Overview
- A record 66,587 buy-to-let companies were created in 2025, taking the total to 443,272, nearly five times the 2016 count.
- In January 2026, 5,922 new buy-to-let companies were registered, up 11% year on year, indicating the trend is still accelerating.
- Hamptons estimates that 75–80% of new buy-to-let purchases now occur through limited companies, with rental firms ranking as the second-largest new business group in 2025.
- Investors bought 10.8% of homes in 2025, down from 11.9% in 2024, suggesting ownership is being restructured rather than expanded.
- Rents for new lets fell 0.2% year on year to £1,366, renewal rents rose about 2.8%, and the Renters’ Rights Act taking effect in May is expected to curb bidding wars.