Commercial property to rent in Colchester: rental values and leases
The local business premises, their rateable values and energy ratings, and what to check in a lease.
Last checked: 2 November 2026, against the Valuation Office Agency statistics and the MHCLG Energy Performance of Buildings tables.
Not legal advice. This page has not been reviewed by a solicitor. The figures are official statistics run through our calculators, not a quote.
What should I know about taking a commercial lease in Colchester?
As of March 2026, Colchester has about 6,240 business premises on the rating list, with offices at an average rateable value of £129 per m² and shops at £127 per m². Before you sign a lease, check the rent review, repairs, break clause and the premises' energy rating.
Updated
Got a draft lease for premises in Colchester? We'll introduce you to an independent SRA-regulated property solicitor, who confirms their fee in writing before any work starts.
Get a lease review quoteWhat does commercial property rent for in Colchester?
The VOA's rateable value is its estimate of an appropriate annual rent for a property, assuming the tenant pays the business rates, repairs and insurance. It is not a current market rent or an asking rent: the figures below are averages from the 2023 rating list, whose rateable values are based on rental values at 1 April 2021; the 2026 revaluation replaced on 1 April 2026. Use them to compare towns and property types, then check real asking rents with local agents.
| Type | Per m² | 50 m² | 100 m² | 250 m² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Office | £129 | £6,450 | £12,900 | £32,250 |
| Shop | £127 | £6,350 | £12,700 | £31,750 |
| Industrial | £45 | £2,250 | £4,500 | £11,250 |
Business premises in Colchester
| Type | Premises | Rateable value per m² | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shops | 1,310 | £127 | £144 |
| Offices | 1,310 | £129 | £204 |
| Industrial | 1,370 | £45 | £42 |
Energy ratings of business premises in Colchester
| Rating | A+ | A | B | C | D | E | F | G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colchester | 11 | 39 | 75 | 95 | 48 | 21 | 1 | 2 |
| England and Wales | 838 | 8,155 | 30,603 | 30,673 | 12,920 | 5,645 | 552 | 598 |
What to check before you sign
- The red flags in a commercial lease
- Break clauses and rent reviews
- A schedule of condition and dilapidations at the end
- The running costs: the business rates calculator
More questions about premises in Colchester
What is the rateable value of shops in Colchester?
£127 per m² on the 2023 list, across about 1,310 shops: 12% below the £144 for England and Wales.
Source: VOA, Non-domestic rating: business floorspace, March 2026, 2023 rating list at 31 March 2026.
What is the rateable value of offices in Colchester?
£129 per m² on the 2023 list, across about 1,310 offices: 37% below the £204 for England and Wales.
Source: VOA, Non-domestic rating: business floorspace, March 2026, 2023 rating list at 31 March 2026.
What is the rateable value of industrial premises in Colchester?
£45 per m² on the 2023 list, across about 1,370 industrial premises: 7% above the £42 for England and Wales.
Source: VOA, Non-domestic rating: business floorspace, March 2026, 2023 rating list at 31 March 2026.
How many recent energy certificates in Colchester are rated F or G?
1.0% of the 292 certificates lodged for business premises in the last four quarters (England and Wales: 1.3%); 43% were A or B. Since 1 April 2023 a landlord in England and Wales can't continue to let most non-domestic premises rated F or G unless an exemption is registered.
Source: MHCLG, Energy Performance of Buildings Certificates live tables, tables updated 2026-10-29.
Nearby areas
| Area | Offices | Shops |
|---|---|---|
| Maldon | £102 | £135 |
| Tendring | £96 | £104 |
| Babergh | £88 | £111 |
Questions
How many business premises are there in Colchester?
Got a draft lease for premises in Colchester? We'll introduce you to an independent SRA-regulated property solicitor, who confirms their fee in writing before any work starts.
Get a lease review quoteSources
- VOA: Non-domestic rating: stock of properties, March 2026
- VOA: Non-domestic rating: business floorspace, March 2026
- MHCLG: Energy Performance of Buildings Certificates, live tables (non-domestic, by local authority)
- The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015
- GOV.UK: Non-domestic private rented property minimum energy efficiency standard
- Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, Part 2 (business tenancies)
VOA statistics at 31 March 2026 (2023 rating list) and MHCLG EPC tables, retrieved 2026-11-02. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. This page is general information, not legal advice, and hasn't been reviewed by a solicitor. Instrukt is not a law firm.