London Office Movement Briefing · Week 40, 2026 · 2026-09-28
London office movement: in-market total eases as September lease events climb
581 London businesses are now flagged as in-market for a move, fit-out or refurbishment this month, down on August, even as lease events tick higher and hotter-tier activity builds. Here is where the signals are strongest, and what the press pack confirms.
The numbers
581 London companies are currently in-market for an office move, fit-out or refurbishment, down from 678 in August — a fall of 97 companies month on month. Against that softer headline total, the number flagged as hot has risen from 31 to 35, and lease events recorded for the month stand at 406.
The combination points to a market that is thinning out at the top of the funnel while concentrating: fewer businesses are entering the process, but those already in it are moving further along, faster. For anyone tracking near-term instructions, the 406 lease events give a firmer near-term read than the in-market count alone, and the rise in hot-flagged companies suggests decisions are being taken even as fresh enquiries slow.
Where the movement is
The City and fringe remains the dominant submarket by a wide margin, with 214 in-market companies, more than double the West End's 107. Midtown follows with 70, then Southbank and the wider SE postcodes with 64, and the Southwest at 47. That ordering has not shifted the underlying geography of London office demand: the core and near-core still account for the bulk of activity, with the West End the only other submarket clearing three figures.
By sector, finance and insurance leads with 116 in-market companies, ahead of tech and software on 87. Professional and creative services account for 71, legal and consulting for 61, and media and publishing for 44. Finance's lead over tech has widened this month, and the gap between the top two sectors and the rest of the list remains substantial.
In the press this week
Disposal activity features prominently. Trophaeum has put another Albemarle Street office up for sale, while Landsec has sold its London office at 123 Victoria Street.
On the demand side, World Tennis has taken 18,769 sq ft in Wimbledon, and Microsoft is reportedly eyeing King's Cross for a 200,000 sq ft London hub. In Mayfair, BNF and Morgan Real Estate have completed acquisition of a £250 million development opportunity, and Tishman Speyer has landed a law firm headquarters deal in its skyscraper. Together the items show both sides of the cycle active at once: disposals in the West End alongside sizeable new requirements at King's Cross and in Mayfair.
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.