The questions we are asked most

Usually, yes. Funders will look at the age of the asset and how much working life is left in it, and they will often want the term to end well before the equipment does. Genuinely old kit narrows the field but rarely closes it.

Less than you would for an unsecured loan. Because the funder is secured against the asset, asset finance is often the most realistic route for a younger business — though expect a personal guarantee and a slightly higher rate early on.

Often, if the purchase was recent. This is called a sale and hire purchase back, and there is usually a window — commonly a few months from the invoice date — within which a funder will consider it. Beyond that it becomes a refinance.

Ownership. Hire purchase ends with the asset belonging to you; a lease does not. That makes hire purchase dearer month to month but better value on equipment you intend to keep, and leasing better where you want to hand the asset back and take a newer one.

A larger lump sum at the end of the agreement, set against the asset's expected value at that point. It brings the monthly figure down, but the money still has to be found — either from cash, from selling the asset, or by refinancing the balance.

Yes, though the cost varies. Some agreements rebate a portion of the interest you have not yet incurred; others charge more or less the full contracted amount. We will show you the settlement terms on any quote before you accept it.

Not directly, in most cases — that would make it a hire purchase agreement. What often happens instead is a sale to an unconnected third party, with the lessee receiving the bulk of the proceeds as a rebate of rentals. The exact mechanism varies by funder, so check it before you sign.

Month to month, almost always. Over the whole life of the asset, usually not, because you end up with nothing to show for the payments. Leasing wins when you genuinely do not want the equipment at the end; hire purchase wins when you do.

Fair wear and tear for the age and use is the standard, but what that means in practice is defined in the agreement. On vehicles in particular, be sure you have read the return standard before the collection date rather than after it.

Most funders start somewhere in the low thousands, and very small items are often better bought outright than financed once fees are taken into account. If the purchase is genuinely small we will tell you when the arithmetic does not favour borrowing.

Yes, and it is common. A fit-out or a fleet refresh can be packaged as a single facility with one monthly payment, which is usually simpler to manage than a series of separate agreements taken out over several months.

Your rights over the equipment itself run against the supplier, not the funder, so choose the supplier carefully. The finance agreement continues regardless of a dispute over the goods, which is a good reason to be satisfied with the specification before anything is signed.

No. It stays exactly where it is and you carry on using it throughout. Legal title moves to the funder for the duration of the agreement and returns to you at the end, but nothing about your day-to-day operation changes.

It is driven by what the asset would realistically sell for, discounted for the fact that a forced sale rarely achieves full market value. Recent, well-maintained equipment with an active resale market raises the most. We will get an indication before anything is formally valued.

Often, yes. The existing agreement is settled from the new advance and you receive whatever equity remains. Whether it is worthwhile depends on how much of the original agreement you have already paid off and what the settlement figure looks like.

Yes, and it is very common. Funders look at age and mileage and will usually want the agreement to end well before the vehicle does. Ex-fleet vehicles with a full service history are straightforward; very high-mileage or very old units narrow the panel.

They are normally funded as one asset, with the finished vehicle valued as a whole. If the chassis and the conversion are being bought from different suppliers, tell us early — it affects how the agreement is put together and when funds are released.

Fleets are usually handled as a facility rather than a series of individual agreements, so you can draw down as vehicles are delivered. It is simpler to administer and often prices better than funding each unit separately.

If you need the money quickly, the sum is modest and you would rather not put an asset on the line, unsecured usually wins despite the higher rate. If the amount is large, the term is long or the saving on the rate is material, security is generally worth giving. We will show you both where both are available.

Unsecured lending can complete within a few working days once we have accounts and bank statements. Secured lending depends on valuation and legal work, so think in terms of weeks. We will give you a realistic timetable up front rather than an optimistic one.

Frequently, yes. It reduces the number of lenders willing to look and it costs more, but there are funders who price for adverse rather than declining automatically. What matters most is the explanation behind it and whether the pattern has ended.

For smaller unsecured facilities, sometimes within a day or two of a complete application. Speed depends almost entirely on how quickly you can supply bank statements and accounts, so having those ready makes more difference than anything else.

Per month, yes, compared with a long-term loan. Over a genuinely short period the total cost is often modest and easily justified by what it lets you do. The danger is not the rate — it is using it for longer than intended.

One facility, repaid on time, generally does not. A pattern of several running at once, or repeatedly refinanced, is visible to other lenders and does count against you. Take one if it solves a problem; avoid stacking them.

There is no universal cut-off. Some lenders want six or twelve months of trading, others will look at a business from day one on the strength of the plan and the director. What you can borrow generally rises sharply once you have a full set of filed accounts.

For a start-up, in almost all cases. The company has no history for a lender to rely on, so the security comes from you. Read what you are signing carefully and take independent legal advice before you do.

Not automatically. Scheme lending still has to satisfy the lender's own credit criteria — the government guarantee protects the lender, not the borrower. It helps most where a business is viable but cannot offer the security a lender would normally want.

Often within a few working days, provided we have your recent bank statements and the VAT return figures. It is worth starting a week or two before the due date rather than in the final days.

Usually straight to HMRC, which removes any doubt that the liability has been settled. Some funders will pay the business instead. Either way you should see confirmation that the payment has reached HMRC.

Sometimes, though it becomes harder and more expensive once a bill is overdue and surcharges have started. If you know a payment is going to be difficult, the time to act is before the due date, not after.

Your latest accounts, recent business bank statements and the computation showing the amount due. Because the facility is short and the liability is verifiable, decisions tend to be quicker than for general term lending.

The equivalent for self assessment liabilities exists too, though the lender panel is different and the arrangements often sit closer to personal borrowing. Tell us how the business is structured and we will point you at the right product.

Sometimes, and we will say so when we think it is. Time to Pay carries no arrangement fee, though it does carry interest, and it involves disclosing your position to HMRC. A commercial facility is more discreet and more predictable, but it costs more.

It is driven by your average monthly card turnover, commonly around one month's worth, sometimes more where trading is consistent and the business is well established. Providers will want to see several months of merchant statements.

Repayment slows with them, which is the main attraction of the structure. That said, agreements normally include provisions for prolonged inactivity, so read what happens if the terminal goes quiet for an extended period.

Frequently not, once the fixed fee is expressed as an annual cost. What it offers instead is flexibility — repayments that fall away when trade does. If your income is steady, a term loan is usually better value, and we will tell you when that is the case.

Eligibility turns on things like turnover, sector, where the business trades and what the funding is for, and the rules are revised periodically. We check the current criteria against your circumstances rather than working from what applied last year.

Bounce Back Loans and the Coronavirus Business Interruption scheme closed to new applications years ago, and the Recovery Loan Scheme that followed has itself been replaced. If you are servicing a facility from one of those, it continues under its original terms — but none are available for new borrowing.

No, and this is the single most important thing to understand. The lender can pursue the debt in full, and any personal guarantees stand. The government's guarantee only compensates the lender after it has exhausted its own recovery efforts.

Usually at least 25% to 30% of the property value, and more for specialist property such as hotels, care homes or petrol stations. Some lenders will consider additional security over another property in place of part of the cash deposit.

Six to twelve weeks is realistic from application to completion, driven mostly by the valuation and the legal work rather than by the credit decision. If you have a fixed deadline, tell us at the outset — occasionally a bridge is the sensible way to meet it, with the commercial mortgage following behind.

Yes, and it is very common, particularly for investment property. Lenders will normally want a debenture over the company and personal guarantees from the directors. Whether a company is the right structure for you is a question for your accountant as much as your broker.

It is harder, because most lenders want two years of filed accounts. A strong deposit, relevant experience in the sector and a credible business plan can bridge the gap with the right lender, though expect a lower loan-to-value and a higher margin.

Term lenders want property that is usable and lettable now. A building needing significant work is often better funded with a bridge covering purchase and refurbishment, then refinanced onto a commercial mortgage once it is finished and revalued.

On most cases below a certain size, yes. It makes you personally liable if the company cannot repay. Read what it covers, check whether it is capped, and take independent legal advice before signing.

It depends entirely on the lender. Many permit a second charge subject to their consent and a fee; some refuse as a matter of policy. It is the first thing we check, because there is no point building a case that the first-charge lender will veto.

One to four weeks is typical, though it is often governed by how fast your primary lender responds to the consent request rather than by the gap lender. A solicitor who has done second charges before makes a noticeable difference.

It is closely related and often the same lenders. The distinction is position and purpose: a bridge is usually a first charge funding a whole transaction, while gap finance sits behind an existing mortgage and funds only the shortfall.

Talk to us early rather than at the deadline. Extensions are usually possible but expensive, and the cost rises the later it is raised. This is exactly why lenders ask for a backup exit at the outset.

No, and you should be wary of anyone suggesting otherwise. Gap funding is priced for months, not years. If what you actually need is permanent additional borrowing, a different structure will serve you far better and we will say so.

Often, yes. Short-term lenders weigh the security and the exit more heavily than credit history. It narrows the panel and raises the price, but a satisfied judgment with a clear explanation rarely stops a well-evidenced case.

Yes, though on tighter terms. Expect a lower loan to cost, more equity required and closer scrutiny of your team. An experienced main contractor and an appointed project manager do a great deal to offset a thin personal track record.

You can fund the land, but at a much lower level — a site without consent is valued as land, not as a scheme. Some lenders will structure a facility that increases on consent being granted, which is often the sensible route.

Commonly 20% to 30% of total project cost, and lenders expect it to go in first or alongside rather than being drawn out at the end. Land already owned with equity in it can count toward that contribution.

Interest keeps accruing and the facility may need extending, which is charged for. This is why the contingency and a realistic programme matter so much. Tell us early if it is slipping — options narrow considerably as the term end approaches.

Yes, that is the standard structure. The site element is advanced at completion and the build cost is released in stages afterwards, all under one facility.

A development exit facility refinances the remaining debt onto cheaper terms, giving you room to sell properly rather than discounting to meet a deadline. It is worth arranging before the original facility expires, not after.

Same working day where possible, next working day at the latest. If your client is up against a deadline, say so when you introduce them and we will prioritise accordingly.

Then you stay on the calls. Some partners sit in on everything and some want a note when it completes. Tell us which you prefer at the start and we will work that way.

No. There is no joining fee, no subscription and no minimum commitment. If the arrangement stops being useful to you, it stops — there is nothing to unwind.

For most commercial and business lending, no, since that borrowing generally falls outside the regulated regime. It changes where an introduction touches a regulated activity. Tell us what you have in mind and we will confirm what is needed before anything starts.

No. They came to us for the machine you are selling and that is what we deal with. If they raise something else themselves we will tell you rather than quietly acting on it.

Frequently within a few hours for a straightforward asset where the customer's details are complete. Formal approval takes longer, but an early indication is usually enough to keep the sale moving.

Yes. Used equipment is routine, and imports are workable with clear title and proper documentation — they just take a little longer. Tell us what the machine is and we will tell you where it can be placed.

It should do the opposite. We report back to you, and where a facility has accounting or tax consequences we will say so before anything is signed rather than leaving you to discover it at the year end.

Then we say so, to you and to the client. We are not paid to arrange facilities that should not exist, and telling a client honestly that they should not borrow is usually better for your relationship with them than the alternative.

Yes, and it is a common reason for a referral. A decline from one lender says very little about the rest of the market — appetite varies enormously, especially by sector. Tell us who declined and why, and it saves everyone time.

Yes, on request. Some partners prefer their clients to see everything under their own name and we are happy to work that way. The regulatory content and risk warnings stay as they are, for obvious reasons.

No. It is general explanatory material about how these facilities work, not advice about whether any of them suits a particular business. Anything specific to a client's circumstances comes after we have spoken to them.

It varies by product and by facility size, so it is agreed in writing with you at the outset rather than published. Payment follows completion of the facility, and we will confirm what a given case is worth to you before you introduce it, not after.

Yes, always. We only contact people who know the introduction is being made. It protects your relationship with them as much as it protects us, and it is the right thing to do under data protection law.

It is handled under our privacy policy and UK data protection law. Introduced clients are not added to marketing lists without their agreement, and their details go no further than the funders actively considering their case.

We tell you and the client promptly, explain the reason, and set out what would need to change for it to work later. A referral that simply goes quiet is far worse for your relationship than a clear no.

Yes. There is no restriction on the kind of business you introduce. If it is something genuinely hard to fund we will tell you early rather than letting it drift.

Tell us and we will work it out together before anything happens. Depending on what you are proposing, the right structure may be a simple referral, or it may be a formal introducer or appointed representative arrangement.

Yes, though concentration will be priced in. Invoice finance in particular becomes more cautious when one debtor represents most of the ledger, because the funder's risk sits with that customer's payment behaviour rather than yours.

By generalist lenders, sometimes. Insolvency rates in the sector are high and some funders simply avoid it. Specialists who understand applications, retentions and payment cycles take a very different view, which is why the choice of lender matters so much here.

Yes, with the right funder. System scaffold in particular holds its value well and can be resold, so specialist asset lenders will fund it. Generalist lenders often will not, simply because they do not understand the market for it.

Often, yes, through refinance. The funder values the material, advances against a discounted figure and you continue using it exactly as before. It is a common way to fund the stock needed for a step up in contract size.

Yes, but arrange it beforehand. Auction terms are tight and payment is usually required within days, so approval needs to be in place before you bid. Tell us the lots you are interested in and we will work to that timetable.

Often, though it adds steps. Funders will want clear title, proper import documentation and confidence in the machine's history. Build extra time into the process and expect more questions than on a UK-supplied unit.

Because there is nothing to recover if it goes wrong. A machine can be collected and sold; a fitted interior cannot. Lenders price for that, so expect a higher rate and more emphasis on your trading history than on the works themselves.

Yes, and most fit-out funding is on leased premises. Lenders will want to see enough lease term left to cover the agreement, so a refit funded over five years sits awkwardly against a lease with two years to run.

Yes, and usually as a single facility you draw down as vehicles are delivered. It is easier to administer than a string of separate agreements and often prices better, particularly where the fleet is a mix of new and used units.

Often, yes, though the arithmetic needs doing carefully. If it lets you take on work you would otherwise turn down, or removes the need for expensive short-term borrowing, it usually pays. If it is simply covering an ongoing shortfall, the underlying problem needs addressing first.

Yes. Ramps and workshop equipment are generally removable, so funders can take security in them regardless of who owns the building. Fixed installations such as underground tanks are treated differently and need more thought.

The funder provides a revolving facility against vehicles held for sale. You draw as you buy stock and repay as each unit sells. It works well where stock turns reasonably quickly and becomes expensive where vehicles sit on the pitch for months.

Considerably. Contracted, creditworthy income is the single most useful thing you can show a lender in this sector — it often unlocks longer terms and larger facilities than the accounts alone would support.

Yes, though the panel narrows as equipment becomes more specialised. Standard collection vehicles are easy; bespoke processing lines need funders who understand the resale market for them, and terms will reflect that.

Yes, and it is usually better handled as one facility than as a set of separate agreements. Where a line is being installed in stages, the facility can be structured to release funds as each element is delivered and commissioned.

Very fundable. Quality machine tools hold value for decades and there is an active international market, so funders are comfortable provided the make, age and condition stack up. Full service records make a noticeable difference.

Usually worth considering. Stretching a digital press over seven years lowers the monthly cost but risks leaving you tied to equipment the market has moved past. Matching the term to the period you realistically expect to run it is generally the wiser call.

Service and click charges are normally a separate agreement with the manufacturer or dealer rather than part of the finance. Some packages bundle them, so check what your monthly figure actually covers before comparing quotes.

Yes, and it is increasingly common. The equipment can be funded on hire purchase or lease, with the savings on energy cost typically covering a good portion of the monthly payment. The arithmetic depends heavily on your consumption pattern.

Considerably longer than equipment finance — think months rather than weeks. Site assessment, grid connection, planning and legal work all take time, and lenders will want each properly evidenced before committing.

It narrows the panel rather than closing the door. Generalist funders often decline because they cannot value the asset; specialist lenders will proceed where the business itself is strong and the equipment clearly generates income.

Often, though fit-out is treated as a soft asset and assessed against your trading position rather than any recoverable value. Packaging it alongside fundable instruments sometimes produces a better overall result than funding it alone.

It can be, because repayments fall away when trade does — genuinely useful for a seasonal site. But it is priced as a fixed fee, which often works out dearer than a term loan. We will convert both to a comparable figure so you can judge properly.

Yes, though lenders will want enough lease term remaining to cover the agreement, and will look closely at any tie arrangements. A five-year facility against a lease with two years to run will be difficult wherever you take it.

Yes, but by a small number of specialists rather than the general market. They will want the stock properly stored, insured and independently valued, and advances are conservative against what it will eventually be worth.

Very much so. Stainless vessels have long lives and an active resale market, so used brewing equipment is often an efficient way to add capacity. Funders will want to see it professionally inspected before completion.

Yes, significantly. A site licensed for ten or eleven months supports considerably more borrowing than one restricted to six, because the earning period is longer and the off-season gap smaller. Lenders will ask about it early.

It depends on the unit. Manufactured pods with a recognised brand and resale market fund reasonably well; bespoke or self-built structures are treated as soft assets and assessed against the business rather than the unit.

Yes, and it is usually the sensible approach. A single facility covering the whole equipment package is simpler to manage and often prices better than funding machines piecemeal as budget allows.

Reasonably. Commercial cardio and resistance equipment from recognised manufacturers has an active resale market. Funders will want to know the age and condition, and terms will be shorter than for new equipment.

Short-term facilities and stock funding are both built for exactly this: money in before the season, repaid out of the takings during it. The important thing is matching the repayment period to when the stock actually sells, not to an arbitrary term.

Yes. Facility sizes start low, and turnover-linked products work well for smaller retailers with consistent card income. What matters more than size is that the takings are steady and the accounts are up to date.

Yes. Revenue-based facilities and inventory funding are designed for exactly this position, underwritten from trading data rather than security. Expect a personal guarantee, which is close to universal at this end of the market.

Usually by connecting directly to your sales platform or payment processor with your permission, giving them a live view rather than a spreadsheet. It speeds decisions considerably and generally works in the favour of a genuinely growing business.

Yes, though the assessment differs. Rental income is more predictable than treatment income but usually lower, so funders will look at occupancy of the chairs and how long stylists typically stay rather than at treatment takings.

Generally yes, because it has a genuine resale market behind it. Salon furniture and fit-out are soft assets assessed against your trading position, which usually means a shorter term and a higher rate.

Usually, yes, provided the brand is established. The lender can assess a proven model rather than a forecast, which materially changes the risk. A new or unproven franchise is treated much more like a conventional start-up.

Generally more easily than the first. You now have trading figures of your own and a demonstrated ability to run the model, both of which count for a great deal. Multi-site franchisees often move to a facility structure rather than separate loans.

Not if you take a confidential facility. Collections continue in your name and clients pay into an account you appear to control. Confidential facilities cost a little more and usually require stronger systems and a better track record.

Yes, more easily than it could get a term loan. The funder's principal risk is your clients' ability to pay rather than your trading history, so a new agency invoicing solid corporate customers is a perfectly reasonable proposition.

Yes, and it is one of the most common reasons professional firms borrow. Lenders will focus on fee retention after the acquisition — how much of the acquired client base realistically stays — and will often structure repayment around that.

In some professions, yes, though it is more specialised than ordinary invoice finance because the work is not yet billed. Funders will want reliable time recording and a demonstrable history of WIP converting into paid invoices.

Yes, with the right lender. Facilities sized against contracted monthly recurring revenue are now well established. Funders will want clean reporting on churn and contract terms, and will discount revenue that is rolling monthly rather than committed.

Often, yes. Where you buy a multi-year licence up front and recover it monthly from a client, several funders will finance the purchase so the cash flow mismatch does not sit on your balance sheet. It is a common facility for managed service providers.

Yes, and it is a well-established niche. Funders will look at utilisation rates and the mix of equipment, and will generally prefer recognised professional brands with predictable resale values over consumer-grade kit.

Where there is a signed commission from a creditworthy broadcaster or client, often yes. The funder is effectively lending against that contract, so its strength matters far more than your own balance sheet does.

Healthcare lending is often more generous than in other sectors, and high proportions of the purchase price can sometimes be funded for a qualified buyer with relevant experience. Lenders will still want to see a personal contribution and a credible handover.

Yes. Contracted NHS income is highly predictable and lenders value it accordingly. Private income can be more profitable but is more exposed to local competition and economic conditions, so the mix affects how a practice is assessed.

It makes things considerably harder, and some lenders will decline on rating alone. Others will look at what has been done since and whether improvement is evidenced. Being upfront about it from the start is much better than having it emerge later.

Equipment and operational funding, yes. Larger facilities usually want property security, so leasehold operators tend to be more limited unless the business itself is strong and the lease has substantial term remaining.

Yes, and with an agricultural lender that is standard. Annual or twice-yearly payments aligned to when income actually arrives are far more sensible than equal monthly instalments, and specialist funders offer them as a matter of course.

For property-secured lending, yes, since there is nothing to charge. Machinery and livestock finance is largely unaffected, because the security is the asset itself rather than the land it sits on.

It requires the right funder. Generalists often decline because resale values are unclear; specialist asset lenders will proceed where certification, insurance and contracted work are all demonstrable. Contracts matter more here than the equipment specification.

It is harder, and expect a personal guarantee and a larger deposit. Signed contracts make the biggest difference — a new business with committed work is a far easier case than an established one without any.