London accounts for 43% of all property titles in England and Wales owned by overseas-registered companies, according to an analysis of HM Land Registry’s Overseas Companies Ownership Data by London lettings and estate agency Benham and Reeves, reported by Financial Reporter.
The analysis found 91,136 overseas-company titles in total, of which 88,933 (97.6%) are in England and 39,172 in Greater London. London’s share is more than two and a half times that of any other region: the South East holds 14,919 titles (16.4% of the total), followed by the North West at 11.6% and Yorkshire and the Humber at 6%. London’s total exceeds those three regions combined.
Within the capital, ownership is concentrated in prime central boroughs. The City of Westminster holds 9,666 overseas-company titles, 24.7% of London’s total, and Kensington and Chelsea a further 4,958, or 12.7% — together 37.3% of all overseas-company ownership in Greater London. Beyond the traditional prime market, Tower Hamlets accounts for 5.9% of London’s overseas-company titles, Camden 5.3%, Wandsworth 5%, Lambeth 4.4%, Southwark 3.8% and the City of London 3.6%.
The dataset covers property held through overseas-registered companies, not individual foreign ownership. Marc von Grundherr, director of Benham and Reeves, said London’s position with international high-net-worth buyers “has been built over decades” and is not dictated by the recent period of house price stagnation. He added that many high-net-worth families relocating to London rent before they buy, so areas with significant international ownership also tend to see strong rental demand.
References
Financial Reporter – London holds 43% of all overseas company property titles in England and Wales
