
High office refit costs prove a drag on new lettings
With the cost of fitting out new offices doubling or even tripling, tenants are reluctant to move. Back in 2019, investing in office refits cost in the region of EUR 400–600 per square metre, but since then the price has spiralled to some EUR 1,000, with costs upwards of EUR 1,200 no exception either. These costs, combined with the rising expense of renting and running offices, are among the principal reasons behind the cooling office market in the first half of this year. Many businesses are opting to stay put for the time being. This partly explains why there has been an upswing in the share of older leases being renegotiated, which rose to 45% in the first quarter.