
A relocation goes wrong in the first month or not at all. If a new starter is in a cramped hotel room, commuting from the wrong side of the city and eating out every night, they spend their first weeks house-hunting instead of working — and a meaningful share never settle.
This is how employers and HR teams typically structure relocation accommodation so people arrive, settle and stay.
How long to fund
Four to twelve weeks covers most single relocations: long enough to learn the neighbourhoods, test the commute and complete a purchase or tenancy, short enough that nobody is paying for two homes for long.
International moves usually need longer, because bank accounts, credit history, references and school places all take time before a landlord will accept an application.
What to include in the package
A furnished home with a proper kitchen and laundry, all bills and council tax inside the price, broadband good enough to work from, and parking where the employee drives. Add a workspace if they will work from the accommodation at all.
Space matters more than star rating. Someone relocating with a partner, children or a pet needs bedrooms and a living room, not a larger hotel room, and the cost per week is often lower than the hotel equivalent once meals are counted.
Budgeting per person
Work in cost per person per week including bills and food, not headline nightly rates. A whole house with a kitchen shifts spend from restaurants to supermarkets, which is usually the largest saving available on a relocation budget.
Where several people relocate for the same project, sharing a house is often both cheaper and better for how quickly the team settles — but confirm people are content to share before you assume it.
Getting HR and finance sign-off
We invoice companies directly with VAT invoices, PO numbers and cost codes, so the employee never funds the stay and reclaims it. Invoices are itemised by property and period, which fits standard relocation budget reporting and, where relevant, proof-of-address requests.
Every booking takes a refundable security deposit, returned after checkout once the property is checked. Include it in the approval request so it does not hold up the start date.
Location choices that help people settle
Put people where they can try the commute properly and reach the areas they might buy or rent in. Somewhere near the office but on the opposite side of the city from the schools they are considering wastes the temporary period.
Tell us the workplace postcode, whether children need to be within reach of particular schools, and whether they drive. We place people accordingly rather than by whatever is cheapest that week.
Frequently asked
How long should an employer fund relocation accommodation?
Four to twelve weeks suits most domestic moves; international relocations often need three months or more while banking, references and school places are sorted.
Can the company be invoiced directly for a relocation stay?
Yes. We raise VAT invoices to the company with PO numbers and cost references so the employee does not pay and reclaim.
Are bills included in relocation accommodation?
Yes. Gas, electricity, water, council tax and broadband are inside the quoted price, and no utility goes into the employee's name.
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