Short term bridging finance

Bridging finance is a short-term loan that helps bridge the gap between buying a property and arranging longer-term funding or selling another asset. It’s often used to complete property purchases quickly, fund smaller refurbishment works, or raise capital against existing properties.

Short term bridging loans are typically offered over a period of up to 24 months. You receive a lump sum up front and repay the loan either through refinancing, selling the property, or another agreed method. These loans are fast, flexible, and designed to support time-sensitive purchases or projects.

Catalyst provides unregulated bridging loans that can be used in a variety of situations, including investment property purchases, refurbishment projects, auction finance, capital raising, and property development. Our loans are designed to support property developers and investors throughout the lifecycle of their property projects.

You can borrow between £100,000 and £20 million, depending on the property, the loan product you require, and your circumstances. We offer loans of up to 80% of the open market value for residential property, and up to 75% for semi-commercial assets. Lending on Below Market Value purchases is also available, subject to cost and valuation.

Bridging finance is available to UK individuals, limited companies, LLPs, offshore entities, and sometimes trusts. We also work with borrowers who have complex credit histories, and our flexible approach means we’ll always look at the bigger picture when assessing your application.

Loan terms can range up to 24 months. Apart from our specialist buy to let product, there are no early repayment charges, though a minimum of 1 to 3 months’ interest is usually required. Interest can be serviced monthly, retained for the full term, or blended depending on the product selected and your preferred repayment structure.

We accept a broad range of property types including residential, semi-commercial, and commercial buildings. Properties with refurbishment needs or that are being purchased at auction are all eligible. Unusual or ‘quirky’ properties may also be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Yes. We offer flexible bridging options for borrowers with past credit issues, including CCJs, mortgage arrears, and discharged bankruptcies. We also support inexperienced borrowers and those requiring reduced personal guarantees, depending on the risk and structure of the deal.

Fast bridging finance can often be arranged very quickly, sometimes within days. This is particularly useful for auction purchases or urgent completions. To speed things up, we can use title insurance and may accept desktop or drive-by valuations where appropriate.

Every bridging loan requires a clear and realistic exit strategy. This could be the sale of the property, or a refinance onto a long-term mortgage, or a rebridge. We’ll assess the strength of your exit plan as part of the application process.

Yes, Catalyst specialises in refurbishment loans. We have supported hundreds of refurb projects and will structure funding to meet the needs of your property project. Typically, loans will be split between a ‘day one’ payment with subsequent drawdowns made in arrears during the refurbishment period.