What counts as specialist finance in the UK?

UK specialist finance covers short-term and non-standard property lending — bridging loans (0.79–1.15%/mo), property development finance (up to 65% GDV), commercial mortgages (up to 75% LTV), semi-commercial, HMO term loans, second-charge mortgages, and finance for SPVs, LLPs and pension trusts. It is priced individually by lenders such as MT Finance, United Trust Bank, Shawbrook, Together and Interbay.

How is specialist finance different from a standard mortgage?

Standard mortgages are long-term (25+ year) residential loans priced on income multiples. Specialist finance is typically short-term (3–24 months for bridging and development) or commercial (5–25 year terms secured on non-residential assets), priced on asset value, exit strategy and EBITDA / rental cover rather than personal income.

How fast can specialist finance complete?

Bridging: 5–10 working days for MT Finance, UTB and Together with light legal packs. Development finance: 3–6 weeks including valuation and monitored surveyor. Commercial mortgages: 6–12 weeks depending on complexity.

Commercial Mortgages

Buy the building your business trades from.

Owner-occupied to 75% LTV, investment to 70% LTV, SIPP/SSAS to 50% LTV. Offices, retail, warehouses and semi-commercial from 6.29%.

AI summary

A UK commercial mortgage is a long-term (5–25 year) loan secured against commercial or semi-commercial property. Owner-occupied deals go up to 75% LTV with EBITDA-based affordability; investment deals go up to 70% LTV assessed on rental Interest Cover Ratio (typically 130–160%). Lenders include HSBC, NatWest, Shawbrook, Aldermore, Interbay and Together. 2026 rates start from 6.29% owner-occupied and 6.79% investment.

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Key facts

The numbers, at a glance.

Rates from

6.29%

Max LTV (own-occ)

75%

Max LTV (inv)

70%

Term

5–25 yrs

Eligibility & documents

What lenders want to see.

Who typically qualifies

Trading companies buying their own premises
Commercial investors buying let property
Semi-commercial (shop with flat above)
SIPP / SSAS pension purchases (commercial only)
Ltd company, LLP or individual borrowers

Documents to prepare

2–3 years of business accounts (owner-occupied)
Rent schedule and current leases (investment)
Business plan and projections
Latest 6 months' business bank statements
Personal ID, address history and asset statement of guarantors

Why us

How Elena helps, specifically.

Own vs rent

Owning premises builds equity and typically costs less than commercial rent.

Up to 75% LTV

Owner-occupied purchases with strong trading history at prime pricing.

SIPP-eligible

Hold commercial property in a UK SIPP or SSAS — let to your own company.

Semi-commercial

Shop-with-flat and mixed-use assessed with blended commercial + residential income.

Interest-only options

Interest-only available on investment deals to maximise cashflow.

AI-matched

Elena screens 15+ UK commercial lenders in under 60 seconds.

What Elena recommends

Top lender matches for this profile

Best match

HSBC

Commercial 5yr Fix · 65% LTV

6.29%

representative rate

Match score94%

"Prime owner-occupied pricing for trading businesses with 2+ years accounts."

Shawbrook

Commercial Investment 5yr · 70% LTV

6.89%

representative rate

Match score88%

"Flexible investment lender covering offices, retail and semi-commercial."

InterBay

Semi-Commercial 5yr · 75% LTV

7.19%

representative rate

Match score82%

"Specialist for shop-with-flat and mixed-use investment purchases."

FAQ

Questions, answered.

Can't find your answer?

Elena, our AI mortgage expert, can answer it in seconds — or book you a free callback with a human broker.

What is a UK commercial mortgage?

A UK commercial mortgage is a long-term (5–25 year) loan secured against commercial property — offices, retail, warehouses, mixed-use and semi-commercial. Owner-occupied deals go up to 75% LTV; investment (let to tenants) up to 70% LTV. 2026 rates start from 6.29% for owner-occupied and 6.79% for investment, with lenders including HSBC, Shawbrook, Aldermore, Interbay and Together.

What LTV can I get on a commercial property?

Owner-occupied commercial: up to 75% LTV via HSBC, NatWest and Shawbrook. Commercial investment: up to 70% LTV via Interbay and Aldermore. Semi-commercial (residential above shop): up to 75% LTV via specialist lenders. Higher LTVs need cross-charge or personal guarantees.

How is affordability assessed on a commercial mortgage?

Owner-occupied uses EBITDA to loan-service ratio (typically 1.3–1.5×). Investment uses rental Interest Cover Ratio (ICR) of 130–160% at a stressed rate. Semi-commercial uses a blended calculation across the residential rent and commercial rent.

Can I get a commercial mortgage via my SIPP or SSAS?

Yes — commercial (not residential) property can be held in a UK SIPP or SSAS pension. Lenders such as InterBay, Metro and Shawbrook lend directly to SIPPs and SSASes up to 50% LTV, with the property let to your own trading company at a market rent.

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