Notes Payable - General (Details) - Notes and bonds payable	1 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2021 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2022 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2022 GBP (£)	Jan. 31, 2022 GBP (£)	Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Nov. 01, 2021 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2021 GBP (£)	Oct. 31, 2020 GBP (£)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Debt
Total principal amount		$ 12,857,000,000			$ 12,257,000,000
Unamortized net premiums and deferred financing costs		212,000,000			243,000,000
Net payable amount		$ 13,069,000,000			12,500,000,000
4.600% notes, $500 issued February 2014, of which $485 was exchanged in November 2021, both due in February 2024
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		4.60%	4.60%
Principal amount		$ 500,000,000
Amount exchanged	$ 485,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 500,000,000			500,000,000
3.875% notes, issued in June 2014 and due in July 2024
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		3.875%	3.875%
Principal amount		$ 350,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 350,000,000			350,000,000
3.875% notes, issued in April 2018 and due in April 2025
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		3.875%	3.875%
Principal amount		$ 500,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 500,000,000			500,000,000
4.625% notes, $550 issued October 2018, of which $544 was exchanged in November 2021, both due in November 2025
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		4.625%	4.625%
Principal amount		$ 550,000,000
Amount exchanged	544,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 550,000,000			550,000,000
0.750% notes, issued December 2020 and due in March 2026
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		0.75%	0.75%
Principal amount		$ 325,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 325,000,000			325,000,000
4.875% notes, $600 issued June 2016, of which $596 was exchanged in November 2021, both due in June 2026
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		4.875%	4.875%
Principal amount		$ 600,000,000
Amount exchanged	596,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 600,000,000			600,000,000
4.125% notes, $250 issued in September 2014 and $400 issued in March 2017, both due in October 2026
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		4.125%	4.125%
Principal amount		$ 650,000,000
Total principal amount		650,000,000			650,000,000
4.125% notes, issued in September 2014 and due in October 2026
Debt
Principal amount		250,000,000
4.125% notes, issued in March 2017 and due in October 2026
Debt
Principal amount		$ 400,000,000
1.875% notes, issued in January 2022 and due in January 2027
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		1.875%	1.875%	0.01875%
Principal amount | £			£ 250,000,000	£ 250,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 329,000,000			0
3.000% notes, issued in October 2016 and due in January 2027
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		3.00%	3.00%
Principal amount		$ 600,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 600,000,000			600,000,000
1.125% notes, issued in July 2021 and due in July 2027
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		1.125%	1.125%				0.01125%
Principal amount | £			£ 400,000,000				£ 400,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 526,000,000			541,000,000
3.950% notes, $600 issued August 2017, of which $594 was exchanged in November 2021, both due in August 2027
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		3.95%	3.95%
Principal amount		$ 600,000,000
Amount exchanged	594,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 600,000,000			600,000,000
3.650% notes, issued in December 2017 and due in January 2028
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		3.65%	3.65%
Principal amount		$ 550,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 550,000,000			550,000,000
3.400% notes, $600 issued June 2020, of which $598 was exchanged in November 2021, both due in January 2028
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		3.40%	3.40%
Principal amount		$ 600,000,000
Amount exchanged	598,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 600,000,000			600,000,000
2.200% notes, $500 issued November 2020, of which $497 was exchanged in November 2021, both due in June 2028
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		2.20%	2.20%
Principal amount		$ 500,000,000
Amount exchanged	497,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 500,000,000			500,000,000
3.250% notes, issued in June 2019 and due in June 2029
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		3.25%	3.25%
Principal amount		$ 500,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 500,000,000			500,000,000
3.100% notes, $600 issued December 2019, of which $596 was exchanged in November 2021, both due in December 2029
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		3.10%	3.10%
Principal amount		$ 599,000,000				$ 599,000,000			$ 600,000,000
Amount exchanged	596,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 599,000,000			599,000,000
Early participation premium per $1000 of principal						$ 30
1.625% notes, issued in October 2020 and due in December 2030
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		1.625%	1.625%					0.01625%
Principal amount | £			£ 400,000,000					£ 400,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 526,000,000			541,000,000
3.250% notes, $600 issued in May 2020 and $350 issued in July 2020, both due in January 2031
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		3.25%	3.25%
Principal amount		$ 950,000,000
Total principal amount		950,000,000			950,000,000
3.250% notes, issued in May 2020 and due in January 2031
Debt
Principal amount		600,000,000
3.250% notes, issued in July 2020 and due in January 2031
Debt
Principal amount		$ 350,000,000
2.850% notes, $700 issued November 2020, of which $699 was exchanged in November 2021, both due in December 2032
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		2.85%	2.85%
Principal amount		$ 700,000,000
Amount exchanged	$ 699,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 700,000,000			700,000,000
1.800% notes, issued in December 2020 and due in March 2033
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		1.80%	1.80%
Principal amount		$ 400,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 400,000,000			400,000,000
1.750% notes, issued in July 2021 and due in July 2033
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		1.75%	1.75%				0.0175%
Principal amount | £			£ 350,000,000				£ 350,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 460,000,000			474,000,000
2.730% notes, issued in May 2019 and due in May 2034
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		2.73%	2.73%
Principal amount | £			£ 315,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 413,000,000			427,000,000
5.875% bonds, $100 issued in March 2005 and $150 issued in June 2011, both due in March 2035
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		5.875%	5.875%
Principal amount		$ 250,000,000
Total principal amount		250,000,000			250,000,000
5.875% bonds, issued in March 2005 and due in March 2035
Debt
Principal amount		100,000,000
5.875% bonds, issued in June 2011 and due in March 2035
Debt
Principal amount		$ 150,000,000
2.500% notes, issued in January 2022 and due in January 2042
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		2.50%	2.50%	0.025%
Principal amount | £			£ 250,000,000	£ 250,000,000
Total principal amount		$ 329,000,000			0
4.650% notes, $300 issued in March 2017 and $250 issued in December 2017, both due in March 2047
Debt
Interest rate (as a percent)		4.65%	4.65%
Principal amount		$ 550,000,000
Total principal amount		550,000,000			550,000,000
4.650% notes, issued in March 2017 and due in March 2047
Debt
Principal amount		300,000,000
4.650% notes, issued in December 2017 and due in March 2047
Debt
Principal amount		250,000,000
VEREIT OP notes not exchanged
Debt
Total principal amount		$ 39,100,000			$ 39,100,000