The United Kingdom remains one of Europe’s most economically significant property markets — a strong legal system, a globally recognized capital city, and a chronic housing shortage that shows no sign of resolving itself. All of that makes it a compelling place to invest in real estate, even if the landscape has shifted considerably since I first wrote about these platforms.
In a separate article, I’ve listed the best European-wide real estate crowdfunding platforms, but this article focuses specifically on UK platforms. I’ve invested in several of them personally, and my experience has been mixed — more on that below.
The UK Property Case in 2026
The fundamental supply-demand imbalance that underpins the UK property investment thesis is still very much intact. The government’s own statistics show England delivered just 208,600 net additional dwellings in 2024–25 — a 6% drop year-on-year. Labour has pledged 300,000 new homes per year and a total of 1.5 million homes over the current parliament, but the Office for Budget Responsibility has already forecast that target will be missed. Housebuilding is expected to hit a 12-year low in 2025–26 before gradually recovering toward the end of the decade.
The UK housing supply gap, in short, is not going away. That structural undersupply continues to support long-term property valuations, particularly in areas with strong employment and population growth.
A few caveats worth naming up front: Brexit did hurt valuations for some platforms in the short term, and the interest rate environment of 2022–2024 added stress to property development loans across the industry. Several platforms that existed when I first published this article have since collapsed or run into serious trouble. I’ll call those out explicitly below.
A Word on My Own Experience
My biggest UK property crowdfunding position was in Property Partner — now rebranded as London House Exchange. I’m going to be direct: it went badly. The platform has been in effective wind-down mode for years, selling properties at significant discounts, and investor sentiment has collapsed (Trustpilot rating of 1.3 stars as of early 2026). I’ve written a full, detailed account in my London House Exchange review — read it before you consider putting money there.
That experience made me more selective. The platforms I recommend below are the ones I’d consider today, given what I now know about how this industry operates under stress.
Platforms to Consider in 2026
CrowdProperty
CrowdProperty has been operating since 2014 and is FCA-authorized. It focuses on property development lending — matching retail and institutional capital with SME property developers across England and Wales, secured by first charge on the assets.
As of early 2026, CrowdProperty has funded over £832 million in property projects and backed the development of nearly 3,000 homes. Those are meaningful numbers for a specialist lender in this space. The minimum investment per loan is £50, which makes it accessible for portfolio diversification.
That said, I’d encourage you to go in with clear eyes. The platform has recorded 81 technical defaults on development loans between 2018 and 2024 — a figure they publish openly, which I respect. Co-founder and longtime CEO Mike Bristow stepped down in January 2025, replaced by Steve Deutsch. The platform has also seen a reduction in large-deal activity compared to its growth years. None of this means CrowdProperty is in trouble, but it does mean the easy tailwind years are behind it.
If you’re investing here, focus on the loan-level security (first charge matters), understand that development loans carry more risk than buy-to-let loans, and don’t concentrate heavily in any single project.
CapitalRise
CapitalRise is the platform I find most interesting for investors with higher ticket sizes. It focuses exclusively on prime property developments in London and the Home Counties — the kind of projects in areas like Chelsea, Kensington, and the surrounding counties where demand is structurally resilient.
FCA-authorized and operating since 2016, CapitalRise has now facilitated over £305 million in investments and returned over £300 million in capital to investors — a notable milestone. Average historical returns on repaid loans have been approximately 9% per year, with current opportunities typically in the 7–9% range depending on the project and term.
The minimum investment is £1,000 per opportunity. Importantly, CapitalRise restricts access to self-certified sophisticated investors and high net worth individuals — this is not a platform for first-time investors dipping their toes in. All loans are secured, and the platform has maintained a clean repayment record through a difficult period for the wider market.
If your focus is prime London property with a strong track record and transparent deal structuring, CapitalRise deserves serious attention.
Shojin
Shojin is an FCA-regulated fractional real estate investment platform that gives investors access to mid-tier UK development projects, including residential and mixed-use schemes. The minimum investment is £5,000, and the platform operates a transparent co-investment model where Shojin itself invests alongside its investors — an alignment of interests that matters.
The platform has been active in returning capital to investors through 2025, which in a stressed market is a meaningful signal. Shojin has also been building international partnerships, including with German and Estonian platforms, which suggests a stable and growth-oriented operation rather than one in wind-down.
Returns vary by project and structure, but are generally in the 8–12% range, reflecting the development-stage risk. As with any development lending, illiquidity is a feature not a bug — investments are typically locked up for the duration of the project.
Platforms I’m Not Recommending
London House Exchange (formerly Property Partner)
I’ve already mentioned this above. The short version: avoid it for new investment. The platform is in a de facto wind-down, selling properties at discounts, and existing investors have faced years of illiquidity and value erosion. Read my full London House Exchange review for the details.
Kuflink
Kuflink is FCA-authorized and technically still operating, but the picture has deteriorated significantly. As of mid-2025, approximately 38.6% of net principal was over 30 days overdue, and the FCA-defined default rate reached roughly 16% in 2024. More critically, from September 2025, Kuflink stopped using its own funds to cover investor losses — a protection that had been a central part of its pitch for nine years. Investment returns now depend directly on borrower repayments, which is a very different risk proposition than what many investors signed up for.
Sourced Capital
Sourced Capital gained direct FCA authorization in 2022 and markets itself as the UK’s largest property investment platform (largely by reference to its broader franchise network, not just the P2P lending arm). However, I’ve grown wary of recommending it. The platform has become opaque — it no longer provides its data to independent review sites like 4thWay, its financials are unclear, and there have been past concerns about website security. Without transparency, I can’t evaluate it properly, and when I can’t evaluate something I don’t invest in it.
The House Crowd
The House Crowd went into administration in February 2021 and was formally placed into liquidation in February 2024 with no prospect of returning the £52.7 million owed to investors. It’s gone. I mention it here as a reminder that platform risk is real in this space.
What to Look for in a UK Property Crowdfunding Platform
After years in this space — and after watching platforms fail — here’s how I now evaluate any new platform before investing:
- FCA authorization: Non-negotiable. Check the FCA register directly, not just the platform’s claims.
- Security structure: First charge security is significantly better than second charge. Know what you hold.
- Track record under stress: Any platform can look good in a rising market. How have they handled defaults? Do they publish outcomes data?
- Transparency: Do they share financial information openly? Do they cooperate with independent review sites? Opacity is a red flag.
- Loan-to-value ratios: Lower LTV means more cushion if a property needs to be sold at a discount. 60–70% LTV is a reasonable benchmark.
- Investor alignment: Does the platform co-invest? Does it have skin in the game alongside you?
Final Thoughts
The UK property crowdfunding market in 2026 is smaller and more cautious than it was five years ago — and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. The platforms that survived the interest rate shock and the post-COVID property market slowdown have done so because their fundamentals were sound. The ones that didn’t are a case study in what happens when growth gets prioritized over credit discipline.
The structural case for UK property investment — chronic undersupply, strong rental demand, a globally liquid legal environment — hasn’t changed. But the platforms you access it through matter enormously. I’d focus on CrowdProperty for development lending at accessible minimums, and CapitalRise if you meet the sophisticated investor criteria and want prime London exposure.
For broader European options, check out my list of best European real estate crowdfunding platforms. Geographic diversification across property markets is something I practice myself, and it’s worth taking seriously.
Have you invested in UK property through any of these platforms? I’d be interested to hear your experience — particularly if you’re a current Kuflink or Sourced Capital investor navigating the recent changes.
Related
Hi Jean,
I hope you are doing okay.
Just read this article and should say I like the way you have by all means done a good job to articulate every side that would beg many questions.
Anyway, am writing to you from Zambia, Africa. For a long time I have had great interest in such investment and alike though I should admit mostly what has been hindering is more of the money than the researching and reading. But now I feel.it more of both. So anyway.my question to you is, how much of an investment does one have to make to make a good return that’s worth a wait? Then my second question is, do non UK residence qualify for such opportunities on such platforms??
Thanks a span.
Mutale
Hi Jean,
Thank you for the post.
What do you thing about Shojin crowdfunding platform? Do you know this company?
I haven’t looked at Shojin yet, sorry.
Hi Jean, thank you very much for the post. It is very helpful. For equity crowdfunding (like Property Planner), do you know how the legal responsibility as the landlord who only owns 1% of the property works? For example, if the house is burnt and someone dies, does that mean we will hold the responsibility as 1% owner of the property too?
Property Partner investors bear no responsibility for anything which may happen to or at the property. As beneficial shareholders, your interest is entirely economic. Property Partner directors serve as nominee directors of each property investment SPV in order that they can manage the properties on behalf of investors.
Anything which goes wrong would be the responsibility of Property Partner and its directors. Naturally it is a business priority to ensure that all the buildings they manage our safe, compliant with regulations and adequately insured.
Very interesting, thanks for the detailed analysis.
Are these Real Estate Crowdfunding Platforms regulated by the FCA / how do they get their agreement?
Yes, the good ones are. Check out my review of Property Partner, which is currently my favorite platform, for more details.
Are there any active crowd funding for property in Frankfurt, Germany?
Yes, I would check my post about investing in German real estate.
Very interesting. However I am uncertain if Reits or this P2P method described above is best. Read this: https://moneyweek.com/494910/property-crowdfunding-should-you-become-a-virtual-landlord/
I certainly would be interested in P2P if there was a way to own fully an apartment after buying to let for a number of years.
With Privalore in Spain, what you can do is invest together with others in a crowdfunding campaign, then actually buy it if you like the outcome of the project. You will most probably be able to negotiate a better price than those trying to buy it on the open market, and you’d have the benefit of having also been part of the original investment and hence paying part of the apartment at a lower price.