Commercial bridging loans, arranged fast across the whole market

A commercial deal rarely waits for a bank’s credit committee. The vendor wants to exchange, a facility is maturing, or capital has to come out of a building this month, not next quarter. A term commercial mortgage cannot move at that speed.

Vortex Finance arranges commercial bridging loans through a panel of 100+ lenders, with indicative terms within 24 hours and completion in days rather than weeks. You secure or refinance the commercial asset now, then move onto a term commercial mortgage as the planned exit. We arrange both the bridge and the exit, so there is no funding gap between them.

We are a broker, not a lender. We sit on your side of the table and shop specialist commercial bridging lenders to find the one whose appetite fits your deal. All rates, LTVs and timescales below are indicative. The lender confirms on application.

When commercial property needs a bridge, not a mortgage

Commercial bridging is short-term finance secured against commercial property. You use it when speed matters and a term mortgage is too slow, or when the asset is not yet in a state a term lender will fund.

Common situations:

• A fast commercial purchase where the vendor needs certainty in days.
• A commercial lot bought at auction against a 28-day completion deadline.
• A maturing facility that has to be refinanced before the lender calls it.
• Capital raised against a building you already own, for a tax bill, a deposit on the next asset, or working capital.
• A vacant or part-let building that needs a tenant before a term lender will price it.
• A non-standard or change-of-use commercial property a high-street bank declines.

The bridge buys time. The exit, usually a term commercial mortgage or a sale, repays it.

What commercial bridging funds

This finance is secured on offices, retail units, industrial and warehouse space, and mixed-use property. It works for both straightforward purchases and the awkward cases high-street banks decline.

Vacant and part-let buildings are a good example. A term lender wants income before it lends. A bridge funds the purchase or refinance now, you let the space, and you refinance onto a term commercial mortgage once the income is in place. That let-and-refinance route is one of the most common reasons commercial buyers reach for a bridge.

Indicative rates, LTV and term

Pricing tracks bridging generally and is set by the loan-to-value and the strength of your exit. As an indication, monthly interest runs from around 0.50% to 1.10% on most commercial cases. Clean, low-LTV deals with a clear exit price toward the lower end.

Because this is short-term money, judge the cost on the total over your actual term, not the headline monthly rate. A loan at 1% a month held for four months costs roughly 4% of the loan. Weigh that against losing the asset or the opportunity it unlocks. We cost the whole term cleanly on the call, including our broker fee. Our fee model is confirmed upfront before any application and disclosed in writing before you commit.

Planning the exit onto a term commercial mortgage

A bridge is only as safe as its exit. Most commercial bridging repays one of two ways: a refinance onto a term commercial mortgage once the building qualifies, or a sale.

We arrange the bridge and the term exit together. That means the senior commercial mortgage is mapped out while the bridge is still being placed, so the transition is planned rather than a scramble at month 11. Commercial mortgage terms typically run 5 to 25 years, with an offer usually issued in 2 to 4 weeks once the property qualifies. We stress-test that exit before submission, so the bridge does not become a trap.

Vacant, part-let and non-standard commercial cases

High-street banks tend to decline vacant property, part-let buildings, unusual construction, and change-of-use plays. These are exactly the cases specialist bridging lenders are built for.

We know which lenders take a vacant industrial unit, which will fund a part-let office on a let-and-refinance basis, and which price a mixed-use building under one title. Whole-of-market matters most here, because commercial bridging is niche and the wrong lender choice wastes the window you are bridging.

Why a whole-of-market broker beats one bank’s appetite

Going direct gets you one lender’s view and one decision. Commercial bridging lenders vary widely in what they fund, how fast they move, and how they price vacant or non-standard assets. A decline from one bank tells you nothing about the next.

We compare 100+ lenders, present a packaged case the underwriter takes seriously, and place it with the right lender first time. We push the valuer, solicitor and lender from day one so a deadline-driven commercial deal holds its timetable. There is no fee to get indicative terms, and indicative quotes do not touch your credit file.

Frequently asked questions