Latest from RICS

The commercial property market remained relatively flat in Q2 of this year, according to the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) survey.  

Tenant and investor demand were both largely stable as headline occupier demand stayed at a net balance of +4% – the same reading as the previous quarter. Investment enquiries also remained the same (-4%) indicating that investment demand has become stagnant.  

Meanwhile, the London office market continues to outperform the rest of the UK, with 68% of survey respondents expecting prime office rents to increase within the next year. There was not the same confidence in other regions, with 29% expecting rents to rise in both the North and South, and 25% predicting increases in the Midlands.  

RICS reported that a third (34%) of respondents believe that the market is at the bottom of the current cycle and 41% think it is in the early stages of recovery – a slightly more optimistic view than the previous survey.  

A mixed picture in Scotland 

Occupier demand for commercial property in Scotland continues to recover, supported by the most resilient backdrop for retail in eight years, according to RICS. 

A net balance of +4% of Scottish surveyors reported a rise in occupier demand across all sectors through Q2. Demand for office and retail space was flat, while a net balance of 13% of surveyors in Scotland noted a rise in demand for industrial space. The net balance for retail demand moved out of negative territory for the first time since 2016. 

Looking ahead, rents in both the retail and office sectors are expected to fall, while rents for industrial space are expected to rise through the third quarter.  

RICS Senior Economist Tarrant Parsons commented, “Respondents now feel the market is moving towards the early stages of an upturn following a challenging couple of years.” 

Rise in office space leased in the capital 

Leasing activity surged in London in Q2 of this year, according to Savills. 

Take-up in the capital rose quarterly by 21% to 2.3 million sq. ft. The insurance and financial services sectors were key drivers of this, accounting for 32% of office space leased so far this year. This is partly due to Citadel’s pre-let at 2 Finsbury Avenue EC2, which is scheduled to finish construction early in 2027.  

Although take-up in the City of London was 1% higher than its long-term average in Q2, leasing in the West End was 37% lower as the lack of larger deals continue to impact this market.  

There is noticeable demand for sustainable buildings – Victoria Bajela, Director of Commercial Research at Savills, observed, “Over 55% of take-up has been in BREEAM-rated Outstanding or Excellent buildings which continues to drive rental growth overall.”  Launched in 1990, the Building Research Establishment’s Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) is the world’s longest-established green building certification system.  

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All details are correct at the time of writing (19 August 2024)

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