Woolwich

Yes. There is no legal restriction on foreign nationals buying a home in England in their own name, and no permission is needed. Flats in England are almost always sold leasehold: you own the flat for the length of the lease. At Royal Arsenal Riverside the leases run for 999 years, and new leases granted since 30 June 2022 generally carry only a peppercorn ground rent, in practice nothing. If you buy through a company registered outside the UK, the company must first be registered on the Register of Overseas Entities at Companies House.

From Woolwich station on the Elizabeth line, trains reach Canary Wharf in about 8 minutes, Liverpool Street in about 15, Tottenham Court Road in about 21 and Bond Street in about 23. Heathrow is about 55 minutes away on the same line. London City Airport is about 5 minutes on the DLR from Woolwich Arsenal. Times are approximate and vary with the time of day.

No. The UK has no visa or residence route linked to buying property. Owning a home and immigration status are separate matters, and the old Tier 1 Investor visa closed in February 2022. People who want to live in the UK need a work, study, family or business visa, and should speak to a regulated immigration adviser.

On completion you pay Stamp Duty Land Tax. If you already own a home anywhere in the world, the rates on every band are 5 points higher, and a buyer who is not UK resident pays another 2 points on top. Each year the flat carries council tax set by the Royal Borough of Greenwich, plus the building's service charge. Rent is taxed in the UK, usually through the Non-Resident Landlord Scheme. When you sell, a non-resident pays UK capital gains tax and must report the sale within 60 days, and a London flat always falls within UK inheritance tax. Take advice from a UK tax adviser on your own position.

Only within limits. Anywhere in Greater London, a home can be let for short stays for up to 90 nights a year without planning permission; beyond that you need permission from the council. Many leases and buy-to-let mortgages forbid short lets altogether, so check the lease of the specific flat first. Ordinary long lets follow the Renters' Rights Act, under which tenancies have been periodic since 1 May 2026.

Most new flats are at Royal Arsenal Riverside, between the town centre and the Thames. This is the part to look at if you want the Elizabeth line at your door, river views, the residents' club and a finished, landscaped setting with shops and a park. The town centre around General Gordon Square and Powis Street is busier and more mixed, with new schemes such as Woolwich Exchange still to come. Up the hill, the streets around Woolwich Common are older and quieter, with period houses rather than new apartment buildings.