Despite higher taxes, tighter regulation and ongoing changes to the private rented sector, the UK continues to attract significant international investment, with one in five new buy-to-let companies now being set up by non-UK nationals.
Analysis by Hamptons of Companies House data shows 27,200 new buy-to-let companies were established during the first six months of 2026, which now account for around 75% of new buy-to-let purchases. Of those, 19.5% had at least one non-UK director, up from 12.5% in the first half of 2016.
David Fell, lead analyst at Hamptons, says: “While overall numbers of buy-to-let company creations are levelling off at between 4,000 and 5,000 a month following years of rapid expansion, international engagement in the UK private rented sector remains historically high.
“Crucially, however, buy-in is largely driven by non-UK nationals living in the UK rather than overseas investors.
“For those investing from abroad, personal ownership remains the preferred vehicle, given many overseas tax regimes tend to be more generous than HMRC regarding how they treat rental income.”
A changing investor profile
The research also highlights how the make-up of international investors has changed over the past decade.
In 2016, Irish nationals accounted for the largest proportion of non-UK directors in newly formed buy-to-let companies, followed by Chinese and Indian investors. Buyers from Germany, France, Italy, the United States and Australia also featured prominently.
Today, Indian nationals top the list, followed by Nigerians and Irish investors. Turkish, Romanian, Pakistani and Lithuanian investors are some of the other leading nationalities.
Hamptons says the shift is the result of changing migration patterns post-Brexit, which have fundamentally altered the profile of those investing in UK residential property. That is backed up by the Office for National Statistics, whose figures show the biggest increases in arrivals to the UK between 2019 and 2023 came from India and Nigeria. In 2023, there were 178,000 more Indian nationals and 127,000 more Nigerian nationals arriving in the UK than in 2019.
Investors see long-term opportunity
The same investment trend is also evident in the capital. Marc von Grundherr, director of estate agency Benham and Reeves, told The Times: “We have certainly seen a noticeable increase in interest from Turkish buyers, and the rise in Turkish shareholders from seventh to fifth place reflects the trend we are seeing on the ground.
“The UK and India have deep-rooted family, educational and commercial ties, and London remains a natural choice for Indian investors looking for a home, a base for their children, or a long-term buy-to-let asset. Chinese buyers remain active, but they are no longer as dominant as they were a decade ago.”
Looking at the broader picture, though, Hamptons’ research suggests that despite many UK landlords considering reducing their portfolios, overseas investors continue to see long-term value in the UK’s private rented sector.
