Secured business loans
Secured Business Loans
£25k–£10m. Secured lending. Rates from 7.25%.
Longer-term, larger business loans secured against property, plant, or equipment — priced well below unsecured alternatives. We shop 60+ secured business lenders including high-street banks, challengers, and specialist funds to find the sharpest rate for your asset profile.
What is a Secured Business Loan?
A secured business loan is commercial finance supported by a legal charge over an asset — usually commercial property, investment residential property, plant, or machinery. Because the lender can recover from the asset if the loan defaults, secured rates sit well below unsecured rates and terms can stretch much longer.
Most UK secured business loans run from £25,000 up to £10M, with terms from 1 year to 25 years. Lenders typically accept LTVs of 65%–75% on commercial property, 70%–75% on investment residential, and up to 80% on specific plant and equipment assets.
Secured lending is the right tool for larger growth capital, acquisitions, debt consolidation, MBOs/MBIs, and business expansions where a fixed unsecured loan is either too small or too expensive. The trade-off is arrangement time — valuations and legal searches add 1–2 weeks over a typical unsecured facility.
Why Use Us for Secured Business Finance
Rates from 7.25%
Materially below unsecured alternatives. The security unlocks the best rate in the market for your asset profile.
Borrow £25k to £10m
Substantial growth capital without the cost ceiling of unsecured lending. Larger transactions available for strong sponsors.
Terms up to 25 years
Longer repayment profiles keep monthly servicing low, freeing cash to reinvest in the business.
First or second charge
We work with lenders who accept second-charge security behind an existing mortgage — no need to refinance the front-line debt.
What Businesses Use Secured Loans For
Why Use a Broker for Secured Business Finance?
The secured business loan market is wide and opaque. High-street banks, challengers, and specialist lenders all price the same deal very differently. One application to us covers them all.
Going direct to a single lender
- — One rate, one LTV offer
- — Slow to compare against market
- — Valuation fees stack on each application
- — No structural advice on first vs second charge
Using The Finance Brokers
- — Compared across 60+ secured lenders
- — LTV and rate benchmarked for your asset
- — One valuation, multiple offers
- — Structural advice: charge, term, security mix
How It Works
Scope the asset
Share the basics: loan size, asset type, indicative value, existing charges. We scope the LTV and rate the panel will support.
We shop the panel
We price your deal across our secured lending panel and surface the three tightest offers — rate, LTV, term, and fee stack side by side.
Valuation to drawdown
Once you pick a lender, we manage valuation, legals, and drawdown end to end. Most deals complete in 1–2 weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a secured business loan?
A secured business loan is commercial finance supported by a charge over an asset the business or its directors own — typically commercial property, investment residential property, or high-value plant and equipment. Because the lender has recourse to the asset if the loan defaults, secured loans carry lower rates and longer terms than unsecured lending.
How much can I borrow on a secured business loan?
UK secured business loans typically run from £25,000 to £10M, with specialist lenders going substantially higher for strong sponsors. The amount depends on the value of the security, the loan-to-value (LTV) the lender will accept — usually 65%–75% against commercial property — and the business's serviceability.
What can I use as security?
Most lenders accept first or second charges over UK commercial property, investment residential property (including BTL portfolios), plant, machinery, and in some cases business debtor books. Some specialist lenders also lend against unencumbered directors' residential property, though this route requires independent legal advice.
How long does a secured business loan take to arrange?
A full secured loan typically takes 1–2 weeks from application to drawdown once a valuation is instructed. Faster bridging-style secured lending can complete in 7–10 days. The main driver of speed is the valuation, legal searches, and the solicitor turnaround on charges and registrations.
Are rates on secured business loans lower than unsecured?
Yes — typically materially lower. Secured business loans often price from around 7.25%, while comparable unsecured lending starts closer to 8.9%. The gap reflects the security — lenders face lower expected loss, so they pass the saving through to the borrower.
Can I get a secured loan if I already have a mortgage on the property?
Yes. Many UK lenders offer second-charge business loans that sit behind an existing mortgage, provided total LTV stays within policy. The first-charge lender must usually grant consent. Second-charge rates are a touch higher than first charge but still well below unsecured.
Related Guides
How to Get an Unsecured Business Loan in the UK
Step-by-step guide to applying for an unsecured business loan in the UK — what lenders look for, what documents you need, and how to maximise your chances of approval.
Secured vs Unsecured Business Loans: Which Is Right for You?
A clear comparison of secured and unsecured business loans in the UK — how they differ on cost, speed, loan size and risk, and how to choose between them.
What Is an Unsecured Business Loan? A UK Guide
Plain-English guide to unsecured business loans in the UK — how they work, what they cost, who qualifies and when to use one.
Ready to compare secured business loan rates?
Tell us the asset and the amount. We'll benchmark your deal across the UK secured lending panel and bring back the tightest rate.