The risks of storing old IT equipment

Old laptops, desktops, phones and hard drives typically sit untouched for six to eighteen months before anyone decides what to do with them. It feels harmless. It isn't.

Data doesn't disappear on its own

A meaningful share of discarded devices still hold readable data even after a basic wipe or reset — cached credentials, documents, emails, all of it capable of sitting there indefinitely. Most IT cupboards aren't secured like a server room either: cleaners, contractors and temporary staff often have wider access than anyone realises, and a device that goes missing from a discard pile might not be noticed for months.

There's a physical risk too

Lithium-ion batteries don't like being left unused. Over time they can swell, leak or fail — turning forgotten tech into a genuine fire risk, not just a data one.

And compliance doesn't wait

Under UK GDPR, "we forgot about it" isn't a defence. If a stored device containing personal data is lost or compromised, the organisation is still fully liable, with fines that can run into the millions.

It's a financial drain too

Hardware depreciates roughly 2% in value every month it sits unused — leave it a year and you've lost around a quarter of its recoverable value, on top of paying for the office space it's sitting in.

Deal with it early

Our approach: once a device is decommissioned, get it processed within 30 days. That means the risk is removed with a certified, audited trail, any remaining value is recovered while it still has some, and the hardware gets reused before it becomes low-value e-waste rather than after.

Tell us what's sitting in the cupboard.