Business Finance

Business Bridging Loans

Short-term, property-secured finance for UK businesses that need cash now and can repay or refinance within 12-18 months. Acquisitions, VAT, HMRC, opportunity and working capital all in scope.

What it is

Commercial bridging for business, not just property

A business bridging loan is short-term funding secured against property a UK business or its directors own, used to solve a time-sensitive commercial problem. Unlike a bridging loan on a residential refurbishment, the exit is usually a refinance onto a longer-term business facility, a corporate event (sale, capital raise, refinance) or a contracted receivable.

We arrange business bridges for everything from £100k to £25m+, against owner-occupied commercial property, investment property, mixed-use, land and, in some cases, residential property owned by the directors. The cost is higher than a term loan, but the speed and flexibility unlock commercial value the slow-and-cheap money simply cannot capture.

Common reasons UK businesses bridge: acquiring a competitor or a target asset on a tight deadline, paying VAT or corporation tax to avoid HMRC enforcement, funding a stock or contract build ahead of a known receivable, releasing equity from an owned property to recapitalise the trading entity, exiting an existing facility that has been called, or simply taking advantage of a discounted off-market opportunity that won't wait for bank credit committees.

Typical terms run 3-18 months at rates from 0.65% per month. Interest is usually rolled or retained so the business has zero monthly debt service across the term. The loan repays in a single bullet payment on exit.

Doulton benchmarks across more than 130 specialist commercial bridging lenders, including private capital, debt funds and high-net-worth principal lenders that the high street simply does not connect SMEs to.

Get a Quote Call 0204 6211776

£100k - £25m+

Loan size

0.65% pm

Rates from

3 - 18 months

Term

2 - 4 weeks

Typical completion

Why Doulton

What makes this work in practice

Property as security, business as purpose

The lender takes a charge over commercial or residential property the business or directors own. The cash itself goes straight into the trading entity for whatever the commercial purpose is.

VAT and HMRC bridging

Cover quarterly VAT, corporation tax or payroll liabilities to avoid surcharge and enforcement, then repay from trading cash flow once the pressure point has passed.

Acquisition finance

Win competitive bids and off-market opportunities that won't wait for 8-12 week bank approval. Bridge first, refinance onto term debt once the dust settles.

Equity release from owned property

Release working capital from a property the business or directors own outright or have substantial equity in. Use it for growth, acquisition, refinance or director loan repayment.

Rolled or retained interest

Most business bridges have no monthly service requirement. Interest is rolled to the redemption balance or retained from the gross loan at outset. Zero pressure on monthly cash flow.

Whole-of-market panel

We benchmark across 130+ specialist commercial bridging lenders including challenger banks, private debt funds and HNW principal capital. Real pricing comparison rather than a single quote.

The process

How it works

Brief the deal

Loan amount, security property (with rough open-market value), purpose, term required and exit. A 10-minute conversation is enough to indicate price and feasibility.

Heads of terms

Written indicative terms from two to three suitable lenders within 24-48 hours. You compare on rate, fees, LTV and exit profile, then pick.

Valuation and legals

RICS valuation on the security, legal undertaking and standard property due diligence. Most files clear in 2-3 weeks; tight transactions can complete in under two.

Drawdown and exit plan

Funds released to your solicitor on completion. We can also pre-introduce the long-term refinance lender from day one so the exit is engineered before the bridge even starts.

Need cash in the trading business, secured against property?

Tell us the amount, the security and the purpose. We will come back within hours with real indicative terms from our specialist commercial bridging panel. No upfront fees on loans over £1m.

Get a Quote Call 0204 6211776

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

What business finance options can Doulton arrange?

Unsecured business loans, secured commercial loans, asset and equipment finance, invoice finance (factoring and discounting), merchant cash advance, revolving credit facilities, commercial mortgages, and working-capital facilities for limited companies, LLPs and sole traders.

How much can my business borrow?

We arrange business funding from £10,000 for simple unsecured facilities, up to £5m+ for secured commercial lending. Asset and invoice finance scale with the underlying asset or debtor book respectively.

How quickly can I access business funding?

Unsecured online business loans and merchant cash advances can fund in 24-72 hours. Asset finance typically completes in 3-10 working days. Larger secured facilities follow a 2-6 week underwriting and legal timeline.

Do I need to be profitable to get a business loan?

Not always. Many alternative lenders underwrite on turnover, card takings, sales ledger or asset value rather than net profit. Early-stage businesses and turnaround situations are often better served by specialist funders than high-street banks.

Will directors need to give personal guarantees?

Personal guarantees are common on unsecured and lightly-secured business lending, usually capped at a percentage of the facility. Secured lending backed by property or specific assets often reduces or removes the PG requirement.

Related finance

Explore related pages

Other Doulton specialisms and lenders that commonly fit alongside this one. We always compare the full 130+ lender panel before recommending a deal.