Castle Trust Bank is a UK bank offering savings accounts, specialist buy-to-let mortgages and bridging loans through intermediaries. Its bridging products focus on residential property that needs work, from cosmetic updates and EPC improvements to HMO conversions, commercial-to-residential conversions and heavier schemes with planning. Bridge & Build Finance is an independent broker and is not part of Castle Trust, so we can compare its terms with other refurbishment and bridging lenders. You can read more on Castle Trust's own website.
About Castle Trust
Castle Trust says it was launched in 2012, offering investment products and specialist mortgage finance, and received its banking licence in June 2020, when it became Castle Trust Bank. The bank is Castle Trust Capital plc, registered in England and Wales, authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the PRA. It funds its lending partly through savings accounts, and says it has more than 26,500 savings customers.
Alongside property lending, the group includes Omni Capital Retail Finance, a point-of-sale finance business it acquired in 2017. Its specialist mortgages, including bridging loans for buying or refurbishing buy-to-let property and medium-term buy-to-let mortgages, are sold only through authorised intermediaries.
Castle Trust's bridging is for investment property, not homes the borrower lives in, so it does not offer regulated bridging. It is one of the lenders we compare for refurbishment finance and bridging loans.
What Castle Trust funds
At the time of writing (October 2026), Castle Trust's bridging guide (August 2026) covers residential use only, and in October 2026 Castle Trust added commercial-to-residential conversions to its heavy refurbishment products. All products have interest rolled up, and loans over £5m are priced individually.
| Product | Works covered | Key limits | Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| EPC uplift light refurbishment | Works to bring the EPC rating to A to C, up to £100,000; no structural work | £200,000 to £1m; up to 75% net LTV and 75% of end value | Up to 12 months |
| Light refurbishment | Permitted development, building regulations work, conversions to small HMOs of up to six tenants, kitchens, bathrooms, rewiring; works up to £250,000 | £200,000 to £5m; up to 80% net LTV (75% with drawdowns) and 75% of end value | 6 to 12 months |
| Light refurbishment with sale exit | As light refurbishment, for houses worth up to £1m and flats up to £600,000 | From £200,000; up to 80% net LTV (75% with drawdowns) and 70% of end value | 15 months |
| Smaller light refurbishment loans | As light refurbishment, for loans below the usual minimum | £150,000 to £200,000, where the end value is at least £200,000; up to 80% net LTV (75% with drawdowns) | 6 to 12 months |
| Heavy refurbishment | Large HMOs, multi-unit blocks, commercial-to-residential conversions and heavier works needing planning; works up to £750,000 | £200,000 to £5m; up to 80% net LTV (75% with drawdowns) and 75% of end value (70% with drawdowns) | 9 to 18 months (12 to 18 with drawdowns) |
Each product comes in two forms: one where the borrower pays for the works, and one where Castle Trust funds up to 100% of the works costs in arrears through drawdowns of at least £25,000, checked by a monitoring surveyor. Castle Trust says it has no loan to cost restrictions and that below market value purchases are considered.
Most products assume a refinance exit, usually onto a buy-to-let mortgage, while the sale exit products suit investors planning to sell. Heavy refurbishment needs planning permission in place on day one, or permitted development rights for a commercial-to-residential conversion. Commercial-to-residential conversions need planning permission or permitted development rights and a property in a residential area, and warehouses and large office blocks are not considered. Castle Trust treats a permitted development conversion as heavy refurbishment, with works up to £750,000. See our guide to HMO bridging loans.
Who Castle Trust suits (and who it may not)
Castle Trust tends to suit:
- Portfolio landlords and buy-to-let investors refurbishing residential property.
- First-time landlords, which Castle Trust says it will consider.
- Investors converting houses into HMOs, or larger HMO and multi-unit block projects with planning.
- Investors converting commercial buildings in residential areas into homes, with planning or permitted development in place (not warehouses or large office blocks).
- Landlords improving a property's EPC rating before refinancing.
- Ex-pats, foreign nationals and limited companies, including more complex structures.
It does not fund commercial or semi-commercial property that will stay in commercial use, warehouse or large office block conversions, ground-up development or regulated bridging on a borrower's own home. Straightforward purchases with no works planned are not what its products are designed for, and loans under £150,000 fall below its minimum.
What Castle Trust looks at
Castle Trust's checklist asks for:
- Identification and proof of residency for all borrowers.
- A schedule of works with estimates or quotes.
- A completed refurbishment form.
It will also assess the current and end value of the property, the scope of works against each product's limits, and the exit. For sale exit products, it also applies a minimum rental cover test. For heavy refurbishment, planning permission (or, for a commercial-to-residential conversion, permitted development rights) must already be in place.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Up to 80% net LTV on day one for light and heavy refurbishment.
- No loan to cost restrictions.
- Up to 100% of works funded in arrears on drawdown products.
- No early repayment charges after a three-month minimum interest period.
- A product aimed at EPC improvements.
- Regulated as a bank by the PRA and FCA.
Cons
- Residential use only, apart from commercial-to-residential conversions.
- Minimum loan of £150,000 (£200,000 for most products).
- Interest is rolled up, which reduces the net advance.
- Works limits of £250,000 (light) and £750,000 (heavy).
- Available only through intermediaries.
Going through a broker vs going direct
Castle Trust sells its bridging only through authorised intermediaries, so you will need a broker to apply. Refurbishment bridging also varies a great deal between lenders on net LTV, how works are funded and what counts as light or heavy, so comparing several lenders helps you pick the right product. We search the market, approach suitable lenders and help you package the schedule of works.
It is free to enquire, and any broker fee is agreed with you before you proceed. Our heavy refurbishment finance page explains how lenders define the different levels of works.
Alternatives to Castle Trust
- LendInvest: refurbishment bridging with a route onto its own buy-to-let mortgages.
- Precise Mortgages: refurbishment and standard bridging from a specialist bank group.
- Allica Bank: bridging from a specialist business bank.
- Hope Capital: bridging and refurbishment loans for investors.
Common questions
What does Castle Trust bridging fund?
Castle Trust's bridging is for residential investment property that needs light or heavy refurbishment, including HMO conversions and EPC improvements. It considers commercial-to-residential conversions on its heavy refurbishment products where planning permission or permitted development is in place, but not warehouses or large office blocks, and it does not fund property staying in commercial use.
What LTV does Castle Trust offer?
At the time of writing, its refurbishment bridges go up to 80% net LTV on day one where the borrower funds the works, or 75% where Castle Trust funds the works through drawdowns.
Are there early repayment charges with Castle Trust bridging?
Castle Trust says there are no early repayment charges, although a minimum of three months' interest applies.
Is Castle Trust a bank?
Yes. Castle Trust received its banking licence in June 2020 and is authorised by the PRA and regulated by the FCA and PRA.
Can first-time landlords use Castle Trust bridging?
Castle Trust says it will consider first-time landlords, as well as portfolio landlords, limited companies, ex-pats and foreign nationals.
This review is our independent summary of the lender's publicly stated lending, checked in October 2026. Criteria change, so confirm the current position before relying on it. Bridge & Build Finance is an independent broker and is not part of any lender reviewed. Finance is subject to status, valuation and lender approval.
