Borrowing direct from the lender vs through a broker
Most bridging finance is arranged through a broker. Here is what actually changes when you deal with the lender directly.
Both routes can get a deal done. The difference is in who you are talking to, how many parties sit between you and the decision, and what that means for cost, speed and certainty.
The broker route
How arranging through a broker works
A broker sits between you and a panel of lenders. They take your requirements, place the case with a lender they think will fund it, and manage the process. A good broker adds real value when a case is complex, unusual, or needs to be shopped across many lenders to find one willing to lend at all.
The trade-offs are that there is an extra party in the chain, the lender’s decision still happens somewhere you cannot see, and a broker fee is usually payable on completion in addition to the lender’s own fees.
The direct route
How borrowing direct works
When you come to us directly, you speak to the people who provide the capital and make the decision. There is no broker fee in the chain, and nothing is being relayed back and forth to a third party.
Because we lend our own funds, there is no credit committee and no external funding line to satisfy. That tends to mean a faster, clearer answer, and a single point of contact from first enquiry through to completion.
Side by side
What changes for you
- Cost — direct removes the broker fee from the chain; you still pay the lender’s own fees either way
- Speed — fewer parties and a direct decision usually mean a quicker answer
- Certainty — you hear the terms, and any conditions, from the decision-maker rather than second hand
- Access — a broker can reach many lenders; going direct reaches one, so the lender has to be a genuine fit for your deal
When a broker still makes sense
Direct is not always the right call
If your transaction is complex, sits outside a single lender’s criteria, or you want the market searched on your behalf, a broker earns their fee. Going direct works best when you already know the lender fits your deal — for us, that means a company, SPV, LLP or property-business borrower, a first charge over suitable UK property in England and Wales, and a clear exit.
If that describes your transaction, you can see exactly what we do and don’t lend on in our lending criteria, and read how company bridging works.
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Want a direct answer on your deal?
Speak directly with the people making the lending decision. Brokers are welcome too.