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Start with the repayment route, then work through costs, security and the deadline.
Explore the stages, not a fixed schedule. Legal work, lending and property checks often overlap. This is a guide, not a tracker of your application. Purchase references to exchange and completion use England and Wales; ask your solicitor about Scotland or Northern Ireland.
Bridging is short-term borrowing. The repayment route needs to be considered at the outset rather than left until the loan ends.
Write down the funding purpose, deadline and proposed repayment source.
You and your adviser
There is a clear exit to investigate.
Background reading: British Business Bank — What is a business bridging loan? ↗
Look beyond the headline rate when assessing short-term finance. Ask for the fees, interest basis and repayment amount to be explained.
Request an itemised illustration and test a delayed exit.
You, adviser and prospective lender
You can explain the cost and what a delay changes.
Background reading: British Business Bank — What is a business bridging loan? ↗
A secured loan places the property at risk if repayment obligations are not met. The lender’s assessment and legal work must be completed.
Provide property, ownership and existing finance details.
Lender, valuer and solicitors
Security and legal questions are resolved to the lender’s satisfaction.
Background reading: British Business Bank — What is a business bridging loan? ↗
Review the written facility and the requirements for funds to be released. An urgent deadline does not remove due diligence.
Ask your solicitor to explain the commitments before signing.
You, solicitor and lender
The agreed drawdown conditions are satisfied.
Background reading: British Business Bank — What is a business bridging loan? ↗
Keep the repayment plan active during the loan. Discuss delays early and check actual repayment figures with the lender.
Track sale or refinance actions and obtain a redemption statement.
You, adviser, lender and solicitor
Repayment and release of security are confirmed.
Background reading: British Business Bank — What is a business bridging loan? ↗
Sources checked 12 October 2026. Process explanations are summarised; preparation prompts and checkpoints are editorial checklists, not requirements imposed by the source. Follow the linked original for its scope and updates.
MoneyHelper provides public money guidance. GOV.UK provides government information. British Business Bank explains business finance. Shawbrook is an example of one lender’s development process, not a whole-market rule or endorsement. Terms, approvals and timescales depend on the case. These guides do not replace personal financial, legal, tax or technical advice.
The headline facility may include retained interest or financed fees. Subtract deductions and any existing-loan redemption to establish the net cash available. The deposit needed can therefore be larger than a simple loan-to-value calculation suggests.
Interest, arrangement fees, broker fees, valuation, lender legal costs, your legal costs and any exit fee should be shown separately. Check whether VAT applies to any professional charge and whether a minimum interest period applies.
Serviced interest is paid during the term. Retained or rolled-up interest changes cash available or the balance repaid. The agreement determines whether and how unused interest is returned after early repayment. Do not assume all monthly rate quotations work alike.
Ask what happens if sale or refinance is late. Extension, default interest and legal enforcement costs can be substantial. The exit should include the balance, all interest and charges, not just the day-one amount.
If a £200,000 gross facility has £12,000 retained interest and £4,000 deducted fees, net funds before other costs are £184,000. This is a hypothetical arithmetic example, not a product quote. Actual terms may calculate interest differently.
Further reading: MoneyHelper: mortgages and homebuying. Content updated 17 September 2026. General information; availability depends on the individual case.
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