Owner-occupied premises. Commercial investment. Mixed-use properties. Commercial mortgages require a different kind of expertise — lenders who understand business income, tenant covenants, and lease structures, not just personal affordability. We know exactly where to find them.
Commercial lending is assessed differently.
It requires a broker who understands the difference.
Where residential lending centres on personal income and expenditure, commercial mortgage underwriting looks at the business — EBITDA, DSCR, tenant covenant strength, lease length, planning use, and asset liquidity. These are specialist considerations that require specialist lenders, and a broker who knows how to present a case in terms those lenders understand and find compelling.
The commercial lending market is smaller and less standardised than residential. Criteria vary significantly between lenders, and the difference between the right lender and the wrong one is often the difference between an approval and a decline — or between a competitive rate and an expensive one. Whole-of-market independence is not a marketing phrase here. It is what changes the outcome.
"Commercial property finance rewards preparation. The lender who approves your case isn't always the obvious one — and finding them requires knowing the whole market, not just a curated panel."
Purchasing the premises your business trades from — whether retail, office, industrial, or mixed-use — is one of the most significant financial decisions a business owner makes. We access lenders who assess business income correctly and understand the owner-occupier relationship.
Lending is typically based on the business's trading performance — EBITDA, net profit, or DSCR — rather than personal income alone.
Commercial investment mortgages — where the property is let to a third-party tenant — are assessed primarily on rental income, tenant covenant strength, and lease terms. The right lender, applied to correctly, can unlock competitive rates even on complex multi-let or mixed-use assets.
Lease length, tenant quality, and break clauses all affect lender appetite significantly. We assess these before approaching anyone.
Mixed-use properties — typically retail or office at ground floor with residential above — sit between two lending categories. Most standard lenders won't touch them. Specialist lenders assess the combined income and will lend on the asset as a whole, at competitive terms for the right case.
The commercial element's proportion, planning use, and income split all affect which lenders will consider the case and on what terms.
Properties with a residential element that includes commercial use — a live-work unit, a residential property with a home office or treatment room — require careful lender selection. The commercial element affects planning, valuation, and lender appetite in ways that vary enormously between providers.
We advise on the planning position and lender implications before you commit to a purchase.
Refinancing an existing commercial property to release capital — for business investment, further property acquisition, or restructuring — requires careful lender selection and case packaging. The right lender can release substantial equity at competitive rates where the wrong one would decline or offer poor terms.
We assess the asset value, rental income, and business position to identify the maximum achievable borrowing before any lender approach.
Specialist commercial sectors — medical practices, care facilities, hotels, restaurants, and leisure assets — require lenders with genuine sector appetite and appropriate underwriting methodology. EBITDA-based lending, management accounts, and sector-specific valuation approaches all apply.
We have lender relationships across specialist commercial sectors and know which providers have genuine appetite for your type of asset.
The ratio of net operating income to annual mortgage payments. Most commercial lenders require a DSCR of at least 1.25x — meaning the property generates 25% more income than the mortgage costs. Understanding your DSCR before approaching lenders shapes which ones are viable.
For owner-occupied commercial and trading businesses, lenders assess EBITDA rather than personal income. Presenting accounts correctly — and understanding which lenders apply the most generous EBITDA multiples for your sector — is what makes the difference between a competitive offer and a marginal one.
For investment properties, the quality of the tenant matters as much as the rental income. A national covenant on a long lease attracts very different lender appetite to a local business on a short lease with a break clause. We assess covenant strength before recommending any lender or LTV.
Lenders are sensitive to unexpired lease term, break clauses, rent review mechanisms, and repairing obligations. A lease with 3 years remaining attracts significantly different terms to one with 15. We factor lease structure into lender selection from the outset — not as an afterthought when the wrong lender declines.
Commercial LTV is typically lower than residential — most lenders will consider up to 70–75%, with some specialist lenders reaching 80% for strong covenants. The property type, sector, and location all affect the maximum achievable LTV. We assess this before any application to avoid surprises.
Commercial lenders consider how easily the asset could be sold or refinanced if needed. Specialist or single-use assets attract more cautious underwriting than general-purpose commercial properties. Lender appetite varies enormously by sector and location — knowing where to go avoids wasted time and unnecessary declines.
"Commercial finance rewards the broker who does the work before the application. The case that arrives at a lender's credit committee prepared and complete gets a very different response to the one that doesn't."Nathan Lawes — Director & Principal Adviser
We assess the asset, the income, and the structure before approaching any lender. DSCR calculation, EBITDA analysis, tenant covenant review — the work that determines which lenders are viable and at what LTV.
Business accounts, management information, rent rolls, tenancy schedules, and planning documents — collected, reviewed, and packaged into a professional credit submission that presents your case in the strongest possible light.
We approach the right lender — not the nearest one — and manage the credit committee process through to approval. Commercial valuations are instructed in parallel. We handle all lender queries and keep you informed at every stage.
Commercial legal work is more complex than residential. We coordinate with solicitors on both sides, manage the conditions of offer, and stay actively involved through to funds release and completion.
Straight answers to the questions business owners and commercial investors ask us most.
Tell us about the property, the income, and what you're trying to achieve. We'll give you an honest assessment of what's achievable — before any lender sees your case. Every conversation is with Nathan personally.
FCA regulated · Whole-of-market · Independent advice