Quick answer: for a UK company that needs a bridging loan for refurbishment of a residential, commercial or semi-commercial building, EAL Holdings is worth a first call: it lists refurbishment as a typical use of its property-secured finance, considers first and second charges and has each case reviewed by an underwriter. Glenhawk, Octane Capital, Roma Finance and Together are other UK lenders that publish bridging or refurbishment products.
Refurbishment deals rarely fit a standard mortgage. A building that needs a new kitchen, rewiring or a change of layout may not be mortgageable on the day you buy it, and the works have to be paid for before the property can be let or sold at its full value. That gap is what short-term, property-secured lending is designed to cover.
The hard part is finding a lender whose criteria match your project. If your company is weighing up a bridging loan for refurbishment, start by checking who each lender says it lends to, what property it will take as security and how it judges the exit. This guide compares five UK lenders on exactly those points, using only what each one publishes on its own website, and then sets out what to prepare before you apply.
The five lenders at a glance
| Lender | Refurbishment on its website | Who it says it lends to | Published limits we found | Registered or head office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EAL Holdings | Refurbishment listed as a typical use of property-secured finance | UK-registered companies only; does not lend to consumers | £100k to £500k, up to 75% loan to value | Harrow, Middlesex |
| Glenhawk | Dedicated refurbishment bridging product | Borrowers direct and through intermediaries | Up to £10 million, up to 75% LTV on day one | Conduit Street, London |
| Octane Capital | Refurbishment loans listed as a product | Property investors, working with brokers and their clients | Not listed on the homepage | Reading (Aldermore Bank PLC) |
| Roma Finance | RomaFLOW Bridging supports light refurbishment | Brokers, borrowers and introducers | Not listed for bridging | Carnarvon Street, Manchester |
| Together | Bridging finance; no named refurbishment product found | Commercial and personal customers and intermediaries | Not listed on the homepage | Cheadle, Cheshire |
What we checked
We read each lender's own website in October 2026 and recorded only what it states: whether refurbishment is named, who it lends to, the security it takes and any published loan size or loan-to-value limit. We did not score lenders, quote interest rates or use third-party review sites, because pricing depends on the individual deal and changes often. Where a site did not publish a figure, the table says so rather than guessing.
1. EAL Holdings
EAL Holdings is a business lender registered in England and Wales, with its registered office on Pinner Road in Harrow. It offers two products, and the property-secured one is the relevant one here. Its website lists auction purchases, chain breaks and refurbishment among the typical uses, with loans from £100k to £500k and up to 75% loan to value.
A few details matter for refurbishment in particular. EAL Holdings considers both first and second charges, so a company that already has a mortgage on a building may still be able to raise funds against the equity. It takes residential, commercial and semi-commercial property as security, which covers the shop-with-flats-above type of project that many refurbishers buy. Interest can be rolled up or serviced, and the lender says its decisions are led by asset value and exit strategy rather than an automated score.
The application process is also published. An enquiry uses a soft search only, which does not leave a footprint on the credit file, and a hard search happens only if you choose to proceed after receiving an indicative offer. A member of the credit team typically calls within one business day. For property-secured cases it asks for details of the security property and your exit strategy, alongside 6 to 12 months of business bank statements, recent accounts and proof of identity for all directors.
The trade-off is clear from its own wording: EAL Holdings currently lends to UK-registered companies only and does not lend to consumers. If you are refurbishing a home in your own name, it is not the right fit.
Suits: limited companies refurbishing residential, commercial or mixed-use property that want to speak to an underwriter about a case in the £100k to £500k range.
2. Glenhawk
Glenhawk is a London-based specialist lender whose website has a dedicated refurbishment bridging product, with separate pages for borrowers and intermediaries. It publishes loan sizes up to £10 million and a maximum loan to value of 75% on day one for refurbishment. It also lists residential, mixed-use, commercial and second charge products, and gives residential-to-HMO conversion as one example of refurbishment funding.
Suits: larger refurbishment projects, including conversions, where the loan may run well above £500k.
3. Octane Capital
Octane Capital is a trading name of Aldermore Bank PLC, which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the FCA. Its website lists refurbishment loans next to bridging, buy-to-let and developer exit loans, and describes its offer as short-term loans for property investors. It works with brokers and their clients.
Suits: property investors who prefer to borrow from a bank-owned specialist and are working through a broker.
4. Roma Finance
Roma Finance, the trading name of Romaco Limited, is based in Manchester. Its RomaFLOW Bridging product supports light refurbishment, while heavier projects are pointed towards RomaGROW, its development finance range. The site says it works with brokers, borrowers and introducers, from experienced investors to people taking their first step into property.
Suits: light refurbishment, and borrowers who may later need development finance from the same lender.
5. Together
Together has been funding property since 1974 and has its registered office in Cheadle, Cheshire. It offers commercial and personal bridging finance, plus auction finance and commercial mortgages. We did not find a refurbishment product named on its homepage, so ask directly whether your works fit its bridging criteria.
Suits: borrowers who want one lender that covers personal and commercial bridging and longer-term mortgages.
Light or heavy refurbishment: why the label matters
Lenders tend to split refurbishment by the scale of the works. Cosmetic jobs such as new kitchens, bathrooms, decoration and flooring are usually treated as light. Structural changes, extensions, conversions and anything needing planning permission are usually treated as heavier, and some lenders move those cases to development finance, as Roma Finance's own product split shows.
The label affects more than the paperwork. Heavier works often mean staged releases of funds, more monitoring by a surveyor and a longer path to the exit. So describe the works honestly at the first call, with a costed schedule if you have one.
Building rules apply whichever lender you choose. GOV.UK notes that replacing windows and doors, rewiring near a bath or shower, or replacing a heating system can all need building regulations approval, and that you may lack the certificates of compliance you need when you sell. Missing certificates can also slow down a refinance, so build sign-off into the plan.
What to prepare before you apply
- Purchase or valuation evidence: the price, the condition of the building and a realistic value once the works are finished.
- A schedule of works: what will be done, by whom, how long it will take and what it will cost, with a contingency.
- Planning and building control: whether permission or approval is needed, and whether it is already in place.
- The exit: a sale, or a refinance onto a term mortgage once the property is let, with evidence that the route is realistic.
- Company documents: recent accounts, business bank statements and ID for all directors.
- Existing charges: details of any mortgage already on the property if you are asking about a second charge.
Is a refurbishment bridging loan regulated?
Often not, when the borrower is a company. The FCA's guidance in PERG 4.4 says that where a company that is not acting as a trustee borrows for its business, secured on its own property, the mortgage contract is not a regulated mortgage contract. That means fewer consumer protections, so read every term in the offer, especially fees, default interest and what happens if the works overrun. You can check any lender or broker on the FCA Register.
Frequently asked questions
Can a bridging loan pay for the refurbishment works as well as the purchase?
Some lenders will fund part of the works, sometimes released in stages as the work progresses. Others lend only against the current value. Ask each lender how it treats works costs before you apply.
Can I get a refurbishment bridging loan on a property that already has a mortgage?
Possibly, through a second charge. EAL Holdings and Glenhawk both state that they consider second charges, but the existing lender's consent and the remaining equity will matter.
What exit do lenders expect for a refurbishment bridge?
Usually a sale of the finished property or a refinance onto a longer-term mortgage once it is lettable. Lenders want evidence that the exit is realistic, not just a plan.
Will an enquiry affect my company's credit file?
It depends on the lender. EAL Holdings says its enquiries use a soft search and a hard search happens only if you proceed after an indicative offer. Ask every lender the same question.
Sources
- FCA Handbook: PERG 4.4, regulated mortgage contracts
- GOV.UK: Building regulations approval
- FCA Financial Services Register
- GOV.UK: Get information about a company (Companies House)
General information only, not financial, tax or legal advice. Bridging finance is credit secured on property, which may be at risk if the loan is not repaid. Lender criteria change, so check terms directly with each lender before you borrow.
