Speed Is the New Margin: How UK Bridging Lenders Win in a Cooling Market
Sources: Bridging Trends (2025 annual and Q2 2026), BDLA quarterly data (Q1 2026), Octane Capital analysis. For two years, the UK bridging market rewarded everyone. Volumes climbed, new entrants launched, and a lender could grow simply by showing up. That period has ended. Bridging completions fell to £1.8bn in the first quarter of 2026, down […]
Reputation Overtook Rate in UK Bridging Finance
Sources: Norton Broker Services market commentary, Bridging Trends Q2 2026. Ask a bridging lender what it competes on and you will usually hear a number. Ask a broker what decides where a case goes and you increasingly hear something else. Market commentary published this month by Norton Broker Services puts a figure on the shift. […]
Refurbishment and Development Exit Finance in 2026
Sources: Bridging Trends Q2 2026, BDLA Q1 2026, Warm Homes Plan. Straight bridging has cooled. Refurbishment and development exit have not, and they are the two segments with a reason to keep growing regardless of what transaction volumes do next. The headline numbers are soft. BDLA members completed £1.8bn of bridging in Q1 2026 against […]
From 12 Months to 24: What the FCA’s Bridging Proposals Mean for Your Loan Book
Sources: FCA CP26/18, Bridging Trends Q1 2026. The FCA is proposing to double the maximum term on a regulated bridging loan, from 12 months to 24. The consultation closed on 28 July. The policy statement is expected before the end of the year. CP26/18, published on 9 June 2026, is the Mortgage Rule Review moving […]
The 28-Day Clock: Why Auction Buyers Cannot Wait 53 Days for a Bridge
Sources: Bridging Trends (Q1 2026 and 2025 annual), EIG auction data, standard UK auction conditions. The gavel falls and the contract is already binding. There is no cooling-off period, no subject-to-finance clause and no room to renegotiate. The buyer pays a 10% deposit that day and has 28 days to complete. Miss it and the […]