The publication of a detailed legal guide for international buyers entering the London property market might seem like a modest development, but its timing is instructive. Farrer & Co's briefing arrives at a moment when the rules governing overseas ownership of UK property have shifted more dramatically than at any point in the past decade — and when London's status as a safe haven for global capital is being actively tested. For an audience of investors, landlords and developers, the real story is not the guide itself but what its existence signals: overseas buyers now need considerably more hand-holding to navigate a market that has become layered with tax changes, transparency obligations and stamp duty surcharges.