Bridging Loan Brokers, UK
We place bridging cases with the lenders most likely to write them, and tell you honestly when a different product fits better.
Who we are
Bridging Finance 4U is a finance broker based in Enfield, north London. We arrange non-regulated bridging, development and commercial finance for property investors, developers and business owners across the UK, working with around 20 core lenders and access to 50 more. We are a broker, not a lender, and a member of FIBA.Why come to us
Bridging is priced case by case. The rate you are offered depends on the security, the loan to value, the strength of your exit and which lender ends up writing it — which is why two people with similar-looking deals can be quoted very differently. Rather than approaching lenders one at a time, tell us once. We work with around 20 core lenders and have access to 50 more, and we will tell you honestly when bridging is not the right answer — a term loan, development finance or a larger facility may fit better. Rates start from 0.59% per month. See the bridging loan interest rates page for how pricing works, and the representative example at the foot of this page for the full cost of a typical facility. All finance is subject to status, valuation and underwriting.Meet Paul
Paul Barber, Director. Close to two decades arranging property and commercial finance, and the person you’ll deal with directly.
How to Find a Bridging Loan Broker in the UK
Most people needing bridging think first of approaching lenders directly. It seems the obvious route — they hold the money and they make the decision.
In practice it rarely works well. A large part of the bridging market lends only through brokers and will not take a direct application at all, so going direct narrows your options before you start. Even where a lender does accept direct enquiries, you are comparing one set of terms against nothing.
A broker approaches the lenders whose criteria actually fit your case, which saves the weeks it would take you to work out who those are, make contact and get to a decision-maker at each one.
How to choose the right Bridging Loan Broker for your needs
Not every case fits a mainstream lender. If the security is unusual, the timescale is tight, the borrower is a company rather than an individual, or there is adverse credit in the background, the standard panel will often decline on criteria alone. Specialist lenders will look at those cases — but many of them are broker-only, so access depends on who you go through.
Where a broker earns their fee is in knowing which lender writes which kind of case, and presenting it so the underwriter sees the whole picture first time. A case that goes in incomplete gets queried, and queries cost days.
Ask any broker you speak to how many lenders they actually place with, whether they charge a fee and when it becomes payable, and what happens if your exit slips. If the answers are vague, keep looking.
What is a Bridging Loan Broker and how can they help you?
Bridging is not a standardised product. Two lenders will price the same case differently, ask for different things, and move at different speeds. A broker's job is to know which is which before your application goes anywhere. Here is what to expect from one worth using.
- Access to lenders you cannot reach directly. Much of the bridging market is broker-only. If a broker deals mainly with high street lenders, the specialist and private funders who write the awkward cases will not be on their panel — and those are often the ones who say yes.
- The full cost, not just the rate. A low monthly rate with a 2% arrangement fee, £600 valuation, legals both sides and an exit fee can cost more than a higher rate without them. Ask for the total amount repayable and compare that.
- Chasing on your behalf. Most delays are legal or valuation, not credit. A broker who is on top of the case pushes the solicitors and the surveyor rather than waiting to be told there is a problem.
What you need to qualify
Bridging is assessed on the security and the exit rather than on income or credit history, so the criteria are different from a mortgage. Amount. Facilities run from £25,000 to £50 million. There is no practical upper limit, but the exit has to support whatever is borrowed. Term. Between 1 and 24 months, occasionally longer where there is a clear reason and a credible exit. Bridging is a short-term facility, not a substitute for a mortgage. Security. A charge over property in nearly every case. Residential, commercial, land, semi-commercial and unmortgageable stock are all fundable — condition affects the valuation and the loan to value, not whether a lender will look at it. Exit. The single thing lenders care most about. Sale, refinance onto a term product, or another identifiable source of funds. If the exit is vague, the case does not get written. Borrower. Over 18. Individuals, limited companies, SPVs, LLPs and trusts can all borrow. Adverse credit narrows the panel and usually means a lower loan to value, but it does not rule bridging out.Bridging Loan Questions, Answered
What does a bridging loan broker actually do?
A broker sources terms from the lenders most likely to write your case, structures the application so the underwriter sees a complete picture, and manages the process through valuation and legals to drawdown. Many bridging lenders work exclusively through brokers and do not accept direct applications, so panel access alone can change what is available to you.
How much does a bridging loan cost?
Rates on our panel start from 0.59% per month. On top of the interest, budget for a lender arrangement fee of 2% of the gross loan, a valuation fee from £600, legal fees of £3,000 to £5,000 covering both sides, an administration fee of £495, and a broker fee of 0% to 1% depending on complexity. Some lenders also apply an exit fee of up to 1%. Always ask for the total amount repayable rather than comparing monthly rates alone.
How much can I borrow?
Facilities run from £25,000 to £50 million. Loan to value is typically 65% on prime cases, 75% on standard cases and 70% on a re-bridge, with up to 80% of open market value where an auction purchase is demonstrably below market value.
How quickly can a bridging loan complete?
A decision in principle can usually be issued the same day. Completion runs to around five working days with a private lender where the valuation and legals move quickly, and two to four weeks on most cases. Legal work is the most common cause of delay, so instructing a solicitor experienced in bridging matters more than most borrowers expect.
Do I need a clean credit record?
No. Bridging is assessed primarily on the security and the exit strategy rather than on income or credit history. CCJs, defaults, missed mortgage payments and discharged bankruptcy can all be accommodated, though they narrow the lender panel and usually mean a lower loan to value.
What happens if my exit is delayed?
Contact us or the lender as early as you can. Most lenders will consider a term extension where the exit remains credible and the request is made proactively rather than at the deadline. Re-bridging with a different lender is an alternative, though it means paying arrangement and legal costs twice. Leaving it until the term ends produces the worst outcomes.
Is Bridging Finance 4U regulated by the FCA?
No. We arrange non-regulated bridging only and hold no FCA permissions. Bridging secured against a property you or an immediate family member occupy, or intend to occupy, is a regulated mortgage contract — we refer those cases to a regulated firm under an introducer arrangement.
