Do I need to register on the Register of Overseas Entities to hold UK property?

It applies to legal entities, typically companies, formed outside the UK that hold or want to hold qualifying UK land or property. It is separate from setting up a UK limited company, which does not itself trigger this register at all.

If you are considering whether to use a UK company or an overseas company to hold UK property, this obligation is one of the strongest arguments for the UK company, since it avoids the register, the annual update duty and the verification checks entirely.

The overseas entity must identify its registrable beneficial owners, have those details verified by a UK-supervised agent, and then register with Companies House before it can be registered as the owner of qualifying property at the Land Registry.

Registration is not one-off: an annual update statement is required to keep beneficial ownership information current, and failure to comply carries criminal offences and restrictions on dealing with the property, including sale.

Our fixed monthly packages for a UK limited company start at £89 plus VAT and run to £169 and £289 plus VAT as bookkeeping, VAT, payroll and reporting are added. One-off filings are sold at fixed prices, and the Companies House fees we pay for you are charged at cost with no VAT added. Overseas owners are quoted on exactly the same published prices as UK-resident clients.

Rates, thresholds and deadlines here reflect the 2026/27 UK position and current Companies House and HMRC guidance. Check GOV.UK, or ask us, before relying on them for your own company.