Commercial finance
Commercial Finance for UK Businesses, Investors & Developers
Buying business premises? Funding a development? Investing in commercial property? Need equipment, working capital or help managing a large business liability?
Start with Bright Money Independent.
Tell us what you're trying to achieve and we'll help identify the appropriate next step. We'll discuss your requirements and help you explore the commercial finance options available.
Based in Oxfordshire. Helping clients across the UK.
What is commercial finance?
Commercial finance is funding designed for businesses, property investors and developers.
It can be used to buy or refinance property, fund construction or refurbishment, purchase business assets, improve cash flow, release money tied up in invoices or help meet significant business liabilities.
The right solution depends on what you're trying to achieve, your circumstances, the security available and the timescale involved.
What do you need finance for?
Buy premises for your business
A commercial mortgage can help your business buy the property it trades from or refinance premises it already owns.
Commercial mortgages
Buy or refinance investment property
Commercial and semi-commercial finance can support investment in business, mixed-use and other specialist property.
Property finance
Complete quickly or buy at auction
Bridging finance can help where speed or flexibility matters, including auctions, refurbishment and property that may not initially qualify for a conventional mortgage.
Explore bridging finance
Build, convert or refurbish property
Development finance can help fund ground-up construction, conversions and substantial refurbishment projects.
Development finance
Buy machinery, equipment or vehicles
Asset finance can help your business acquire essential assets without necessarily paying the full cost upfront.
Asset finance
Release money from unpaid invoices
Invoice finance can help qualifying businesses access cash tied up in outstanding B2B invoices.
Invoice finance
Manage cash flow or a large tax payment
Business finance may help with working-capital requirements or liabilities such as VAT and Corporation Tax.
Business & tax funding
Your bank has declined you
Different lenders assess commercial cases in different ways. One lender saying no does not necessarily mean the requirement cannot be funded.
Discuss a complex case
Commercial property finance
Commercial mortgages
A commercial mortgage is borrowing secured against property used wholly or partly for business or investment purposes.
This can include offices, shops, warehouses, industrial units, workshops, business premises and some mixed-use properties.
An owner-occupied commercial mortgage is generally used where your own business trades from the property.
A commercial investment mortgage is used where the property is primarily held as an investment and generates rental income.
Commercial lenders may consider the property, the financial strength of the business or investment, available deposit or equity, affordability and the purpose of the borrowing.
Discuss a commercial mortgage
Bridging finance
Bridging finance is short-term funding commonly used where conventional long-term borrowing may be too slow or unsuitable at that stage.
It can help with auction purchases, refurbishment projects, unmortgageable property, chain breaks, short-term refinancing and development exits.
BMI already has specialist guidance covering many of these situations.
Explore bridging finance
Development finance
Development finance is designed to fund property construction, conversion and major refurbishment.
Funding may be structured around the project itself and released as the development progresses.
It can be used for ground-up development, conversions, mixed-use schemes and substantial refurbishment.
Development finance vs development exit finance
Development finance helps fund the project itself.
Development exit finance is generally used later, once the development is complete or approaching completion, to refinance the original development facility.
Discuss development finance
Explore development exit finance
Finance for business assets and cash flow
Asset finance
Asset finance can help businesses acquire vehicles, machinery, plant, technology and specialist equipment while spreading the cost over time.
The structure available will depend on the business, the asset and the finance provider.
Discuss asset finance
Invoice finance
Invoice finance can allow qualifying businesses to access money against outstanding B2B invoices before their customers have paid.
It can be particularly useful when growth puts pressure on working capital.
Discuss invoice finance
Tax funding
A significant VAT or Corporation Tax bill can put pressure on otherwise healthy business cash flow.
Specialist finance may be available to help eligible businesses spread the cost of qualifying tax liabilities rather than meeting the full amount from working capital at once.
Discuss tax funding
Has your bank said no?
A decline from your existing bank can feel like the end of the road.
It isn't necessarily.
Commercial lenders can take very different approaches to property types, trading history, company structures, leases, credit history, borrowing levels and time-sensitive transactions.
Sometimes the issue isn't that the requirement cannot be funded. It may simply sit outside that lender's appetite.
There is no guarantee another lender will say yes, but a declined case can still be worth exploring more widely.
Let us look at your funding requirement
How do commercial lenders assess a case?
Commercial finance is often assessed as a complete case rather than against one headline number.
The business
Trading history, financial performance, ownership structure and future plans.
The property or security
Value, condition, location, use and marketability.
Affordability
How repayments will be supported.
Deposit or equity
Cash/equity available and overall borrowing requirement.
Purpose of finance
Premises, investment, development, assets, working capital or another need.
Exit strategy
Particularly relevant to short-term finance.
Timescale
Urgent cases may require a different funding structure.
Commercial finance is often assessed as a complete case rather than against one headline number.
Based in Oxfordshire. Helping businesses across the UK.
BMI is based in Thame, Oxfordshire.
Our commercial-finance enquiries, however, are not limited to Oxfordshire.
We can help businesses, investors and property professionals across the UK identify the appropriate route for their funding requirement and, where suitable, introduce them to BrightCap.
Discuss your funding requirement
How BMI and BrightCap work together
Bright Money Independent and BrightCap Partners Ltd are separate businesses.
1
Tell us what you're trying to achieve
Give BMI a brief outline of your funding requirement.
2
We identify the appropriate route
We'll establish whether your enquiry sits within BMI's services or would be more appropriately handled as a specialist commercial-finance referral.
3
You decide whether you want the introduction
If BrightCap is the appropriate route, we'll explain the referral first.
There is no obligation to proceed.
With your consent, BMI can share your name, telephone number and email address with BrightCap so its team can contact you about the enquiry.
4
BrightCap takes responsibility for the commercial-finance instruction
If you decide to proceed and BrightCap accepts your instruction, BrightCap becomes responsible for the commercial-finance advice and arranging activities it provides and issues its own customer documentation.
5
Your case progresses from there
BrightCap can then assess the requirement with you and explore the appropriate commercial-finance options.
Bright Money Independent Ltd and BrightCap Partners Ltd are separate legal entities. BMI is an Appointed Representative of Sesame Limited. BrightCap Partners Ltd is an Appointed Representative of Moorgate Finance Ltd T/A MBN.
Commercial finance FAQs
What is commercial finance?
Commercial finance covers funding for businesses, commercial property, development and other business requirements. It includes products such as commercial mortgages, bridging finance, development finance, asset finance and invoice finance.
What is the difference between a commercial mortgage and business finance?
A commercial mortgage is normally secured against commercial or mixed-use property.
Business finance is broader and can include asset finance, invoice finance, working-capital facilities and other forms of funding.
How much deposit do I need for a commercial mortgage?
There is no single deposit requirement for every commercial mortgage.
The amount needed can depend on the property, intended use, strength of the business or investment proposition, valuation and lender criteria.
How long does a commercial mortgage take?
Timescales vary.
Valuation, legal work, the complexity of the case, available information and the lender involved can all affect how quickly a transaction progresses.
Can I get commercial finance if my bank has declined me?
Potentially.
Different lenders have different appetites for property types, industries and borrower circumstances. There is no guarantee funding will be available, but a decline from one bank does not mean every lender will reach the same decision.
What information might a commercial lender need?
Depending on the facility, lenders may ask for information about the business, financial performance, the property or asset, the purpose of the borrowing and how the finance will be repaid.
Can a new business get commercial finance?
Potentially, although limited trading history may reduce the available options.
Lenders may place greater emphasis on available security, deposit, business plan and the experience of the people behind the business.
Can commercial finance be used for mixed-use property?
Yes, some mixed-use properties can be funded through commercial or semi-commercial lending.
Read our semi-commercial mortgage guide
Can finance help with a VAT or Corporation Tax bill?
Potentially.
Specialist finance may be available to eligible businesses that want to meet a VAT or Corporation Tax liability without using the full amount of working capital at once.
Do you only work with businesses in Oxfordshire?
No. BMI is based in Oxfordshire, but commercial-finance enquiries can come from businesses, investors and developers across the UK.
What happens if BMI introduces me to BrightCap?
BMI explains the referral and obtains your consent before sharing your contact details.
You are under no obligation to proceed. If BrightCap accepts your instruction, it becomes responsible for the commercial-finance advice and arranging activities it provides.
What information does BMI share with BrightCap?
Under the current referral arrangement, BMI shares only your name, email address and telephone number to make the introduction, and must obtain your consent before doing so.
Tell us what you need funding for
You don't need to know which commercial-finance product is right before contacting us.
Tell us what you're trying to achieve and we'll help identify the appropriate next step.
