A fifth (20%) of buy-to-let corporations arrange within the UK this yr are owned by non-UK nationwide shareholders, evaluation by Hamptons has discovered.
Indian buyers made up the biggest group of non-UK shareholders organising buy-to-let restricted corporations within the first half of 2025, adopted by Nigeria, Poland and Eire.
The analysis relies on newly established buy-to-let restricted corporations the place Corporations Home lists a number of shareholders as a non-UK nationwide.
Again in 2016 simply 13% of restricted corporations had been worldwide, however that quantity has surged after the previous Conservative administration minimize mortgage tax aid and changed it with a 20% tax credit score.
Aneisha Beveridge, head of analysis at Hamptons, stated: “Regardless of the challenges dealing with landlords, non-UK nationals are more and more embracing UK buy-to-let. The London market has lengthy been a world one, well-known throughout East Asia, the US, and the EU.
“Nevertheless, demand from non-UK nationals has steadily been shifting into decrease worth markets outdoors the capital, the place the majority of development in each home costs and rents has been seen lately.
“Whereas overseas-based buyers are a part of the image, the vast majority of purchases by non-UK nationals mirror home demand. Up till 2021, this demand was most certainly to come back from EU nationals primarily based within the UK, however since then, it has shifted to mirror adjustments in broader migration patterns.
“Indian and Nigerian nationals are more and more probably to purchase UK buy-to-let property in a restricted firm construction.”
The share of non-UK shareholders coming from the EU has fallen from 65% in 2016 to 49% in 2025, amidst Brexit.
Non-UK nationals make up the biggest proportion of shareholders in buy-to-let corporations registered in London – a development that has remained unchanged between 2016 and 2025. This yr, 27% of latest buy-to-let corporations registered within the capital are owned by non-UK nationals.
Over half of the brand new corporations arrange in Kensington & Chelsea (54%) and Hammersmith & Fulham (51%) had been owned by non-UK nationals.
Nevertheless, areas outdoors the capital have typically seen the biggest development in international possession.
Between 2016 and 2025, the share of latest non-UK nationwide landlords greater than doubled within the East Midlands, West Midlands and Scotland.
Runnymede noticed the best share of latest corporations arrange by non-UK nationals this yr of some other native authority within the nation, at 59%.