London Office Movement Briefing · Week 37, 2026 · 2026-09-07
London Office Movement Briefing: in-market total climbs to 686
In-market activity edged higher in September while the hottest tier of movers thinned slightly, and this week's press coverage brings a headquarters sale, a Moorgate fit-out and fresh expansion from legal and tech occupiers.
The numbers
London's in-market total stands at 686 organisations for September 2026, up from 678 the previous month — a rise of eight. Of these, 30 are in the hot category, down slightly from 31 in August. Lease events recorded this month number 397.
The small uptick in the overall in-market figure, against a marginally softer hot count, points to a market where more occupiers are entering the early stages of a move decision than are reaching the point of imminent commitment. In practical terms, the pipeline is widening at the top rather than narrowing at the point of decision, which is typical of a market still working through longer evaluation cycles before signing.
Where the movement is
The City and fringe (EC postcodes) remain comfortably the largest concentration of in-market activity, with 236 organisations, more than the next two areas combined. The West End (W) follows with 162, then Midtown (WC) on 75, Southbank and the South East on 70, and the Southwest (SW) on 50.
By sector, finance and insurance leads with 146 in-market organisations, ahead of tech and software on 101 and legal and consulting on 94. Professional and creative services account for 75, with media and publishing on 47. The pattern is consistent with previous months: core City-facing sectors dominate volume, while tech and professional services supply the bulk of activity outside the traditional financial core.
In the press this week
The Royal College of General Practitioners has put its London headquarters up for sale, a deal-stage signal worth tracking against the wider owner-occupier disposal trend.
WFW has completed its move into a new sustainable headquarters at 25 Moorgate, a fit-out that reflects the continuing pull of upgraded City stock. NeuralTrust has a live requirement for London office space as it builds out its presence here, and a related report confirms the firm has now opened its new London office. Elsewhere, Stratford's Sugar House Island has secured GymOn as a tenant, while Setfords has significantly expanded its London office space, both signs of ongoing occupier appetite outside the largest corporates.
Put this data to work
Every figure above comes from the live Signal dataset — the same one that powers the London Office Movement Index. If your business wins work when companies move, see the leads behind the numbers: office fit-out, relocation services, facilities management and more.