Ultimate Finance is mainly known as an invoice and asset-based lender to UK businesses, but it also runs a property bridging business. Its bridging range funds purchases, below market value buys, light and medium refurbishment, development exit and development finish-and-exit on residential and semi-commercial property. Bridge & Build Finance is an independent broker and is not part of Ultimate Finance, so we can compare its terms with other bridging and development exit lenders. You can read more on Ultimate Finance's own website.
About Ultimate Finance
Ultimate Finance says it has been funding UK businesses since 2002 and describes itself as a specialist asset-based lender. It is headquartered in Bristol, with regional offices, and is backed by the Tavistock Group, an international private investment organisation. It is not a bank. Alongside bridging, it provides invoice finance, construction and recruitment finance, trade finance, asset finance and structured finance.
Its bridging is for business purposes only, lent to UK registered or domiciled companies, so it does not offer regulated bridging on a home the borrower or their family lives in. Ultimate Finance has reported growth in its overall loan book in recent years, and it has added semi-commercial bridging to its range.
Ultimate Finance is one of the lenders we compare for bridging loans, development exit finance and finish-and-exit finance.
What Ultimate Finance funds
At the time of writing (October 2026), Ultimate Finance's bridging introducer guide (August 2026), its semi-commercial bridging guide (June 2026) and its Optimise guide set out the following. Loans run for 1 to 18 months on a first charge, LTV is based on open market value, and interest can be serviced, part-serviced or retained.
| Product | What it is for | Key limits |
|---|---|---|
| Purchase bridge | Buying residential investment property | £100,000 to £4m, up to 75% LTV |
| Below market value and title split | Buying at a discount for a legitimate reason (such as probate, auction or an option agreement), or splitting a title into units | Up to 100% of the purchase price, subject to overall limits |
| Development exit | Refinancing a completed scheme, or one with no more than £50,000 of works left, to allow time to sell or let | Up to 75% LTV |
| Development finish and exit | Completing a nearly finished scheme, with no structural works, and then holding it for sale | Up to 75% LTV and 70% of gross development value overall |
| Refurbishment | Light touch (works up to 20% of value or £100,000), light (30% or £200,000) and medium (50% or £500,000) non-structural works | Light touch up to 85% gross LTV or 70% of GDV on day one |
| Semi-commercial bridging | Purchases, refinancing, refurbishment and development exit on mixed-use property that is at least half residential by value | £150,000 to £4m (£3.5m on below market value), up to 70% LTV on purchases and 75% on development exit; refurbishment up to 70% day one, 65% of GDV and 90% of cost |
| Optimise | Residential purchases by experienced investors, using automated or desktop valuations | £100,000 to £750,000 (£500,000 outside Greater London), up to 75% LTV depending on the valuation |
Refurbishment loans cover works such as kitchens, bathrooms, rewiring and reconfiguration, with costs released monthly in arrears and a 10% contingency expected. Structural works, demolition and rebuild, roof replacement and airspace development are excluded. Optimise is not available for listed buildings, HMOs, large blocks of flats, properties under 30 square metres, recent new builds, commercial or semi-commercial property or land.
Bridging is available in England, Wales and Scotland. See our guide to semi-commercial bridging.
Who Ultimate Finance suits (and who it may not)
Ultimate Finance tends to suit:
- Experienced property investors buying through a limited company or SPV.
- Developers with completed or nearly completed schemes who need time to sell.
- Investors buying below market value or splitting titles.
- Investors carrying out light or medium cosmetic and internal refurbishment.
- Investors in semi-commercial property such as shops, offices, surgeries or restaurants with flats.
- Non-UK residents borrowing through a UK limited company or SPV.
It is not suitable for regulated bridging, first-time investors on most products, structural or heavy refurbishment, ground-up development, or commercial-only property. On semi-commercial it excludes pubs, nightclubs, care homes, petrol stations, non-standard construction, Grade I listed buildings and short leaseholds. Development finish-and-exit loans are not available to borrowers with adverse credit.
What Ultimate Finance looks at
Ultimate Finance's guides set out net worth and experience requirements alongside the property assessment. It typically looks at:
- Experience: at least one completed and sold or refinanced project for development exit and finish-and-exit, and two for refurbishment.
- Net worth, including property owned outside the security.
- Personal guarantees, with the level depending on the product and LTV.
- Credit history: adverse credit may be considered with a clear explanation, but not on finish-and-exit, and semi-commercial refurbishment above 65% LTV needs 12 months of clean credit.
- A full valuation on semi-commercial cases, with the exit tested on the lower of passing or market rent.
- For refurbishment, a project monitoring surveyor, a schedule of works with contingency and monthly drawdown requests.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Loans up to £4m.
- Development exit and finish-and-exit products.
- Up to 100% of the purchase price on below market value deals, within overall limits.
- Semi-commercial bridging across a wide range of uses.
- Lends in Scotland as well as England and Wales.
- Flexible interest options.
Cons
- Business purpose only, no regulated bridging.
- Experience and net worth requirements, with personal guarantees.
- No structural refurbishment or ground-up development.
- Maximum term of 18 months.
- First charge only.
Going through a broker vs going direct
Ultimate Finance works with introducers as well as direct borrowers. Development exit and finish-and-exit loans in particular vary between lenders on leverage, how unsold units are valued and how much equity can be released, so it pays to compare. We search the market, approach suitable lenders and compare the offers on total cost and flexibility.
It is free to enquire, and any broker fee is agreed with you before you proceed.
Alternatives to Ultimate Finance
- Allica Bank: bridging from a specialist business bank.
- Momenta Finance: bridging for investors, including second charges.
- Black and White Bridging: bridging and refurbishment loans for investors.
- LendInvest: bridging and developer exit finance across a wide loan range.
Common questions
How much can I borrow from Ultimate Finance?
Ultimate Finance's bridging loans run from £100,000 to £4m, or from £150,000 for semi-commercial property.
What LTV does Ultimate Finance offer?
At the time of writing, up to 75% of open market value on residential bridging and development exit, and on semi-commercial up to 70% for purchases and 75% for development exit.
Does Ultimate Finance offer development exit finance?
Yes. It offers development exit loans up to 75% LTV and a finish-and-exit product for schemes that are nearly complete, up to 70% of gross development value.
Does Ultimate Finance offer regulated bridging?
No. Its bridging is for business purposes only, lent to UK registered or domiciled companies.
Can overseas investors borrow from Ultimate Finance?
Non-UK residents may borrow if they do so through a UK limited company or SPV.
Does Ultimate Finance fund heavy refurbishment?
No. Its refurbishment loans cover light touch, light and medium non-structural works, up to 50% of current value or £500,000. Structural works and demolition are excluded.
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.
