Bridging — Lender Comparison
Compare UK bridging loan lenders by FCA regime: regulated lenders for main-residence bridges and unregulated lenders for investment, commercial and development security. See who lends on each type of case, where each panel is strongest, and why the right UK bridging loan lender is matched through a specialist broker rather than approached direct.
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Last updated Reviewed by our Clifton International finance team.
In short
On unregulated investment and commercial security the leading UK bridging lenders include Together, Precise, Hampshire Trust Bank, Shawbrook Bank, Octopus Real Estate, Funding 365, Allica Bank, Maslow Capital, Recognise Bank and Hilco Real Estate Finance for larger loans from £2m. On FCA-regulated main-residence bridges the active names include Precise, United Trust Bank, Glenhawk, Together, MT Finance and West One Loans.
At a glance
Figures reviewed:
Indicative figures for guidance only, correct as at July 2026. Rates, costs and timelines vary by lender, borrower profile, asset and jurisdiction, and are not an offer of finance. How we derive these figures.
Last reviewed . Read the full Key facts methodology, or speak to our team for a quote based on your circumstances.
At a glance
The same case can be priced very differently depending on which panel it belongs to, and the panels barely overlap.
| Feature | Regulated lender panel | Unregulated lender panel |
|---|---|---|
| Security | Current or intended main residence | Investment, BTL, commercial, semi-commercial, land |
| Panel depth | Around 6 – 12 active lenders | 40+ active lenders and credit funds |
| Indicative max LTV | Up to 70% | Up to 75% residential, 70% commercial |
| Typical speed | 3 – 6 weeks | 1 – 3 weeks |
| Process | Advised sale — suitability and disclosure steps | Commercially underwritten |
| Protections | FCA rules, Financial Ombudsman, FSCS where eligible | Outside the consumer mortgage regime |
| Max term | 12 months on regulated bridges | Up to 24 – 36 months |
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Some groups hold both permissions, so the same brand can appear on either panel with different criteria and pricing.
UK bridging lender comparison
Step 1 — tell us the scenario. Step 2 — pick up to 4 lenders to compare. Step 3 — send it to a specialist.
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16 lenders match · All bridging scenarios
Almost every lender below is an FCA-authorised firm, and many are banks. The split in these tables is by the type of bridge each lender will write, not by whether the business is authorised. A bridge is FCA-regulated when it is secured on a property you or a close family member live in, or will live in; everything else — investment, buy-to-let, commercial, land and development security — is non-regulated. Some lenders hold the regulated mortgage permission and appear in both tables; others are authorised firms that choose to write non-regulated business only. The “FCA status of the firm” column makes that explicit for each lender.
At a glance
These lenders write bridges that fall outside FCA regulation — investment, buy-to-let, commercial, semi-commercial, development and land security. Most of the firms below are themselves FCA-authorised; it is the loan, not the lender, that is unregulated. Criteria are commercially assessed, so speed and flexibility are usually stronger than on regulated cases.
| Lender | FCA status of the firm | Typical focus | Indicative max LTV | Where they tend to win |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allica Bank | FCA-authorised bank — writes non-regulated bridging only | Owner-occupied and investment commercial property | Up to 70% | Trading businesses and commercial security |
| Funding 365 | Non-bank specialist lender — non-regulated lending only | Bridging, development and 3/5-year BTL on residential, PBSA, HMO, commercial and mixed-use | Up to 85% (plus up to 100% of works); 75% LTGDV, 85% LTC | Fast credit-backed decisions, heavy refurbishment and listed buildings; England, Wales and Northern Ireland only, no lending on land |
| Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB) | FCA-authorised bank — writes non-regulated bridging only | Bridging, development and specialist BTL across residential, semi-commercial, HMO, MUFB, PBSA and holiday lets | Up to 75% LTV bridging; up to 90% LTC / 70% LTGDV on heavy refurbishment and development | Bridging from 0.70% per month with no upfront fees; loans £100k – £35m over 12–24 months in England and Wales; grade II listed accepted; land considered with planning |
| Hilco Real Estate Finance | Not FCA-regulated for lending — AML/KYC registered; non-regulated bridging only | Large, flexible bridging loans on all UK and Republic of Ireland property; funded via Hilco Group and independent funding lines | Up to 80% LTV (1st and 2nd charge); 80% LTC | Minimum loan £2m, no maximum; minimum property value £2.5m; all sectors considered; Red Book valuations; heavy refurb, listed buildings, new builds and land accepted; rolled, retained or serviced interest |
| Maslow Capital | Non-bank specialist lender — non-regulated lending only | Bridging, development and lending solutions across residential, industrial, retail, hospitality, PBSA and HMO | Up to 75% LTV; 70% LTGDV; 90% LTC | Rates from 0.65% per month; loans £300k – £75m over 1 month – 5 years; Pan-European coverage including UK, Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany and Italy; first-charge only; owner-occupied not accepted |
| Octopus Real Estate | FCA-authorised lender — non-regulated bridging on this proposition | Commercial bridging for acquisitions, refinances and equity release across retail, offices, industrial, hotels and PBSA; also residential bridging, development and buy-to-let | Up to 70%; minimum loan £1m; rates from 0.85% per month | 100% discretionary capital; funded deals from inception to release within 2 weeks; land with planning considered; England, Wales and Scotland |
| Precise Mortgages | FCA-authorised — writes both regulated and non-regulated bridges | Regulated and non-regulated bridging, residential and BTL; 1st and 2nd charges accepted | Up to 75% | Non-regulated terms up to 18 months; regulated terms up to 12 months; minimum loans from £50k with no maximum; England, Wales and parts of Scotland; heavy refurb, new builds and listed buildings considered; only upfront fee is the valuation fee |
| Recognise Bank | FCA-authorised bank — writes non-regulated bridging only | Bridging across residential, commercial, semi-commercial and land; FCA-regulated bank | Up to 75% LTV; up to 100% LTC for light refurb subject to 85% day-one LTV | Rates from 0.70% per month; loans £250k – £7.5m over 3–24 months; Red Book valuations; England, Scotland and Wales; land and listed buildings accepted; heavy refurb not accepted; retained or serviced interest; no early redemption charges |
| Shawbrook Bank | FCA-authorised bank — writes non-regulated bridging only | Unregulated bridging across residential, semi-commercial and commercial, including light and heavy refurbishment and development exit; bank balance-sheet lender | Up to 75%; up to 90% LTV on residential refurb with up to 100% of works funded | Rates from 0.74% per month; loans £50k – £2.5m (larger facilities via structured real estate team); instant AIPs; AVMs up to 75% LTV on residential; 2% arrangement fee added to the loan outside max LTVs; development exit loans over £1m handled by the development finance team; 0.25% arrangement-fee discount for existing customers |
| Together | FCA-authorised — writes both regulated and non-regulated bridges | Regulated and unregulated bridging, buy-to-let, commercial term, first- and second-charge loans; residential, commercial, HMO, PBSA, semi-commercial and land | Up to 75% (higher on referral) | Adverse credit, unusual security and non-standard construction; England, Scotland and Wales; light refurbishment only; listed buildings and new builds considered; owner-occupied accepted; no minimum property value |
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Listed here because they will write a non-regulated bridge, not because the firm is unauthorised. Indicative market positioning as at Q3 2026, not a quote and not a recommendation. Most unregulated lenders cap at 70 – 75% LTV, but some — Funding 365, for example — go higher on prepared cases or fund works costs separately. Panel access, criteria, LTV limits and pricing change frequently and are assessed case by case. Clifton is a credit broker, not a lender, and does not introduce borrowers directly to lenders for non-UK property transactions.
At a glance
A bridge is FCA-regulated when the security is, or will be, your own or a close family member's main residence. Fewer lenders hold the regulated mortgage permission needed to write these, and the process carries suitability and disclosure steps. Several of these lenders also appear above, because they write both regulated and non-regulated bridges depending on the scenario.
| Lender | FCA status of the firm | Typical focus | Indicative max LTV | Where they tend to win |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glenhawk | FCA-authorised — writes both regulated and non-regulated bridges | Regulated and unregulated residential bridging | Up to 70% | Speed on regulated cases and pragmatic underwriting |
| Masthaven | FCA-authorised — writes both regulated and non-regulated bridges | Bridging, development, self-build and commercial; 1st and 2nd charge; FCA regulated | Up to 75% | Rolled interest on regulated bridges; England, Wales and mainland Scotland; listed buildings and heavy refurbishment considered; LTC up to 100%; no early redemption charges |
| Precise Mortgages | FCA-authorised — writes both regulated and non-regulated bridges | FCA-regulated bridging, residential and BTL; 1st and 2nd charges accepted | Up to 75% | Maximum 12-month regulated term; minimum loans from £50k; England, Wales and parts of Scotland; heavy refurb, new builds and listed buildings considered; only upfront fee is the valuation fee |
| Together | FCA-authorised — writes both regulated and non-regulated bridges | FCA-regulated bridging, buy-to-let and commercial term; residential and owner-occupied main residence | Up to 75% (higher on referral) | Adverse credit or unusual main-residence security; first- and second-charge options; England, Scotland and Wales |
| United Trust Bank | FCA-authorised — writes both regulated and non-regulated bridges | Regulated residential bridging, larger loans | Up to 70% | Higher-value homes and experienced borrowers |
| West One Loans | FCA-authorised — writes both regulated and non-regulated bridges | Bridging, development, BTL and residential; 1st and 2nd charge; FCA regulated | Up to 75% bridging / 80% BTL / 70% development | England, Wales and mainland Scotland; AVMs and Red Book valuations; second-charge regulated bridges and larger facilities |
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Regulated bridging is an advised sale. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a loan secured against it. Indicative positioning only — the regime, criteria and pricing are confirmed case by case.
Why clients choose us
Regulated and unregulated lenders assessed side by side, so the comparison happens before submission.
Several major bridging lenders accept no direct applications; we reach them on your behalf.
Regime confirmed at the outset, avoiding weeks lost and a wasted valuation fee.
Arrangement fees, minimum interest periods and exit fees modelled over your actual term.
Sale evidence or a credible take-out refinance confirmed before the case is submitted.
Fair Investment Company Limited is FCA-authorised as a credit broker for UK property transactions.
Borrower eligibility
Typical lending criteria
Indicative only. Actual terms depend on borrower profile, asset and lender criteria.
Recent transactions
Published transactions from our own case study library — select any to read the full brief.
Leeds · Bridging
£1.3m · 65% LTV · 12-month regulated bridge
£1.3m regulated bridge to help a Leeds family secure a significantly larger home before selling their existing property — funded in under 3 weeks.
Malaga · Bridging
£230k · c.25% LTV · 36 days to completion
A regulated bridging loan raised against an unencumbered Edinburgh home to secure a £230k apartment in Malaga, Spain — completed in 36 days.
Oxfordshire · Bridging
£1.2m · 60% LTV · chain-break bridge
£1.2m chain-break bridge that saved a rural Oxfordshire purchase after the buyers' onward sale collapsed at the eleventh hour.
Frequently asked
Start by confirming whether your case is regulated or unregulated: regulated bridging loan lenders can only lend against a main residence or a close family member's home, while unregulated lenders cover investment, buy-to-let, commercial, semi-commercial and land. Then compare each lender on total cost of credit over your planned term — monthly rate, arrangement fee, minimum interest period, exit fee and valuation cost — not just the headline rate. Check LTV limits against your security type, lender appetite for your asset class and location, and the realistic speed to completion. Finally, decide whether you can approach the lender direct or need an authorised broker, because much of the UK bridging market is intermediary-only.
The unregulated market is led by lenders such as Together, Precise, Hampshire Trust Bank, Shawbrook Bank, Octopus Real Estate, Funding 365, Allica Bank, Maslow Capital, Recognise Bank and Hilco Real Estate Finance (large loans £2m+). On regulated main-residence bridges the active names include Precise, United Trust Bank, Glenhawk, Together, MT Finance and West One Loans. Positioning changes frequently, so the right lender is decided case by case.
A regulated lender holds FCA permission to lend against a property that is or will be the borrower's or a close family member's main residence. Unregulated lenders fund investment, buy-to-let, commercial, semi-commercial and land security only. Several groups, including Together, write both. Hilco Real Estate Finance is an example of a non-regulated-only lender that is not FCA-authorised for lending but is registered for AML/KYC purposes.
Often not. A large part of the UK bridging market is intermediary-only, so applications must come through an authorised broker. Going direct to the handful of lenders that do accept direct business narrows your options rather than widening them.
Because bridging is placed, not shopped. A specialist confirms whether your case is regulated, sizes it on true loan-to-value across all security, matches the asset type to lender appetite, prices total cost of credit rather than the headline monthly rate, stress-tests your exit, and then submits once to the right desk with valuation and legals sequenced against your deadline.
Not usually. Intermediary pricing is frequently better than direct pricing, and avoiding a mis-placed application saves duplicated valuation and legal spend. Where a broker fee applies it is disclosed in writing before you commit, alongside the lender's own costs.
There is no single cheapest lender. The lowest monthly rate often carries a higher arrangement fee, a longer minimum interest period or a tighter LTV, so the cheapest facility over a nine-month term may be priced third on rate. Compare total cost of credit over the term you actually need.
One, properly chosen. Multiple simultaneous applications leave credit-search footprints, duplicate valuation fees and can unsettle lenders when they discover the case is being shopped. Comparison should happen before submission, not through it.
Considerably. Credit-backed lenders such as Funding 365 and MT Finance can issue decisions quickly, while banks like Shawbrook, HTB and Allica take a more structured credit route that suits larger or commercial cases. Regulated bridges add FCA suitability and disclosure steps of roughly one to two weeks.
No. They are indicative maximum positions for prepared cases and are not offers. Actual LTV depends on the security, borrower profile, exit strength and current lender appetite, and is confirmed only in a written indicative or formal offer.
UK bridging finance by scenario
Each page covers the structure, criteria, costs and typical timescales for one bridging use case — with real completed transactions.
Calculate interest, arrangement and exit fees, valuation and legals — with a fully worked £510,000 example.
View pageFacilities structured for the 28-day auction completion window, with pre-auction agreements in principle.
View pageComplete on your onward purchase when a buyer withdraws or the chain collapses.
View pageRefinance a completed scheme onto cheaper short-term debt while units sell.
View pageWhich regime applies to your case, and what changes in criteria, cost and process.
View pageRaise capital behind an existing mortgage without disturbing the first charge.
View pageUK-secured short-term finance for British expatriates, foreign nationals and offshore SPVs.
View pagePurchase-plus-works and heavy refurbishment finance with staged drawdowns.
View pageRelated UK services
Residential, buy-to-let and high-value mortgages for UK and international clients.
Learn moreFast short-term funding for auctions, chain-breaks, refurbishments and exits.
Learn moreSenior debt and stretched-senior facilities for residential and mixed-use schemes.
Learn moreInvestment and owner-occupier funding for offices, hospitality, retail and logistics.
Learn moreImproved terms, capital raising and exit refinance for maturing UK facilities.
Learn moreReady to explore your options?
Send us the security, the loan and your exit. A specialist will confirm the regime, the realistic lenders and indicative pricing within one working day.