New buy-to-let company formations fall 8% to 41,483, heading for the first annual drop since 2008
Landlords set up 41,483 buy-to-let companies in the first eight months of 2026, 8% fewer than a year earlier, with August down 22% - putting the sector on course for its first annual fall in new formations since 2008. Hamptons attributes it to the pool of landlords who gain from incorporating running dry, as transfers can trigger stamp duty and capital gains tax. For buyers, that slowly eases investor competition. The total number of companies is still rising, at 469,165.
What this means for…
Buyers· 1/3
Sellers· 1/3
Wider market· 2/3
Each axis scored 1 (minor) to 3 (major). Total 4/9.
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