Gulf and Indian investors bulk-buy property in prime London

Over the summer, three significant property deals worth nearly £80 million were completed, according to The National. The transactions involved Gulf and Asian investors purchasing multiple properties in prime London neighborhoods. The block purchases reflect a surge in rental values amid a significant decline in the availability of suitable investment properties in the UK's most expensive areas.

Purchasing six properties simultaneously reduces the tax rate to 5 percent instead of 12 percent, classifying the transaction as a non-residential deal according to HMRC. Two of the deals took place in Mayfair with multimillionaire investors from the Gulf buying apartments in Curzon Street and Conduit Street for a total of £67 million.

An Indian investor acquired nine apartments in Notting Hill for £11 million. In contrast, only one bulk investment deal worth £16 million occurred in London during the first half of 2025. This follows a single deal by property developer Nick Candy, who sold his Chelsea mansion to a hedge fund manager for £265 million, including five additional flats.

The latest bi-annual Millionaires Letting in London Survey by Beauchamp Estates reveals that rental values for London apartments and houses are at a five-year high, with average values for houses and mansions at £4,177 a week, up 67.15 percent from £2,499 a week in 2025. Luxury apartment and penthouse rental values have also increased, with the most expensive rentals being a Mayfair house in Mount Street at £33,000 a week and a Chelsea townhouse in Cheyne Walk at £30,000 a week.

Beauchamp Estates reports a rise in applications from Middle Eastern, American, and Chinese applicants for luxury London rentals, with Middle Eastern applicants increasing by 30 percent. Uncertainty surrounding potential changes to pension and property taxes due to the upcoming budget in October adds to the market's instability.