Bridging Lenders We Work With
Every bridging deal is different, and so is every lender. At Fundamenta Property Finance, we compare bridging lenders across the UK, from specialist banks to private funders, to find the one that suits your deal. We look at your timescale, the property and how you plan to repay, so you get finance that works. Whether it's an auction purchase, a chain break, a refurbishment or development exit, we'll find the right route.
Buying at auction? Read our auction finance guide.
Funding a build? See our page on development finance in Scotland.
What we can fund
- Auction purchases — Completion within 28 days, with terms lined up before you bid
- Below market value purchases — So you can fund fast with lower cash contribution on day 1
- Tight-deadline refinances — When your lender or a sale date is forcing your hand, or you need to release cash quickly
- Re-bridging — Refinance a bridge that's running out of time, while your sale or term exit catches up
- Chain breaks — Buy your next place before your current one sells
- Refurbishment projects — Light or heavy works, including properties a mortgage lender won't touch yet
- Conversions — Turning offices, shops or other buildings into homes, or houses into flats or HMOs
- Title splits — Buy a block on one title, split the titles or create leases, and borrow against the split value
- Finish and development exit — Complete the build, or clear the development loan, so you can sell or refinance without pressure
- Land purchases — With or without planning, while the rest of your funding comes together
How bridging works
How bridging works
Bridging is short-term finance, usually for 3 to 24 months, secured on one or more properties. Most lenders go up to around 70 to 75% of the property's value, depending on how it's valued. If you're buying at a genuine discount, some lenders will lend against the full market value instead of the price you're paying. With the right experience and a personal guarantee backed by enough net worth, that can mean borrowing up to 100% of the purchase price. You pay the loan back when you sell or refinance.
Where bridging goes wrong
Most problems come from 3 things: no realistic exit, a valuation that comes in lower than expected, and issues in the legal pack nobody spotted in time. I look at all 3 before anything is submitted, because I used to decline cases for exactly these reasons. I'm not a solicitor, but I know what worries a lender, so I'll flag anything that stands out early and your solicitor can deal with it before it holds things up.
What it costs
For bridging not regulated by the FCA, there's a £299 fee on application and up to 2% of the loan when an offer is issued. For straightforward cases, the total fee is typically £899. The £299 counts towards the total, so it's taken off the balance. You'll know the exact amount before anything goes to a lender.
Common questions
With a straightforward case and a lender using an automated valuation, it can be days. Most cases take 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the valuation and the solicitors. If the lender instructs its own solicitor, things can only move as fast as yours, so choosing a solicitor who knows bridging makes a real difference.
Yes. It's the first thing a lender looks at. Usually it's a sale, or a refinance onto a buy-to-let or commercial mortgage. I always recommend having a plan B, just in case.
Often, yes. The property and the exit matter more than a perfect credit file, but every lender draws the line differently. What really counts is the story behind the credit, so a clear, honest explanation in the application is key. That's something I've written many times, on both sides of the desk.
If it's secured on a home you or your family live in, or will live in, it's regulated by the FCA. Investment and business bridging usually isn't.
Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.