Scottish Office Demand Turns a Corner: What the Q2 RICS Data Means for Your Premises Decision

The commercial property market across Scotland is cautiously brightening, with office space leading the recovery after a bruising few years. RICS data from Q2 shows occupier interest picking up, even as retail drags its heels. If you're an SME weighing up a move, a lease renewal, or a first proper office, the timing intelligence here is worth your attention.

A net balance of 5% of chartered surveyors in Scotland reported rising occupier demand for office space in Q2 2025, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors' latest commercial property monitor. That may sound modest, but it marks a meaningful shift in sentiment after several quarters of near-flat or negative readings. The headline figure masks a more important signal: professionals on the ground are more optimistic about the months ahead than they have been in some time.

The overall occupier demand picture remains mixed. Scotland's retail subsector is still under pressure, which is pulling the aggregate numbers down. But office space is clearly separating from that drag. RICS members surveyed report stronger enquiries, particularly for well-specified, flexible space in city centres and established business districts. In plain terms: if you're a landlord with a decent Edinburgh or Glasgow office to let, your phone is ringing more than it was six months ago.

Context matters here. The post-pandemic recalibration of office use ran longer and harder in Scotland than some forecasters anticipated. Hybrid working became the norm for a large proportion of Scottish knowledge workers, which left a lot of Grade B and C space sitting empty and suppressed rental ambitions across the board. What the RICS data suggests is that businesses, particularly growing SMEs and professional services firms, are now making decisions they deferred through 2022 and 2023. The demand isn't a flood. It's a steady, purposeful return.

Scottish Enterprise and Business Gateway have both reported increased footfall from founders and scale-up businesses seeking to establish or expand physical presence, particularly in Edinburgh's tech and creative corridors around Fountainbridge and Leith. That anecdotal trend aligns with the RICS numbers. According to research from Colliers Scotland, office take-up in Edinburgh city centre in the first half of 2025 was running ahead of the five-year average for the same period, driven substantially by tech, life sciences, and professional services occupiers. Those are exactly the sectors where Scottish SMEs are growing fastest.

For business owners, this is practical intelligence rather than abstract market commentary. When occupier demand strengthens, the negotiating window for tenants starts to narrow. Landlords who were offering rent-free periods, fit-out contributions, and flexible break clauses to fill space are beginning to pull those incentives as enquiry levels improve. The Scottish Property Federation has noted that prime office rents in Edinburgh held firm through the downturn and are now beginning to tick upward. If a move or renewal is on your agenda for the next twelve months, the leverage you have today may not be the leverage you have in Q1 2026.

What this means for you: If you're considering new office space, a lease renewal, or a first permanent base, now is a better time to negotiate than six months from now. Talk to a RICS-accredited commercial surveyor about break clauses, rent-free periods, and fit-out contributions before sentiment firms up further. Business Gateway can point you to subsidised commercial property advice if you're an early-stage business. Don't wait until the market makes the decision for you.