Bridging Finance

What bridging finance is for

Bridging finance is short-term, secured lending designed to bridge a funding gap until a longer-term solution is in place. It's commonly used at property auctions (where completion must happen within weeks), to break a chain when your buyer pulls out, or to fund refurbishment before refinancing onto a standard mortgage.

Because bridging is short-term and secured against property, lenders focus on the value of the property and your exit strategy — how you'll repay the loan — rather than your affordability alone. This makes it flexible, but it's more expensive than a term mortgage and needs a clear, realistic exit.

The exit strategy — how you repay the loan

Every bridging loan needs a credible exit strategy. The two most common are selling the property (for a flip or a downsizer) or refinancing onto a term mortgage once refurbishment is complete or a sale has gone through. Lenders will want evidence that your exit is achievable.

We'll help you stress-test your exit before you commit: has the refurbishment budget been accurately costed, is the refinancing achievable at the expected property value, and is there a fallback if timing slips? A clear exit keeps costs down and risk low.

• Sale of the property (flip, downsizing, or chain resolution)
• Refinance onto a term mortgage after refurbishment
• Sale of another property in the background

Costs, rates, and when bridging makes sense

Bridging rates are typically charged monthly rather than annually, with arrangement fees, valuation fees, and legal costs on top. Despite the higher cost, bridging can save money overall when it secures a property deal that would otherwise fall through, or enables a refurbishment that adds significant value.

It's not a substitute for a long-term mortgage. We'll compare it against alternatives — like a let-to-buy, a product transfer, or a specialist term mortgage — so you only use bridging where it genuinely makes financial sense.