Non-UK nationals were behind 19.5% of newly incorporated buy-to-let companies in the first half of 2026, according to fresh Hamptons analysis, as the limited-company shift in the private rented sector keeps widening.
The research said 27,200 buy-to-let companies were set up in the first six months of the year. Hamptons said one in five had at least one non-UK director, up from 13% in 2016, while total company formation in the sector is still running ahead of last year’s pace.
For landlords, the figures matter because they show where new competition is coming from. The market is not just being reshaped by existing UK investors refinancing and reorganising their portfolios. New capital is still entering through company structures, and a growing share of it is tied to non-UK nationals living in Britain or investing into local rental markets.
Company landlord growth is spreading beyond London
Hamptons said Indian nationals founded 684 new buy-to-let companies in the first half of the year, with Nigerian investors close behind on 647. Polish and Irish nationals also featured strongly. London remains the main hub for international company ownership, but the research said growth in non-UK ownership has also accelerated in lower-value markets outside the capital.
Hamptons research, said: “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 in the UK, international engagement in the UK private rented sector remains historically high.”
The agency added that much of the demand appears to come from non-UK nationals already living in the UK, rather than purely overseas buyers. That is an important distinction for landlords because it suggests the story is not simply about offshore money chasing prime postcodes. It is also about migration patterns, tax structure choices and investor demand reaching more mainstream rental territory.
This follows Residential Landlord’s January coverage of record landlord company registrations, which showed incorporation was already becoming a core route into the sector. More recently, Residential Landlord also reported that portfolio landlords were leaning heavily on refinancing activity. The latest Hamptons figures suggest the company model is still attracting fresh entrants as well as helping existing investors restructure.
Hamptons estimates that roughly 67,000 buy-to-let companies could be set up by the end of 2026 if the current pace holds. That does not automatically mean an equivalent wave of rental stock. Some incorporations will relate to tax planning or portfolio transfers rather than net new homes. But it does show that the company wrapper remains the preferred route for a large share of investors despite higher borrowing costs and heavier regulation. The full Hamptons research on international landlords sets out how that ownership pattern is changing by nationality and region.
What it means for landlords watching market competition
For investors already in the market, the point is simple. Limited-company ownership is not a niche strategy any more, and local competition for suitable stock may increasingly come from buyers using more structured vehicles and longer-term portfolio plans.
Landlords looking to expand will also need to watch where demand is moving. If international and migrant-led investment is shifting into cheaper regional markets, pricing pressure may build fastest in areas that still offer better yields than London.
Opinion
The old idea that buy-to-let is fading away looks too simple. Parts of the sector are under pressure, but fresh company formation still points to appetite where the numbers stack up. If ministers want to understand who will own the next wave of rental homes, they should pay close attention to who is setting up these companies now.
