Common funding needs in the property investors sector
- Purchasing or refinancing commercial buy-to-let property
- Mixed-use and semi-commercial property finance
- Auction purchases with 28-day completion
- Light or heavy refurbishment of existing stock
- HMO conversions and licensable properties
- Portfolio refinances to release equity for further acquisitions
Finance types that usually fit
Based on how UK lenders typically underwrite this sector, the following finance categories are the most common fit:
Commercial Mortgage
Long-term commercial property purchase/refinance funding.
Bridging Finance
Short-term property-backed finance.
Sector-specific eligibility blockers
- Insufficient deposit — most commercial investment cases need 30–40%
- Weak or unevidenced exit on bridging
- Property type outside lender appetite (specialist use class, ex-local-authority)
- Investor personal income unverified or limited for affordability assessment
- Concentration of portfolio with single tenant or single property type
How routing usually works in property investors
Property investor routing is shaped by the timeline. Long-term holds go to commercial mortgage providers — Allica Bank, Shawbrook and Metro Bank are common for vanilla commercial investment. Auction purchases and refurbishment go to bridging lenders such as Together, Hampshire Trust Bank, United Trust Bank, West One and Hope Capital, each with their own niches. Larger portfolio refinances and complex structures route to specialist commercial property lenders. Mixed-use properties (shop with flats above) usually go to investor-focused commercial lenders rather than residential BTL.
UK lenders active in property investors
The lenders below publish criteria consistent with funding businesses in this sector. Final approval is always subject to lender underwriting.
Allica Bank
Asset finance
- Amount
- £25k–£2.5m
- Speed
- Not disclosed
- Security / PG
- Asset-backed; up to 100% advance
- Data confidence
- High
Shawbrook
Commercial mortgage
- Amount
- £150k–£35m; trading range £150k–£1.25m
- Speed
- Not disclosed
- Security / PG
- Up to 75% LTV
- Data confidence
- Medium
Together
Bridging / commercial mortgage
- Amount
- Property-backed; commercial can reach 100% with extra security
- Speed
- Can complete in 24h
- Security / PG
- Property-backed
- Data confidence
- High
Metro Bank
Commercial mortgage / loan
- Amount
- Commercial mortgage up to £5m at 85% LTV
- Speed
- Not disclosed
- Security / PG
- Security likely
- Data confidence
- Medium
Hampshire Trust Bank
Bridging
- Amount
- £100k–£10m; developer exit up to £25m
- Speed
- Not disclosed
- Security / PG
- Up to 75% LTV
- Data confidence
- High
United Trust Bank
Bridging
- Amount
- £100k–£5m key features; up to £15m broader
- Speed
- Fast-track available
- Security / PG
- Up to 75% LTV; 1st/2nd charge
- Data confidence
- High
West One
Bridging
- Amount
- Min £75k residential
- Speed
- Case study: 6 working days
- Security / PG
- 1st/2nd charge
- Data confidence
- High
Hope Capital
Bridging
- Amount
- £100k–£5m
- Speed
- Specialist / quick
- Security / PG
- Up to 75% LTV; adverse considered
- Data confidence
- High
Frequently asked questions
- What's the difference between commercial mortgage and bridging?
- Commercial mortgage is long-term (10–25 years), lower-rate, slower to complete (6–12 weeks). Bridging is short-term (3–18 months), higher-rate, faster (1–4 weeks). Investors often bridge to buy or refurbish, then refinance onto a commercial mortgage.
- What LTV can I get on commercial property?
- Typically 65–75% on commercial investment for established investors with strong rental cover. Owner-occupied can sometimes go higher. Bridging lenders go up to 70–75% on residential security and lower on commercial.
- Can I finance an auction purchase?
- Yes — bridging is built for it. Aim to have a lender engaged before bidding, with a desktop valuation and indicative terms in place. Completion within 28 days is standard for the better bridging providers.
- Do I need a trading business to get commercial mortgage finance?
- Not for investment cases — investor SPVs (special purpose limited companies) are normal. Lenders underwrite on rental cover (125–150% of mortgage payment) and investor wealth/track record. Personal income is also assessed for affordability stress testing.
- Can I finance a refurbishment as part of the purchase?
- Yes — refurbishment bridging combines purchase and works finance, released in tranches against milestones. Heavy refurb and ground-up development have their own specialist lenders.
Related use cases
Eligibility checks for this sector
Each finance type has its own eligibility signals. The pages below explain what UK lenders typically look at — criteria can change and final decisions are subject to lender underwriting.