Moving into London from another Tier 1 market means re-baselining occupancy economics in GBP, re-running headcount density against local norms, and translating lease terminology to local conventions.
Moving into London from another Tier 1 market means re-baselining occupancy economics in GBP, re-running headcount density against local norms, and translating lease terminology to local conventions.
Headline London rent is 95 GBP/sqft/yr ($121 USD). Translate your incumbent occupancy cost-per-seat to the same basis using the Occupancy Cost tool. Most cross-border moves underestimate fit-out">fit-out timeline and overestimate density transferability.
London leases are predominantly Full Repairing and Insuring (FRI). Tenant pays service charge and is responsible for dilapidations on lease end. Rent reviews to open-market rent every 5 years are standard. Rent-free periods of 18-30 months on a 10-year term are typical, with 'capped' rent-free for break-clause certainty. Personal guarantees are uncommon for institutional tenants; rent deposits are common for younger covenants. Use the Lease Term Translator to map terminology before reading the LOI.
Engage a tenant-rep broker, local counsel, an MEP/AV designer with London project history, and a project manager who has run a Class A fit-out in this market in the last 24 months.
| city | London |
|---|---|
| country | United Kingdom |
| region | EMEA |
| classARentLocal | 95 GBP/sqft/yr |
| classARentUsd | $121/sqft/yr |
| vacancy | 8.6% |
| typicalLeaseYears | 10 |
| typicalRentFreeMonths | 24 |
| submarkets | 7 |
| primeYieldPct | 4.5% |
Reviewed by Samuel Okafor — EMEA contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.