Brick & Fortune.Investment House

London Research Desk

Buying London Property Through a Foreign Company: A Guide to the Register of Overseas Entities

If a company formed outside the UK is buying property in England, it must first register on the Register of Overseas Entities at Companies House. Who must register, what is required, and what happens if you don't.

The Strategy Hub

Get a bespoke acquisition roadmap based on this topic.

Family companies from Turkey and elsewhere often make the same mistake when buying in London: they plan the purchase directly through the home-country company or an offshore holding, and leave the UK registration requirement until the final week. Yet a foreign company cannot have a UK property purchase or sale registered at the Land Registry without first registering on the Register of Overseas Entities.

What is the Register of Overseas Entities?

It is a register opened by Companies House on 1 August 2022. Its purpose is to make visible the real people behind foreign companies that own UK property. A legal entity governed by non-UK law (an overseas entity) that wants to buy, sell or transfer UK property must first register.

The rule also works retrospectively. Overseas entities that bought property in England and Wales on or after 1 January 1999 were brought into scope. Entities that disposed of property after 28 February 2022 also had to register and report the disposal.

Who must register, and who does not?

  • Must register: companies and similar legal entities formed outside the UK, in Turkey, the UAE, Jersey, the BVI or elsewhere, that will buy, sell or transfer UK property.
  • Not covered by this register: a limited company formed in the UK (for example an SPV set up in London) is not an overseas entity, even if a Turkish holding owns it. Such companies report their persons with significant control (PSCs) to Companies House under a separate system.

This distinction shapes the structure decision. If the overseas company owns the property directly, it registers here. If a UK SPV is used, this obligation does not arise, but the SPV brings its own formation and reporting duties. Our guide to SPV and holding structures for family companies compares the two routes.

What information is required?

  • Entity details: name, country of formation, addresses, email, legal form and any public register entry.
  • Beneficial owners: individuals or entities holding more than 25% of shares or voting rights, able to appoint a majority of directors, or with significant control over the entity.
  • If beneficial owners cannot be identified: details of managing officers.
  • Where there is a trust: details of the trust, its beneficiaries and settlor.
  • Details of the UK-regulated agent carrying out verification.

Verification: a UK-supervised agent is required

Before registration, every beneficial owner and managing officer must be verified by a "UK-regulated agent" based in the UK and supervised under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017. The checks must be completed no more than three months before registration. Registration cannot be made without an assurance code the agent obtains from Companies House. This work is usually handled by a solicitor or accountancy firm.

GOV.UK shows the registration fee as £250, refunded if the application is rejected.

The Overseas Entity ID: the key to Land Registry

On registration, the entity receives an Overseas Entity ID. It must give this number to HM Land Registry whenever it buys, sells, transfers, leases or charges UK property. Without it, the transaction cannot be registered.

Annual updates

Registration is not a one-off. An update statement is due one year after registration and every year after that. The deadline is 14 days after the due date. The statement is required even if nothing has changed among the beneficial owners.

What happens if you don't register?

  • Restrictions on buying, selling, transferring, leasing and charging property.
  • A fine, a prison sentence or both. According to Ross Martin's summary, the penalties include fines of up to £2,500 per day and up to five years in prison.

Our recommendation

Make the structure decision at offer stage, not a week before exchange. Verification, English translations of documents and registration can take several weeks. Allow time for apostille and translation of company documents from the home country.

For company formation, registered office and directorship services, our Private Office team coordinates on your behalf. On documenting the source of funds, see our AML and KYC guide.

Sources

This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Information is correct as of 17 October 2026.

Expert Q&A

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my company in Turkey buy a home in London?
Yes, but the company must first register on the Register of Overseas Entities at Companies House and obtain an Overseas Entity ID. Without that number, the purchase cannot be registered at the Land Registry.
Does an SPV I set up in London need to register?
No. A company formed in the UK is not an overseas entity. Such companies report their persons with significant control (PSCs) to Companies House under a separate system.
Who counts as a beneficial owner?
Anyone holding more than 25% of shares or voting rights, able to appoint a majority of directors, or with significant control over the entity.
What does registration cost?
GOV.UK shows the fee as £250. The UK-regulated agent's verification fee is paid separately.
What do I need to do each year?
File an update statement one year after registration and every year after that, no later than 14 days after the due date. ---

Related Intelligence