Brokerage Giants Close London Offices

Three of the world’s largest property agencies have told their London staff to work from home due to the ongoing impact of the coronavirus outbreak, with staff at one firm having tested positive for COVID-19. 

JLL said it had closed all three of its London offices. One member of staff at its West End office in Warwick Street and one at its City office at the Walbrook building tested positive for the disease caused by the coronavirus. 

“Both employees are undertaking the recommended period of self-isolation and we wish them a speedy recovery,” the company said in a statement. 

“The health of our employees and the people who work in and visit the buildings we occupy remains our top priority. A deep clean of the three London buildings is being undertaken and JLL employees from these offices will work remotely until further notice.”

CBRE also told all London staff to work from home for at least a week, and said it will review its policy on an ongoing basis. 

And Avison Young told London staff to work from home for at least two weeks. 

“We are taking this social distancing step to support the World Health Organization’s containment and delay objectives and safeguard the health and wellbeing of our people and our wider communities,” it said in a statement. 

The commercial real estate agencies join a litany of major companies that have told London staff to work from home, including Google and Deloitte.

As of Monday afternoon, more than 1,500 people had tested positive for coronavirus in the UK, and there have been 37 deaths as a result of COVID-19.