Case Studies

Our client had paid off their mortgage and now had an unencumbered property with equity they couldn’t access. They needed to raise funds to consolidate debt and gift money to their children to assist with the same thing.

High street lenders were hesitant to look at the case, due to some unique challenges. Therefore, the introducer came to us for a solution.

Challenges:

• Complex property structure: The property consisted of multiple titles, including residential, land, and a large farmhouse.
• Disused care home: A disused care home was present on part of the grounds, adding further complexity.
• Shared land: The clients had previously sold a portion of their land to a company who stored equipment and used a shared driveway.

Case details:

• Loan needed = £150,000.
• Property value = £750,000.
• Mortgage balance = There was no existing mortgage (unencumbered property).
• Loan purpose = Consolidate debt and gift money to children.

Our solution:

• Found a lender who was highly flexible with property types.
• Sourced a lender who was happy to secure the loan on the residential title.
• Due to the clients' ages, lenders were unable to consider employed income for the application. However, we located a lender who was able to use pension income to make the case fit.
• The property had old charges listed in the land registry, which we helped the clients resolve by contacting the relevant parties to have them removed. This was crucial for the successful completion of the case.
• Our solution allowed the clients to achieve their goals.

Our client had taken out a bridging loan to buy and renovate a holiday-let property. They were coming to the end of their term, so they needed to repay the loan quickly before facing extra charges. However, there were some challenges.

Challenges:

• Location: The property was in a remote area of Scotland.
• Property type and construction: The property was a historic building made of stone and was a listed building.
• Income: The holiday-let business didn't have much trading history and had no trading accounts.
• Purpose of loan: Client needed to repay their bridging loan.

Our solution:

• Found a lender who was willing to lend despite the remote location of the property.
• Located a lender that didn't have any restrictions on property type or construction
• Sourced a lender that considered both the client's personal income and the projected income from the holiday rental.
• Used a lender that would let clients borrow for any legal purpose.
• Identified a lender that had an efficient internal legal process.

Outcome:

• Secured a loan of £278,900 to repay the bridging loan.
• Moved the client on to a term BTL (specialist holiday let product)
• By using the lender's internal legal process, we completed the loan quickly.
• Client repaid their bridging loan on time, avoiding any additional costs.

We were presented with a challenge from one of our clients. They required a first charge bridging loan on their unencumbered buy-to-let property to consolidate debt and finance a lease extension.

Case details:

• Loan size: £65,465
• Purpose of loan: Debt consolidation and lease extension funding

Our solution:

• Leveraged our expertise to find a lender with internal solicitors, which expedited the process.
• Located a lender capable of using an Automated Valuation Model (AVM), reducing costs for the client and streamlining the process further.
• Submitted the deal at 9:40 and by 15:40 that same day, the funds were in the hands of our client.
• Our referring broker received their commission on the next working day.

A broker approached us with a client who wanted to raise £400,000 to expand their property portfolio abroad. The client wanted to use their UK BTL property, valued at £2,000,000 with a mortgage balance of £750,000, to raise the funds.

Initially, they considered first charge options, but it would have resulted in the client losing their preferential rate. Not only that, but there were other challenges that made it difficult to find a suitable option. 

Challenges:

• The couple permanently lived in the UAE.
• One of the clients was a British National, whilst the other was a French National.
• The rental income from the BTL property was insufficient, making it hard to raise the desired amount.
• Other than the UK rental earnings, all their income was generated outside the UK.
• The property they planned to purchase was located in the UAE

The broker came to us to get a second charge on the client’s UK BTL property. However, there were some additional challenges:

• The client’s first charge lender would not grant consent for a second charge.
• Because the client was living in the UAE, they would need a solicitor who had a presence in both the UK and the UAE.

Our solution:

By working with us, we were able to find a solution that allowed the client to seize this opportunity. Here’s what we did:

• Sourced a lender that considers Ex-Pats and Foreign Nationals.
• Found a lender that was comfortable with the loan purpose being to buy an investment property outside the UK.
• Located a lender who would allow a no-consent option.
• Identified a lender who would allow a second charge on the existing buy-to-let property.
• Secured a lender that allowed us to top-slice the UAE income to increase the loan size.
• Found a solicitor with links to the UAE who helped us find a notary in Dubai that could witness the legal documents being signed.

Outcome:

• Raised the client a net loan of £428,600 on an interest only basis.

Our client needed to raise £66,000 for a double storey extension on their property. They had tried to get a further advance, but it was declined due to the current LTV.

Details:

• Property value = £630,000
• Mortgage balance = £521,000
• Total income = £150,000 per annum
• LTV = 94% (post loan and including fees)

By using our experts, the client was able to raise the funds they needed, giving them the freedom to complete their plans and increase the property’s value (once the works are complete).

Our client wanted to purchase a new residential property. Due to their advanced age, they had faced challenges in getting a traditional mortgage.

They explored the possibility of equity release but the lender wanted them to buy and move into the property before providing the funds, making it unachievable. Getting a bridging loan would allow them to do this, making it an ideal solution. 

• Loan size = £50,000
• Loan term = 12 months
• Completed within the 4 week window the client had. 
• Sourced a product that allowed the client to secure the property and continue with their plans. 

Our client needed to raise capital to fund a new property purchase. With speed being a top priority, we had to act fast to ensure the deal went through smoothly.

Key details of the property:

• Fully commercial
• Property value: £335,000
• Unencumbered property
• 2 leases and tenants currently in place:
  • Ground floor: Pizza franchise, generating £1,950/month (5-year lease).
  • First floor: Office space, generating £1,300/month (5-year lease, with an amending lease to follow)

Timeline breakdown:

• Decision in principle: 23rd October
• Case sent to client: 25th October
• Offer made: 7th November
• Funds released: 25th November
• Time to complete: 24 working days

So, how did we do it?

We utilised dual legal representation, which not only saved us valuable time and ensured a faster turnaround, but also helped reduce costs.

But the real secret? A motivated client and a dedicated team working together to make it all possible.

Recently, we helped a client lower their monthly expenses by £672, taking their monthly shortfall into a surplus. It was a great outcome for both the client and the broker!

The turnaround for this case was exceptionally quick, as the client needed to complete before their payments went out on the 1st of November.

Our team worked tirelessly, even staying late to ensure everything was accurately submitted on time.

Here’s the timeline:

Wednesday, October 30th:

• Case sold at 3:35 pm
• Underwriting received the pack at 4:40 pm
• Welcome call with the client completed at 6:23 pm
• Case submitted to the lender at 6:32 pm

Thursday, October 31st:

• Client transferred to the lender for speaks at 12:25 pm
• Case offered at 12:42 pm
• Deed received by the lender at 16:01 pm
• Case completed at 16:39 pm