London remains the main hub for foreign ownership, with 27% of new buy-to-let companies registered in the capital. Over half of newly established companies in Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham were foreign-owned. However, the fastest growth in foreign ownership has occurred outside the capital, particularly in the East Midlands, West Midlands and Scotland. Runnymede recorded the highest share nationwide, with 59% of new companies owned by non-UK nationals.
The report has also found that rental prices have edged down. The average rent for a newly let property in Great Britain fell 0.2% year-on-year in July to £1,373 per month – the first annual decline since August 2020. However, this remains £350 higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Greater London saw the sharpest drop, with rents down 3.0% – its seventh consecutive monthly fall. Wales, the North East, and Yorkshire and the Humber also posted annual declines, while the East Midlands, West Midlands and South West recorded the strongest increases.
