Westwood Capital review: business-purpose bridging, refurbishment and revolving facilities from £100,000

Westwood Capital Finance, often shortened to WCF, is a UK lender of short-term secured finance for businesses and property investors. Its range covers bridging loans, refurbishment and conversion finance, auction finance, revolving credit facilities and mid-term interest-only commercial mortgages, with loans from £100,000 to £2 million. Bridge & Build Finance is an independent broker and is not part of Westwood Capital, so we can compare its terms with other bridging lenders. You can read more on Westwood Capital Finance's own website.

About Westwood Capital

Westwood Capital Finance is based in Beverley, East Yorkshire, and describes itself as a lender providing short-term, secured bridging finance tailored to its clients. It says its lending is made up of its own funds and private high-net-worth capital, so each loan is completed from its own resources rather than an institutional funding line.

Westwood emphasises direct access to the people who make lending decisions, with brokers and borrowers dealing with its underwriters and a dedicated relationship manager. It is a non-bank lender, and its loans are strictly for business purposes and unregulated.

Westwood Capital is one of the lenders we compare for bridging loans, commercial bridging and revolving facilities.

What Westwood Capital funds

At the time of writing (October 2026), Westwood's September 2026 brochure sets out these products. Loan to value is based on open market value, or vacant possession value where lower.

Larger loans may be considered deal by deal. Bridging can be used for property purchases and refinances, auction purchases, below market value purchases and secured business loans for stock, plant and machinery or cash flow. Westwood also offers a hunting fund, a pre-approved facility that lets you bid at auction knowing the purchase will be funded subject to valuation.

Refurbishment loans release funds in up to five milestone drawdowns. The revolving facility lets limited companies and partnerships draw, repay and redraw funds for property, auctions, refurbishment, stock or working capital. Exits can include refinancing internally onto Westwood's three or five year commercial mortgage, which works as a form of bridge-to-term finance.

Who Westwood Capital suits (and who it may not)

Westwood Capital tends to suit:

• Businesses and property investors needing £100,000 to £2 million for a business purpose.
• Auction buyers, including those who want a pre-approved hunting fund.
• Borrowers with harder-to-fund assets, such as hospitality property, which Westwood says it will consider for the right borrower and LTV.
• Traders and investors who want a revolving facility rather than a new bridge for each deal.
• Borrowers who want the option of moving onto a three or five year loan with the same lender.
• Businesses raising funds against a director's home on a second charge, behind a high street lender.

It is not suitable for regulated bridging on a home for personal purposes, ground-up development, or borrowers unwilling to give personal guarantees. Property in Northern Ireland is outside its territory.

What Westwood Capital looks at

Westwood's brochure sets out four areas of review:

• The asset: how easily it could be resold; unusual property may be declined or offered lower leverage.
• The applicant: each case is judged on its merits, though arrears or defaults on secured credit weigh on the decision.
• The exit: an external refinance, an internal refinance onto Westwood's term product, or the sale of the security or another asset.
• Affordability: assessed on all serviced loans, and on retained loans where the exit is less clear.

All products require 100% personal guarantees, alongside charges over property and, where relevant, business assets. First charges are taken on commercial and buy-to-let property; second charges are only on directors' own homes behind credible high street lenders.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Lends using its own and private capital.
• Lends across England, Scotland and Wales.
• Revolving credit facility and hunting fund for repeat buyers.
• Option to move onto a three or five year commercial mortgage.
• Hospitality and other harder-to-fund assets considered.
• No early redemption fees once half the agreed term has passed.

Cons

• Maximum £2 million on core products.
• 100% personal guarantees required on every loan.
• Business purpose only, with no regulated bridging.
• Lower LTVs on property worth more than £1 million.
• No ground-up development finance.

Going through a broker vs going direct

Westwood deals with brokers and borrowers directly. Its products, especially the revolving facility and term mortgage, can be useful, but costs such as setup and exit fees, minimum drawdowns and personal guarantee requirements vary between lenders and are worth comparing.

We search the market, present your case and approach suitable lenders, including Westwood Capital where it fits. It is free to enquire, and any broker fee is disclosed before you proceed. See our guide to revolving bridging facilities.

Alternatives to Westwood Capital

• TFG Capital: bridging, heavy refurbishment and land from £50,000.
• StreamBank: bridging and refurbishment, including regulated cases.
• Hope Capital: bridging and refurbishment, including commercial-to-residential.
• Charles Street Finance: bridging from £50,000 to £10 million.
• Black and White Bridging: bridging, refurbishment, commercial-to-residential and land.

Common questions

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.