Guides for directors raising commercial finance.
Plain-English explainers on how lenders assess UK businesses, what each facility is for and how to prepare a stronger application. General information only, not financial advice.
Funding a business acquisition: a starter guide
Buying a competitor or a business in your supply chain. How acquisitions are typically funded in the UK SME market.
Read guideRefinancing business debt: when it makes sense
Consolidating expensive short-term borrowing can ease monthly pressure. Here is how to judge whether it is right.
Practical ways to improve your business credit profile
Small habits that make a measurable difference to how lenders see your company.
What a commercial finance broker does, and does not do
Brokers introduce businesses to funders. Here is how the role works, how brokers are paid and what to expect.
Financing a hospitality refurbishment
Pubs, restaurants and hotels need regular reinvestment. How to fund a refit without draining reserves.
Payroll funding for recruitment agencies
Temps are paid weekly, clients pay monthly. How agencies fund the gap as their contractor book grows.
Funding construction contracts and retentions
Stage payments, retentions and long payment terms squeeze contractors. Finance options built for the sector.
Personal guarantees: what directors should know before signing
A guarantee can put personal assets at risk. Understand the terms, the caps and the alternatives.
How to prepare management accounts for a lender
Filed accounts tell a lender where you were. Management accounts tell them where you are. Get them right.
Cash-flow planning for seasonal businesses
Hospitality, retail and construction all face predictable dips. How to plan for them and which facilities help.
Owner-occupier vs investment commercial mortgages
Lenders assess a business buying its own premises very differently from a landlord buying a let property. Here is why.
Bridging loans for business: when they make sense
Short-term secured finance can unlock a time-critical purchase. It only works with a clear and credible exit.
Asset finance explained: hire purchase or leasing?
How to fund vehicles, plant and machinery without tying up working capital, and the ownership and tax questions to ask first.
Invoice factoring vs invoice discounting: which suits your business?
Both release cash tied up in unpaid invoices. The difference is who chases the debt, and whether your customers know.
Unsecured business loans: what lenders actually look for
Trading history, bank statements and the director guarantee. A plain guide to how unsecured lenders assess a UK SME.