The Intermediary –- June 2026 - Flipbook - Page 71
SPECIALIST FINANCE
Opinion
owers are
cialist lenders
can become just as important as the
headline interest rate itself.
This is precisely where specialist
lenders like London Credit have
increasingly stepped in.
In my experience, the real strength
of a specialist lender lies in the ability
to step back and look at the wider
context of a transaction.
That may involve supporting a
borrower with bridging finance ahead
of longer-term lending, structuring
capital raising against commercial
assets, or providing a facility that
aligns with the refurbishment or
redevelopment timeline of a property.
Fast finance
Another factor which, in my view,
continues to play a significant role
is speed. In commercial property
transactions particularly, timing can
be absolutely critical.
Auction purchases, refinancing
deadlines and opportunistic
acquisitions oen demand decisions
and delivery within weeks rather
than months.
In these circumstances, brokers will
naturally gravitate towards lenders
capable of providing swi decisions,
straightforward structuring and
practical underwriting.
At the same time, it is worth
recognising how the role of brokers
within the SME finance ecosystem has
steadily strengthened. The NACFB
research notes that brokers now
consider an average of six lenders for
each transaction.
To me, that reflects a more
considered and commercially minded
approach from borrowers and advisers
alike. Rather than approaching a
single lender and hoping the case
neatly fits within its criteria, brokers
are increasingly able to identify
lenders whose appetite, expertise and
approach align more closely with the
specifics of the deal.
From a lender’s point of view,
that environment places a greater
emphasis on understanding what
the borrower is genuinely trying
to achieve.
In other words, it is not simply
about providing finance, but about
structuring that finance in a way that
genuinely works for the borrower.
At London Credit, we regularly find
that borrowers are not necessarily
searching for the lowest priced
product. They are oen seeking
funding that works in step with the
practical realities of their project,
property or wider investment plans.
In some situations, that may
involve the ability to service interest
monthly rather than having it rolled
up within the loan. For others, it
may simply be the reassurance that a
lender understands the nuances of a
particular asset or exit strategy. Those
kinds of practical considerations can
oen be just as important as price
when a borrower is deciding which
lender to work with.
Ultimately, I believe the growing
presence of specialist lenders within
the SME finance market reflects a
broader change in how businesses
approach borrowing.
Rather than viewing finance as
a one-size-fits-all product, more
borrowers now recognise that funding
must be carefully structured around
the specific transaction they are
undertaking, and lender credibility
and financial strength play an
increasingly important role.
As the SME market continues to
develop, the demand for flexibility,
speed and sensible underwriting
will only continue to grow. In that
space, specialist lenders like London
Credit will play an important role,
supporting brokers, borrowers and
businesses as they pursue their next
stages of growth. ●
June 2026 | The Intermediary
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