MAGAZINE
S e pt /O c t 2 0 26
Showcasing the latest successful transactions in the specialist finance market
ontents
Explore the month’s most exceptional deals and standout cases from leading experts in the specialist finance industry, all in B&C Magazine’s DOTM Special
3 MS Lending Group 4 Octane Capital 5 West One 6 Together 7 Avamore Capital 8 Black & White Bridging
10 Lendco 12 Roma Finance 13 Masthaven Finance
MSLG
MSLG SEPTEMBER 2026 CASE STUDY
Resi Auction Completion
Loan size: £266,250 Loan term: 12 months
One of our repeat brokers approached MS Lending Group looking to secure funding fortheir client’s purchase of a two-bedroom flat in London following a successful auction bid. With only a couple of weeks until the completion deadline, speed was key. The property was in good condition and ready for rental, with only minor improvements required. The main consideration was the 58year lease. The borrower, an experienced property investor, intends to extend this post-completion and refinance onto longerterm finance. To keep the deal moving, we used a desktop valuation, helping the case complete in just 10 days. Rather than letting the shorter lease hold things up, we looked at the full picture, including the borrower’s experience and what they planned to do with the property. Auction deadline, unusual property or a case that needs a closer look? Send it our way. We’re built for the deal in front of us.
LTV: 75% Reason for loan: Residential Auction Purchase Location: London Exit plan: Refinance onto a long-term BTL facility Time to fund: 10 days Broker/Borrower/Relevant parties: Relationship Manager Tom Herbert, Underwriter Mike Watson, Processor Shazid Ali
Broker: “Having a tight auction deadline meant we needed a lender who could move quickly and look at the deal on its merits. MS Lending Group were flexible around the shorter lease, kept everything moving with a desktop valuation and completed the funding in just 10 days. The whole process was straightforward from start to finish.”
Sept/Oct 2026 | 3
O C TA N E
Octane Capital completes
Octane Capital has completed a £790,500 sales bridge to ref inance an existing development facility secured against a newly completed, high-specification home in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire. The deal, introduced by Advocate Finance, saw Octane refinance the existing development debt with Magnet Capital, providing the borrowers with a 12-month facility and additional time to achieve the right sale for the completed property. The security is a newly built five-bedroom bungalow on the outskirts of Broxbourne, developed by experienced builders, structural engineers and property developers with a strong track record of delivering high-quality, environmentally conscious homes. Finished to a high specification with sustainability central to its design, the property is currently being marketed by Savills with an asking price of £1.385m. Octane provided a net day-one advance of £790,500 to ref inance the existing development facility. The property was independently valued at £1.2m, with Octane’s Asset Management team and the valuer both comfortable with its liquidity and the level 4 |
of demand for comparable homes in the local market. The transaction provided the borrowers with a flexible exit from their development finance, allowing them the time to market the completed property appropriately rather than being forced into a sale within the constraints of the existing facility. Henry Barley, Senior Property Finance Adviser at Advocate Finance, commented: “ It was a great experience working with Octane on this transaction. From the initial enquiry through to completion, the team handled everything quickly, efficiently and professionally, while keeping me fully updated throughout the process. Lee Warne, our BDM, and Andrew Becker, the underwriter, were particularly instrumental in making the entire transaction seamless. Not only was the service excellent, but the product was also very competitively priced and gives the client the additional time they need to sell the property, helping to ensure a successful outcome for the development. We look forward to working with Octane again in the future.”
WEST ONE
Two Properties,
One Unusual Lease Agreement A p o r t f o l i o l a n d l o r d s aw a n opportunity to expand their portfolio by acquiring two semi-commercial properties from a receiver. Both were occupied by the same bakery, with the tenancy covering the two properties rather than being split into separate agreements. To make matters more complicated, one property had no separate access to its residential unit. With the receivers keen to keep the transaction moving, the client needed a lender able to look beyond standard criteria and act decisively. West One assessed the deal on its individual merits, taking into account the way the properties were occupied and the wider strength of the asset. We structured a £411,775 commercial mortgage at just under 75% gross LTV against a combined valuation of £550,000, providing the funding needed to complete the acquisition. Despite the unusual lease arrangement and access issue, the valuation and legal processes progressed smoothly, with clear coordination keeping the transaction on track.
The result was a successful purchase of two income-producing semi-commercial properties, allowing the client to add immediate scale to their portfolio while retaining the potential for longer-term growth.
Duncan Abraham
Have a commercial case that needs individual attention?? Contact the West One’s Commercial team at commercial.term@westoneloans. co.uk or call 0333 123 4556 to discuss your enquiry.
Sept/Oct 2026 | 5
TOGETHER
18-hour
bridge completion supports portfolio refurb plans Loan size: £350,000 Loan type: Second charge bridging loan Loan term: 12 months Loan LTV: 43% Reason for loan: Fund refurbishment works across a residential property portfolio Exit plan: Remortgage following completion of home improvements General transaction details: Channel Finance Group approached Together to support an experienced landlord couple looking to improve several properties within their 40-strong residential portfolio, enhancing energy efficiency and increasing rental income potential. With refurbishment plans ready to progress, speed was critical. Together agreed a £350,000 second charge bridging loan secured against the clients’ five-bedroom home in Glasgow at 43% loan-to-value. Together used an Automated Valuation Model (AVM) rather than a full valuation. Combined with dual legal representation, the approach helped remove unnecessary delays while maintaining a robust underwriting process. The loan completed in just 18 hours from submission to completion, providing immediate access to funds and allowing refurbishment works to begin without delay. An Agreement in Principle for a remortgage 6 |
following improvements to the security property was already in place, providing a clear exit route from the 12-month facility.
Comment from Carlos Velasquez, Specialist Martin Finance Bloe and Bridging Manager, Channel Finance Group: “A case like this would normally take a minimum of seven to ten days to complete and would usually need a full valuation. The Together team recognised it was relatively straightforward and moved at an exceptional pace, collaborating and communicating with us throughout. Being able to use the same solicitors, Scottish legal experts Wilson McKendrick, for both sides of the transaction also helped with the speed and ease of the process.” Comment from Martin Bloe, Regional Account Manager for Scotland, Together: “Experienced portfolio landlords need finance that moves at the speed they do. By taking a pragmatic approach to underwriting and working closely with the broker, we were able to complete this case in just 18 hours and help the clients move forward with their refurbishment plans and wider portfolio ambitions.”
AVA M O R E C A P ITA L
Avamore Capital backs complex
Bristol conversion with £3.35m facility Loan : £3.35m Loan term : 15 months Rate : 10.25% p.a Day-one LTV : 75%
management of construction experience, asbestos, planning conditions and a lowimpact bat licence. These risks were mitigated through specialist contractor approvals, monitoring surveyor oversight and precommencement requirements.
Exit plan : Refinance Gross LTGDV : 68.63% Avamore Capital has provided a £3.35m refurbishment facility to support the acquisition and conversion of a former chapel and office building in Redland, Bristol. The borrower had already exchanged at auction and faced a hard completion deadline. Avamore provided a day-one advance of £1.53m towards the £2.1m purchase, alongside a £1.39m build facility. The scheme will create 12 apartments— ten two-bedroom and two one-bedroom units—with an aggregate GDV of £4.88m. Works include basement piling, significant structural alterations, a new steel-framed second floor, roof-level accommodation, a slate roof and full internal fit-out. The project required careful
George George Ormerod, Ormerod Senior Relationship Manager at Avamore Capital commented “This transaction combined a hard deadline with a technically demanding conversion. By working closely with the borrower, broker and professional team, we structured a facility supporting both the acquisition and delivery of the scheme.”
Sept/Oct 2026 | 7
B L AC K & W H IT E B R I D G I N G
Loan size: £206k Loan term: 12 months LTV and/or GDV: LTV 75% Rate : 0.89% Reason for the loan/loan use: Refurbishment and modernisation of a property that has been left vacant for over a decade Exit plan: Refinance Time taken to complete: 10 weeks
The borrowers approached us to finance the purchase of a large, six-bedroom detached property in Liverpool that had been vacant and in a dilapidated condition for more than a decade. The property required significant refurbishment, with large amounts of rubbish and personal belongings remaining inside and extensive remedial works required throughout. Despite its current condition, the property presented a strong value-add opportunity, supported by its size, location and the borrowers’ extensive construction experience. The borrowers have more than 20 years’ experience in the construction industry and planned to undertake the majority of the refurbishment works themselves. They committed approximately £100,000 of their own funds towards the works, demonstrating significant skin in the game. Their strategy was straightforward: acquire the property, 8 |
complete a comprehensive refurbishment, let it at an estimated rental income of approximately £2,000 per month, and then refinance onto long-term finance. The first progress update has now been received, with the project already moving forward since completion. The borrowers have cleared all waste from inside the property, removed the damp plaster and taken out the rotten timber flooring. Approximately 50% of the waste from the front and rear gardens has also been removed. The next stage of the refurbishment will see specialist works, including electrics, damp proofing and landscaping, which will be completed by known and trusted trade
B L AC K & W H IT E B R I D G I N G
partners, and removing the rest of the waste from outside. Originally appearing to have been a fourbedroom detached property, the house has subsequently been extended to provide six bedrooms across two storeys. It is well located for local amenities, including retail facilities, schools and public transport, providing a strong foundation for the borrowers’ intended rental strategy. This project demonstrates how we can support experienced borrowers with a clear
refurbishment strategy and a credible exit plan, even where a property’s current condition may initially appear challenging. It highlights our willingness to look beyond the current state of a property and back experienced borrowers where there is a clear plan to create value. Graham-Palmer
Sept/Oct 2026 | 9
LENDCO
Keeping options open in an uncertain rate environment The Enquiry An experienced property investor approached Lendco to refinance two properties, both valued at around £1.1m, with total borrowing of £1.14m. With some uncertainty around where rates were heading, the client was reluctant to put both properties onto 5-year fixed rates. She wanted some certainty over the majority of her borrowing, while keeping some flexibility should her plans or the market change. The Process After discussing the options, the client decided to take a different approach across the two properties. She placed £700,000 against one property on a 5-year fixed rate at around 64%
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LTV. This gave her longer-term certainty on the larger portion of her borrowing. On the second property, she took a £440,000 loan on a 2-year tracker at 40% LTV. Keeping the tracker balance lower reduced her exposure to any increases in interest rates, while leaving plenty of equity in the property. As the tracker has no ERCs, the client
Total loan amount: £1.14m Combined property value: £2.2m Overall LTV: 52% Term: 5-year fixed or 2-year tracker
LENDCO
could move onto a fixed rate if rates started to rise. If rates remained stable or fell, she could continue to benefit from the tracker. The lower LTV also gave her the flexibility to refinance and raise additional capital if another investment opportunity came up. Depending on the market at the time, this could be onto another tracker or a fixed-rate product. The 2-year term also gave her ample time to sell the property if she wished, again without incurring any ERCs.
The Outcome The client was happy with the combination of certainty on the larger part of her borrowing and flexibility on the lower-leveraged property. The 5-year fixed rate gave her protection against potential rate increases, while the tracker kept her options open. Over the next two years, she could raise capital, move onto a fixed rate, continue to benefit from lower rates or sell the property. With the market still uncertain, she felt this approach gave her more control over her portfolio and allowed her to make future decisions based on how the market and her own investment plans developed.
Sept/Oct 2026 | 1 1
ROMA FINANCE
From Commercial Development to Commercial Mortgage: Supporting the Next Chapter of Growth When a commercial development reaches completion, securing the right long-term funding can be just as important as delivering the project itself. Roma Finance recently completed a £2.4m commercial mortgage for Hermitage Works Business Park in Market Harborough, providing a 15-year facility in just 25 working days. The transaction marked Roma’s first commercial mortgage completion following the launch of its commercial mortgage proposition. The site comprises four offices, a storage unit and nine light industrial units and is currently 80% let. Roma first supported the borrower in 2024, providing development finance to transform the former farmyard site into a modern, income-generating commercial asset. With the redevelopment complete and rental income established, the borrower 12 |
required a longer-term funding solution aligned to the next stage of the investment. Having already supported the project through its development phase, Roma had a detailed understanding of the property, the borrower’s objectives and the wider strategy behind the investment. This enabled the team to look beyond the immediate funding requirement and deliver a smooth transition from development finance to a commercial mortgage. The transaction demonstrates Roma’s Customer for Life approach in action. By supporting the customer through both the development and investment phases, Roma was able to provide a clear funding pathway while continuing to support evolving funding requirements. It also highlights the lender’s growing capability to support property investors and developers across multiple stages of their property journey.
M A S T H AV E N
Regulated Development Exit Completed in Under Four Weeks The clients were part-way through a home extension and development project that had overrun on both time and cost. Having already invested around £200,000, they needed additional funding to finish the works and redeem their existing lender before further charges were incurred. As the development had already been underway for around 12 months, Masthaven
Loan size: £325,491 maximum facility, including a £287,487 day-one advance Loan term: 12 months LTV and/or GDV: 50% LTV | £775,000 GDV Reason for the loan/loan use: Redeem the existing first charge lender and provide additional funding to complete overrun extension and development works Exit plan: Sale or refinance on completion Time taken to complete: Just under four weeks Rate: 1.04% per month
Emmanuel Johnson
needed to understand what work had been completed and confirm that the project remained compliant. Building control reports were provided with the initial application, giving the underwriting team the information needed to assess the works without unnecessary delay. Masthaven provided a £287,487 day-one advance, with a maximum facility of £325,491. The property was valued at £620,000, with a GDV of £775,000. The right surveyor was instructed from the outset to assess both the property value and remaining cost of works, avoiding the need for a separate monitoring surveyor. The regulated development exit completed in just under four weeks, giving the clients the funding and time needed to complete their project. Sept/Oct 2026 | 1 3
Say Hello Beth Fisher
Managing Director beth@medianett.co.uk
Ellen Townsend
Premium Accounts Manager ellen@medianett.co.uk
Charlotte Ryan
Magazine Editor Charlotte@medianett.co.uk
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