CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY - OP - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	General Partner [Member]	VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member]	VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] Total Partners' Capital [Member]	VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] Preferred Units [Member] General Partner [Member]	VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] Preferred Units [Member] Limited Partner [Member]	VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] Common Units [Member] General Partner [Member]	VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] Common Units [Member] Limited Partner [Member]	VEREIT Operating Partnership, L.P. [Member] Non-Controlling Interests [Member]
Beginning balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2015					42,834,138	86,874	904,884,394	23,763,797
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2015			$ 8,713,959	$ 8,712,102	$ 925,569	$ 3,315	$ 7,598,418	$ 184,800	$ 1,857
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Issuance of common OP Units (shares)							69,000,000
Issuance of common OP Units	$ 702,476		702,476	702,476			$ 702,476
Conversion of Limited Partners' common OP Units to General Partner's common OP Units (shares)							15,450	(15,450)
Conversion of limited partners' common OP Units to General Partner's common OP Units							$ 159	$ (159)
Repurchases of Common OP Units to settle tax obligation (shares)							(481,261)
Repurchases of common OP Units to settle tax obligation	(4,652)		(4,652)	(4,652)			$ (4,652)
Equity-based compensation, net forfeitures (shares)							728,067
Equity-based compensation, net forfeitures			10,728	10,728			$ 10,728
Contributions from non-controlling interest holders	675		675						675
Distributions to common OP Units and non-controlling interests —$0.55 per common unit	(13,183)		(529,118)	(529,003)			(515,935)	(13,068)	(115)
Dividend equivalents on awards granted under the Equity Plan			(1,260)	(1,260)			(1,260)
Distributions to Preferred OP Units			(71,892)	(71,892)	$ (71,748)	$ (144)
Net (loss) income	(200,824)		(200,824)	(200,810)			(195,863)	(4,947)	(14)
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(559)		(559)	(559)			$ (531)	$ (28)
Ending balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2016					42,834,138	86,874	974,146,650	23,748,347
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2016			8,619,533	8,617,130	$ 853,821	$ 3,171	$ 7,593,540	$ 166,598	2,403
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Repurchases of Common Stock under Share Repurchase Program (shares)							(68,759)
Repurchases of Common Stock under Share Repurchase Programs	(518)		(518)	(518)			$ (518)
Repurchases of Common OP Units to settle tax obligation (shares)							(268,550)
Repurchases of common OP Units to settle tax obligation	(2,148)		(2,148)	(2,148)			$ (2,148)
Equity-based compensation, net forfeitures (shares)							399,242
Equity-based compensation, net forfeitures			16,754	16,754			$ 16,754
Contributions from non-controlling interest holders	101		101						101
Distributions to common OP Units and non-controlling interests —$0.55 per common unit	(13,227)		(548,884)	(548,717)			(535,657)	(13,060)	(167)
Dividend equivalents on awards granted under the Equity Plan			(571)	(571)			(571)
Distributions to Preferred OP Units			(71,892)	(71,892)	$ (71,748)	$ (144)
Disposition of consolidated joint venture interest	(838)		(838)						(838)
Net (loss) income	32,378		32,378	32,572			31,818	754	(194)
Other comprehensive (loss) income	(1,039)		(1,039)	(1,039)			$ (1,013)	$ (26)
Ending balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2017					42,834,138	86,874	974,208,583	23,748,347
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2017			8,042,876	8,041,571	$ 782,073	$ 3,027	$ 7,102,205	$ 154,266	1,305
Increase (Decrease) in Partners' Capital [Roll Forward]
Conversion of limited partners' common OP Units to General Partner's common OP Units	0
Conversion of Limited Partners' Common OP Units to General Partner's Common OP Units (shares)							32,439	(32,439)
Conversion of Limited Partners' Common OP Units to General Partner's Common OP Units							$ 241	$ (241)
Repurchases of Common Stock under Share Repurchase Program (shares)							(7,206,876)
Repurchases of Common Stock under Share Repurchase Programs	(50,154)		(50,154)	(50,154)			$ (50,154)
Repurchases of Common OP Units to settle tax obligation (shares)		(300,000)					(324,502)
Repurchases of common OP Units to settle tax obligation	(2,326)		(2,326)	(2,326)			$ (2,326)
Equity-based compensation, net forfeitures (shares)							805,521
Equity-based compensation, net forfeitures			13,314	13,314			$ 13,314
Contributions from non-controlling interest holders	120		120						120
Distributions to common OP Units and non-controlling interests —$0.55 per common unit	(13,048)		(545,192)	(545,192)			(532,144)	(13,048)
Dividend equivalents on awards granted under the Equity Plan	(917)		(917)	(917)			(917)
Distributions to Preferred OP Units			(71,892)	(71,892)	$ (71,748)	$ (144)
Net (loss) income	(88,030)		(88,030)	(87,876)			(85,774)	(2,102)	(154)
Other comprehensive (loss) income	$ 2,345		2,345	2,345			$ 2,289	$ 56
Ending balance (shares) at Dec. 31, 2018					42,834,138	86,874	967,515,165	23,715,908
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2018			$ 7,300,144	$ 7,298,873	$ 710,325	$ 2,883	$ 6,446,734	$ 138,931	$ 1,271