If you are leaving an office or changing where you work, “mail forwarding” can mean two different arrangements. You might need letters addressed to your old premises sent somewhere new. Or you might want a business address where your post can be received and handled while you work elsewhere.
Royal Mail business redirection and a virtual office can help with those different needs. Some businesses use both during a move. Start with the address printed on your incoming letters and where you want future correspondence to go.
Royal Mail's Business Redirection service sends eligible mail addressed to your old business premises to your chosen new address. It can be useful when customers and suppliers still have the old details after a move.
Royal Mail distinguishes between two services. Business Redirection is for a whole-business move where the business is not at a shared delivery point. Business Diversion is the option to investigate when only part of a business moves, or when businesses share a door, letterbox or reception. Check Royal Mail's current business redirection and diversion guidance for your circumstances.
The important distinction is that you provide a destination. Redirection does not supply you with a new business address to use on your website or a team to open and scan your correspondence.
A virtual office with mail handling provides an address that you are authorised to use, together with arrangements for the post arriving there. That can suit a business whose team works from home, travels or uses different workspaces.
CVH provides a business address at 49 Greek Street in Soho. Mail Scanning sends the contents of letters by email, Mail Forwarding sends physical mail to your nominated destination, and Combo provides both. You choose how to receive your post rather than having to work from the address. Our scanning and forwarding comparison explains those options.
This service does not automatically collect letters still being sent to a previous address. Those need their own arrangement while you update the people who write to you.
A short list of expected senders can make the decision easier. Separate organisations using the old address from those that can start using your new details immediately.
Think beyond ordinary letters before choosing either arrangement. Royal Mail's Business Redirection help hub lists exclusions, including mail delivered by other couriers and Parcelforce. A redirection request should not be treated as covering every delivery to the old building.
Virtual-office services also have limits. Tell the provider if you expect parcels, customer returns, samples or anything needing special handling. CVH's terms and conditions set out mail allowances and parcel restrictions. Confirm suitability before giving the address to senders.
For redirection, check the names covered, destination, period and applicable charges. For a virtual office, compare the address service and mail handling you need, the billing term, VAT and any onward postage. These are different services, so a headline price alone will not tell you which meets your needs.
CVH offers monthly and annual packages. Forwarding postage is charged separately, and Mail Forwarding and Combo require a postage deposit. The current package prices and setup-cost FAQ explain what to allow for.
If you want redirected mail sent to a virtual office, confirm that arrangement with both providers first. Arrange services in advance and confirm their start dates. With CVH, complete signup and the required checks, then wait for activation confirmation before using the address.
Once you have chosen your approach, our address-change checklist can help with the practical updates. For an ongoing Soho address with scanning, forwarding or both, explore CVH's London virtual office service or tell our team what address and mail arrangements you need.
