New research commissioned by SafeSite Facilities reveals widespread reports of rising commercial property vacancy, with many owners also experiencing vacancies lasting more than three months.
The findings come from a Censuswide survey of 350 UK commercial property owners. The research explored vacancy levels and the challenges facing those responsible for protecting empty commercial buildings.
76%
say vacancy has increased compared with 12 months ago.
81%
have had at least 10% of their portfolio vacant for more than three months in the past year.
Source: Censuswide research commissioned by SafeSite Facilities. Fieldwork: 13–21 May 2026. Percentages describe survey respondents, not the proportion of UK commercial buildings standing empty.
More than three quarters report rising vacancy
76% of commercial property owners surveyed say vacancy has increased compared with 12 months ago. The finding points to a challenge affecting a substantial majority of respondents.
This is the share of owners reporting an increase. It does not mean that vacancy levels themselves have risen by 76%.
Survey question
Q2. Have your levels of vacant commercial property increased, decreased, or stayed the same compared to the following timeframes?
Timeframe: Compared to 12 months ago
Base: All 350 UK commercial property owners surveyed, aged 25+ with some responsibility for security decisions (n = 350).
| Response option | Percentage | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| Increased significantly | 42.29% | 148 |
| Increased somewhat | 33.71% | 118 |
| Stayed about the same | 20.57% | 72 |
| Decreased somewhat | 2.00% | 7 |
| Decreased significantly | 1.14% | 4 |
| Unsure | 0.29% | 1 |
How the 76% headline is calculated: “Increased significantly” (148 respondents, 42.29%) plus “Increased somewhat” (118 respondents, 33.71%) gives 266 of 350 respondents, or 76.00%. Censuswide reports this as “Increased (Net)”.
Censuswide also reports “Decreased (Net)” as 3.14% (11 respondents). Net figures combine response options and are not additional responses.
For many landlords, vacancy extends beyond three months
81% of respondents have had at least 10% of their portfolio vacant for more than three months in the past year. This finding relates to vacancies experienced in the past year and suggests that managing empty buildings is a sustained operational responsibility for many commercial property owners.
The finding relates to the proportion of owners who have experienced this level and duration of vacancy. It does not mean that 81% of commercial properties are empty.
Survey question
Q1. What proportion, if any, of your commercial property portfolio has been vacant for more than three months in the past year?
Base: All 350 UK commercial property owners surveyed, aged 25+ with some responsibility for security decisions (n = 350).
| Response option | Percentage | Respondents |
|---|---|---|
| None | 0.86% | 3 |
| Less than 10% | 18.29% | 64 |
| 10–25% | 60.86% | 213 |
| 26–50% | 20.00% | 70 |
| More than 50%, please specify | 0.00% | 0 |
| Unsure | 0.00% | 0 |
How the 81% headline is calculated: “10–25%” (213 respondents), “26–50%” (70 respondents) and “More than 50%, please specify” (0 respondents) total 283 of 350 respondents. The combined proportion is 80.86% to two decimal places, rounded to 81% for the headline.
Response percentages are shown to two decimal places, matching the report. Aggregates are calculated from respondent counts before rounding.
Vacancy increases extend beyond the past year
The research also asked owners to consider longer-term comparisons. 78.3% report increased vacancy compared with three years ago, while 74.3% report increased vacancy compared with five years ago.
| Comparison period | Reporting an increase |
|---|---|
| Compared with 12 months ago | 76% |
| Compared with three years ago | 78.3% |
| Compared with five years ago | 74.3% |
Source: Censuswide, Q2, “Increased (Net)”. Base: all 350 respondents for each timeframe. Counts: 266 compared with 12 months ago, 274 compared with three years ago and 260 compared with five years ago. Each aggregate combines “Increased significantly” and “Increased somewhat”. These are retrospective comparisons reported in the same survey, rather than separate surveys conducted one, three and five years ago.
Rising vacancy is not confined to retail
Owners holding industrial and warehouse properties, offices, retail, and hospitality and leisure properties all report rising vacancy. Among the four groups shown, owners holding industrial and warehouse properties are most likely to report an increase compared with 12 months ago.
Chart measure: Q2, “Increased (Net)” for “Compared to 12 months ago”, combining “Increased significantly” and “Increased somewhat”.
Groups are defined by the types of property respondents hold. The question concerns their levels of vacant commercial property overall, so these results do not isolate vacancy changes within each property type. Respondents can appear in more than one property group.
Source: Censuswide, Q2. Industrial / warehouses: 127 of 162 (78.40%); offices: 102 of 136 (75.00%); retail: 146 of 202 (72.28%); hospitality / leisure: 42 of 62 (67.74%). Chart labels are rounded to one decimal place where needed. These are respondent percentages, not sector vacancy rates.
The report also includes mixed-use owners: 14 of 19 (73.68%) report increased vacancy compared with 12 months ago. This is a small subgroup. “Other” has no respondents (n = 0), so no percentage is available.
What the findings show
Rising vacancy is not confined to retail. The figures indicate that owners across several commercial property types are reporting increases, including owners holding industrial and warehouse properties and offices.
For many landlords, empty buildings are also remaining vacant for more than three months. With 81% having experienced this across at least a tenth of their portfolio, security and property management may need to extend well beyond a short gap between occupiers.
Together, the findings underline the value of a property-specific plan that can be reviewed as the length of vacancy and conditions around the building change.
Managing vacant commercial property
A clear management plan helps owners keep track of an empty building, identify changes and review whether its protection remains appropriate.
Start with a property risk assessment
Consider the building’s location, condition, access points, visibility and previous incidents, alongside the likely length of vacancy. Use the assessment to prioritise vulnerable areas and choose measures suited to the property.
Arrange regular inspections
Set an inspection schedule appropriate to the property. Keep dated records of visits and look for damage, leaks, attempted entry, fly-tipping and changes around the site. Assign responsibility for following up issues identified during each visit.
Combine physical and electronic security
Consider physical measures such as security doors, screens, fencing and barriers alongside alarms or CCTV where appropriate. Plan how alerts will be received, assessed and acted on, so that detection is supported by a clear response.
Review protection during longer vacancies
Revisit the security plan if a building remains empty longer than expected, an incident occurs or conditions nearby change. Use inspection records to identify recurring problems and decide whether additional measures are needed.
More findings from our vacant commercial property research
Explore further findings from SafeSite Facilities’ research into the challenges facing owners of vacant commercial buildings.
The £49,268 cost of vacant-property incidents
Read our related research into the financial impact of incidents at vacant commercial properties.
Further survey findings will be added here as they are published.
Research methodology
The research was conducted by Censuswide and commissioned by SafeSite Facilities.
The sample comprised 350 UK commercial property owners aged 25+ with some responsibility for security decisions.
Fieldwork took place between 13 and 21 May 2026.
Findings reflect respondents’ reported experiences. Full response tables use the report’s two-decimal percentage format. Headline and chart figures are rounded as indicated. Question bases are 350 unless a property-type subgroup is specified. Subgroups overlap and should not be added together. Their results should not be read as national property vacancy rates.
Censuswide is a member of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the British Polling Council (BPC), and a signatory of the Global Data Quality Pledge. Censuswide adheres to the MRS Code of Conduct and ESOMAR principles.
Need help assessing a vacant property?
SafeSite Facilities can assess an empty commercial property and recommend an appropriate combination of physical and electronic security measures.
