UK Bridging Lenders, ranked by what they're actually good at.
15 active UK bridging lenders — regulated challenger banks, specialist non-bank lenders, and everything in between. Indicative rates, LTVs, ticket ranges and speed-to-complete, compiled from publicly-available lender data. Independent editorial, updated 2026.
-
Aldermore
Est. 2009UK challenger bank with a specialist-lending approach to regulated bridging and residential short-term finance.
Best for: Regulated residential bridging where the borrower qualifies for a challenger-bank product
-
Alternative Bridging Corporation
Est. 1991Long-established specialist bridging lender, privately funded. Focuses on residential and commercial property bridging in England and Wales.
Best for: Mid-ticket residential and commercial bridging where sponsor relationship matters
-
Greenfield Capital
Est. 2017Specialist short-term lender providing first and second charge bridging loans across the UK.
Best for: Second-charge bridging where the first charge lender won't consent to a full refi
-
Hope Capital
Est. 2011Privately-funded non-bank bridging lender. No regulator approval limits — purely unregulated product.
Best for: Non-regulated bridging where speed trumps rate — commercial and BTL exit
-
Kuflink
Est. 2011Peer-to-peer backed specialist lender focused on short-term property finance in the South East.
Best for: Smaller-ticket residential or light refurb, particularly in SE England
-
LendInvest
Est. 2008Tech-led specialist lender covering bridging, development finance and buy-to-let. Publicly listed on LSE AIM.
Best for: Developers who want a single lender relationship across bridging and development
-
MT Finance
Est. 2008Specialist bridging and buy-to-let lender. Serves the broker market across England and Wales.
Best for: Broker-introduced residential or BTL bridging with a clear exit
-
Octopus Real Estate
Est. 2009Part of Octopus Group. Focus on residential bridging, development finance and healthcare property finance.
Best for: Higher-ticket residential bridging and transitioning into development debt
-
Precise Mortgages
Est. 2010Part of OSB Group. Regulated bridging alongside buy-to-let and residential mortgages.
Best for: Regulated residential bridging with a standard onward mortgage exit
-
Roma Finance
Est. 2008Specialist lender covering bridging, refurbishment and development finance across England, Scotland and Wales.
Best for: Light-to-heavy refurbishment where a separate construction tranche is needed
-
Shawbrook Bank
Est. 2011UK challenger bank offering short-term property finance alongside a full lending suite. FCA-regulated.
Best for: Commercial or HMO bridging where the borrower wants a bank-regulated lender
-
Together
Est. 1974One of the UK's largest specialist lenders, offering both regulated and non-regulated bridging. Broad product range across residential, commercial and buy-to-let.
Best for: Mid-market bridging on residential or mixed-use where lender appetite matters as much as rate
-
Tuscan Capital
Est. 2018Specialist bridging lender concentrating on residential and light-refurb product. Institutionally funded.
Best for: Clean residential or light refurb with a straightforward sale or refinance exit
-
United Trust Bank
Est. 1955UK challenger bank offering structured property finance including short-term bridging for professional developers.
Best for: Developers wanting a bank (not specialist) counterparty on larger tickets
-
West One Loans
Est. 2007Specialist non-bank bridging lender across regulated and unregulated products. Part of Enra Specialist Finance.
Best for: Fast, flexible bridging on larger or more complex residential schemes; heavy refurb facilities
Before you pick a lender
The cheapest rate on a bridging loan rarely determines the best deal. Three factors usually decide outcome:
- Speed. If you need to complete in 10 days, the cheapest lender on a 4-week process doesn't help you.
- Appetite. Some cases (adverse credit, non-standard construction, short leaseholds, foreign nationals) need a lender with matching criteria. Rate is secondary.
- Total cost. Monthly rate × months + arrangement fee + exit fee + legal + valuation. Some lenders are cheap on rate but load fees — our bridging cost calculator does the full sum.
Common questions
What companies do bridging loans in the UK?
The active UK bridging market is served by a mix of challenger banks (Aldermore, Shawbrook, United Trust Bank), specialist non-bank lenders (Together, West One Loans, LendInvest, MT Finance, Hope Capital, Octopus Real Estate, Tuscan Capital, Roma Finance, Alternative Bridging, Kuflink, Greenfield Capital) and direct-to-borrower platforms. This directory profiles 15 of the most active.
What does Martin Lewis say about bridging loans?
MoneySavingExpert consistently warns consumers that bridging loans are high-cost and should only be used when a cheaper alternative isn't available — typically where speed is the deciding factor. Our view aligns: bridging is a tool for speed, not cost, and shouldn't be defaulted to for a deal that could wait for a term loan.
Is there a cheaper alternative to a bridging loan?
Almost always, yes. If you have 4+ weeks and a clean mortgage exit, a term mortgage or BTL remortgage is cheaper. A development-exit facility can be cheaper than pure bridging when a scheme is finishing. If you need speed on a specific deadline (auction purchase, chain break, short lease extension), bridging is the right tool.
Is there still a market for unregulated bridging in 2026?
Yes. Unregulated bridging (non-owner-occupier, commercial, BTL) is the larger share of the market by value. Non-bank specialists Hope Capital, MT Finance, Alternative Bridging and others focus almost exclusively on this segment.