Bridging — London
Short-term finance secured on London property — from chain breaks on prime residential purchases to auction completions and equity release. Regulated and unregulated facilities, placed with the lenders that know the capital's market.
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Last updated Reviewed by our Clifton International finance team.
In short
A London bridging loan is short-term finance secured on property in the capital, typically running 3–24 months at published rates from 0.53% per month. Facilities complete in 1–3 weeks when unregulated (investment or business purpose) or 3–6 weeks when FCA-regulated (main residence security), with sale or refinance as the standard exit.
At a glance
Figures reviewed:
Indicative figures for guidance only, correct as at October 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.
Rates this month
Last updated:
Regulated from
0.53%
per month
Unregulated from
0.55%
per month
Typical arrangement fee
2%
of the loan
Maximum LTV
80%
lender dependent
At a glance
Both regimes are active across the London market — the right one depends on how the security property is used.
| Regulated (main residence) | Unregulated (investment) | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical London use | Chain break, downsize, buy before sell on a home | Auction purchase, refurbishment, BTL and commercial |
| Indicative pricing | From 0.53% pm on strong cases | From 0.55% pm depending on asset and exit |
| Typical speed | 3 – 6 weeks | 1 – 3 weeks |
| Protections | FCA rules, Ombudsman, FSCS where eligible | Outside the consumer mortgage regime |
| Common boroughs | Richmond, Kingston, Bromley, Barnet family homes | Islington, Hackney, Wandsworth investment stock |
Swipe the table sideways to see all columns.
Indicative figures only. Actual terms depend on borrower profile, asset and lender criteria.
Indicative figures from our monthly-checked lender rate panel. Actual terms depend on the asset, LTV, borrower profile and exit strength.
Worked example · this month's rates
A £500,000 first-charge bridge on an £850,000 Richmond home (58.8% LTV) costs £2,650 a month at 0.53% (regulated) and £2,750 a month at 0.55% (unregulated), based on rates published 27 October 2026.
Example based on rates published 27 October 2026
Your own home, e.g. buying before selling in Richmond.
Lowest of 8 approved lenders covering this loan size and LTV.
Investment or business purpose, e.g. a let property.
Lowest of 11 approved lenders covering this loan size and LTV.
Assumes a first charge, 58.8% loan-to-value and a 12-month term. Monthly interest is shown as if paid each month; rolled interest compounds monthly. Arrangement fee uses the lender's published fee, or 2% where set case by case. Excludes valuation, legal and any exit fees. Illustration only — not a quotation or credit offer. Rates update when new lender rates are approved. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a regulated loan secured on it.
Bridging loan calculator
Add every property you can offer as security, including any existing mortgage borrowing on each, so the loan-to-value is a true figure across the whole package. The indicative rate moves with the LTV band, and the breakdown shows arrangement fee, interest, exit fee and third-party costs.
Enter your security property values, any existing mortgage borrowing and the loan amount to see the true loan-to-value and the full cost of credit.
No options above 90% loan-to-value unless additional property can be provided as security. Adding another property increases the combined security value and lowers the true LTV, which can move you into a cheaper rate band.
Indicative only. Rates start from 0.53% per month and are set case by case on asset, loan-to-value, borrower profile and exit strength — the figure you are offered may be higher. Existing mortgage balances are treated as prior-ranking debt when calculating the true loan-to-value. Valuation and legal costs are estimates; actual quotes depend on the property and lender panel. This is not a quotation, credit offer or personal recommendation.
Recent transactions
Published transactions from our own case study library — select any to read the full brief.
Ealing, London · Portfolio equity release
£1.1m facility · 12-month term · investment-property sale exit
A landlord used a £1.1 million bridging facility to redeem mortgages on Ealing and Plymouth buy-to-lets and purchase her rented Hertfordshire home before selling the investments, despite historic CCJs.
London · Overseas property purchase
£120,000 bridge · ~£750,000 London BTL · completed in five weeks
An overseas-based owner used a £120,000 bridging loan secured on her London buy-to-let, valued at about £750,000, to fund the final stages of an overseas home purchase, managed fully remotely.
London · Bridging
£1.05m · 70% LTV · 8 working days to funding
£1.05m time-critical regulated bridge delivered in 8 working days so professional clients could secure a competitive North London purchase.
From enquiry to funds
A realistic timetable for an unregulated facility on standard London residential stock, from first enquiry to funds released. Regulated bridges add time for FCA advice and disclosure steps.
You tell us the property, the amount and the deadline. We approach the lenders that fit the case and come back with indicative terms — rate, fees, LTV and any conditions — usually within one working day.
Once you accept terms, the lender issues a decision in principle and instructs the valuation. Your solicitor is engaged at this point so the legal work runs in parallel rather than afterwards.
A RICS valuer inspects the security. London's deep comparable evidence keeps this fast on standard residential stock; unusual or high-value assets can take longer. are possible on some lower-LTV cases.
Both sides' solicitors review title, raise enquiries and agree the facility documents. Using solicitors with bridging experience is the single biggest factor in keeping this stage short.
The lender issues the formal offer, documents are signed and funds are released. Unregulated London facilities typically complete inside 1 – 3 weeks from enquiry; regulated bridges on a main residence usually take 3 – 6 weeks because of FCA advice and disclosure requirements.
Timings are indicative and assume valuation and solicitors are instructed immediately. Time-critical cases can move faster — we have completed a regulated North London bridge in 8 working days.
London market data
Figures reviewed
London remains the UK's most expensive region by a wide margin — and its recent softness is exactly why vendors accept below-market, time-critical sales that bridging finance is built for.
Source: HM Land Registry, UK House Price Index, July 2026 release, published 16 September 2026.
In July 2026, the average price in Richmond upon Thames was £803,000 (broadly unchanged on a year earlier), Kingston upon Thames was £592,000 (up 3.3% on a year earlier), Islington was £675,000 (down 4.9% on a year earlier), Wandsworth was £686,000 (down 5.5% on a year earlier), Barnet was £601,000 (down 4.9% on a year earlier), Bromley was £512,000 (down 3.1% on a year earlier) and Hackney was £606,000 (down 2.6% on a year earlier), against a London-wide fall of 3.3%. These borough averages show a mixed local picture, not a valuation of an individual home: property type, condition and comparable sales still matter when a lender assesses your security or you negotiate a chain-free, quick-completion purchase.
Source: ONS local housing prices, from HM Land Registry UK HPI, July 2026 (provisional), published 16 September 2026. Borough figures use fewer sales and can move more month to month.
The UK HPI is an accredited official statistic calculated by the Office for National Statistics from Land Registry sales data. Figures for the most recent months are provisional and may be revised.
UK House Price Index, July 2026 (GOV.UK) Land Registry HPI search tool — borough-level data
Why clients choose us
Specialist banks, challenger lenders and funds that actively lend across the capital — including those that do not deal with borrowers direct.
Our lender rate table is checked monthly against published sources, so the pricing you see reflects the current market, not a stale brochure.
Auction windows, below-market purchases and chain collapses need days, not months — we have completed a regulated North London bridge in 8 working days.
From prime central postcodes to Richmond, Kingston and the outer boroughs, placed with lenders whose valuation panels know each micro-market.
Home purchase bridges under FCA rules and investment facilities outside them — including mixed-security cases that need both permissions.
Sale or refinance — the exit is evidenced before terms are issued, which is what keeps London cases on timetable.
Borrower eligibility
Typical lending criteria
Indicative only. Actual terms depend on borrower profile, asset and lender criteria.
Contributor
Oliver is a co-founder and Director, called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn, a Chartered Financial Planner and a member of the Society of Trust & Estate Practitioners.
Frequently asked
Published UK bridging rates start from 0.53% per month for the strongest cases, with most London facilities pricing between 0.55% and 0.85% per month depending on LTV, asset quality and exit. On top of interest, budget for an arrangement fee (typically 1–2%), valuation, legal costs and, on some products, an exit fee. The live rate table on this page is checked monthly against lender publications, and the calculator on this page gives an indicative total cost for your loan size, term and LTV.
Unregulated facilities on London residential property can complete in 1–3 weeks where valuation and legals are instructed immediately. Regulated bridges — where the security is your main residence — typically take 3–6 weeks because of FCA conduct requirements. Time-critical cases can move faster with the right lender; we have completed a regulated North London bridge in 8 working days.
Common London uses include chain breaks on prime residential purchases, auction acquisitions with a 28-day completion window, buying before selling when downsizing, light refurbishment and reconfiguration before refinance, and releasing equity from unencumbered London property. Both regulated (main residence) and unregulated (investment) facilities are available.
Up to 80% LTV, lender dependent, with residential security supporting the highest gearing and commercial or semi-commercial assets typically lower. Loan sizes range from £100,000 to £25 million and above. Prime central London stock in established locations often supports the upper end because lender panels know the resale market well.
Yes — the lender panel covers all 32 boroughs and the City of London. Appetite is strongest for established residential areas with deep resale markets, but we place facilities from Richmond and Kingston in the south-west to Islington and Hackney in the north, and on commercial and mixed-use assets across the capital.
If the security is, or will become, your or a close family member's main residence, the bridge is FCA-regulated — with suitability checks, clear cost disclosure and Ombudsman rights. Bridges on buy-to-let, investment or commercial London property are unregulated. Our regulated vs unregulated guide explains which regime applies to your case.
Yes. British expatriates and foreign nationals regularly bridge on London property — common scenarios include buying a London base before repatriating, or releasing equity from a London home while living abroad. Specialist lenders assess overseas income and residency routinely; see our expat and non-resident bridging page.
The two standard exits are sale of the security property or refinance onto a term mortgage. London's liquid resale market makes sale exits credible where pricing is realistic; refinance exits need evidence that a term lender will take the case — for example an agreement in principle or a clear path to meeting buy-to-let rental coverage.
UK bridging finance by scenario
Each page covers the structure, criteria, costs and typical timescales for one bridging use case — with real completed transactions.
UK bridging market, Q2 2026
Last updated · next update due November 2026
Market averages across completed deals, summarised from Bridging Trends (compiled by MT Finance). Refreshed quarterly; not our panel pricing. Full market data.
Bridging tools & rate data
Related: Regulated vs Unregulated Bridging · Chain-Break Bridging · Auction Finance
Regulated and unregulated lender panels compared — and why bridging is placed through a specialist, not shopped direct.
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?
Tell us the borough, the asset and your deadline. A specialist will confirm realistic pricing and timetable within one working day.