The Intermediary – February 2026 - Flipbook - Page 24
T H E I N T E RV I E W
BDLA
exit products and bridge-to-let – where
strong collaboration between development
and bridging lenders allows projects to move
forward even in uncertain conditions.
He says: “Since 2010 I’ve done a lot of work
in Westminster as a director of the Genesis
Initiative. The Genesis Initiative represents 1.2
million [small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs)] through 117 trade associations.
“What I’ve always focused on is raising
awareness of our sector – raising awareness
among end users, whether they’re small
business owners, property developers, or
property investors – that there’s a whole range
of other lenders in the specialist space who are
doing things really, really well.”
Tyler believes this is particularly relevant
when it comes to the regeneration of high
streets and town centres.
He adds: “We’re looking at the bigger picture
here, especially when it comes to revitalising
city centres where many shops sit empty. Is it
possible to turn those unused retail spaces into
homes?
“In practice, that’s something you can only
achieve with the help of a bridging lender. You’d
take an old shop unit with a couple of empty
storerooms above and turn it into a couple
of attractive flats by using bridging finance,
bridge-to-let products, and similar solutions.”
However, he remains frank about the
awareness gap: “Many MPs, Treasury officials
and even national journalists don’t know
we exist.” Raising that awareness, especially
among policymakers, media and the public,
is therefore a central part of his agenda as he
steps into the CEO role.
Bridging as mainstream
That lack of awareness is increasingly at odds
with the reality of the market Tyler describes.
One of the most significant changes he
identifies in recent years is the repositioning
of bridging from a “short-term funding of last
resort” to a mainstream strategic tool for
investors and developers.
According to Tyler, bridging is now
firmly established within the market, with
widespread broker uptake reflecting its
new status. He notes: “Bridging is now a
mainstream product. That’s why we have so
many residential mortgage brokers getting
involved in this space.” This evolution is
particularly evident among those borrowers
who now employ bridging finance in
increasingly innovative ways.
He adds: “Some of the most sophisticated
borrowers use bridging finance now like
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The Intermediary | February 2026
they’ve never used it before, and they’ll use
bridging finance because it’s such a great means
to an end in their property portfolios, their
property development processes, etcetera. It’s
easier to get a bridging loan somewhere than
it is to get a mortgage. So, it’s become so much
more of a tool for everybody, whether you’re
sophisticated or not, because it’s not seen as
lending of last resort anymore.”
This shift in perception is mirrored by changes
in intermediary behaviour. Tyler has witnessed
a steady influx of residential mortgage brokers
entering the bridging space, often via FIBA and
now through the BDLA. For many, bridging is
no longer a niche or occasional solution, but
an essential and regular component of their
client offering.
However, the ‘mainstreaming’ of bridging
finance brings new challenges for industry
standards and oversight. He highlights the
importance of broadening association coverage
to safeguard quality and consistency across
the sector. Bringing more firms under a shared
Code of Practice is, in Tyler’s view, essential
if bridging is to maintain and build trust as it
continues to grow in prominence.
He says: “If we’ve got 400 bridging lenders
in the market, and we’re only representing less
than a quarter of those, there’s still 75% out
there that we don’t know what they’re – how
they behave, and what they’re charging, default
fees and so on. So, there’s still a lot of work to
do to bring more people in.”
Commercial gap
While ongoing innovation has long been a
defining feature of bridging, and Tyler expects
this trend to continue. The market has already
produced a wide range of structures, from
bridge-to-let and hybrid options through to
increasingly sophisticated refurbishment and
semi-commercial propositions.
He highlights semi-commercial as one of the
standout growth areas, noting: “One of our
members reported to us that they’ve seen an
uptick of 41% of semi-commercial valuations
undertaken in a 12-month period,” suggesting
growing interest in assets that blend residential
stability with commercial opportunity.
Looking ahead, he believes the sector needs
more depth in commercial and ground-up
development finance. He adds: “We don’t have
enough commercial bridging lenders; we don’t
have enough commercial development lenders.”
He also sees a role for more “halfway house”
products – such as 3-year terms that sit
between traditional bridging and longer-term
investment loans. In his view, this direction of
