Secured Lending

Our Banking & Finance solicitors represent a variety of lenders (including major retail banks, challenger banks, bridging lenders, mezzanine finance providers, alternative finance providers and other lending institutions). Our specialist team also represent  corporate and individual borrowers on secured lending transactions.

We have extensive expertise in conducting, managing and completing real estate finance and development finance transactions (loans which are secured against real estate in England and Wales) as well as loans secured by other forms of security including but not limited to fixed and floating charges over the assets of the borrower and charges over other specific and unique assets such as sportscars, high end jewellery and mobile home parks.

By virtue of our experience in representing lenders and borrowers alike, our Banking & Finance team has an exceptionally strong commercial focus, meaning our advice will take into account your long-term business aims as well as your immediate financial requirements. 

Ultimately, we always ensure our advice is clear and tailored to your unique circumstances.

Services

• Asset-based financing
• Bridging loans
• Buy-to-let loans
• Commercial development loans
• Commercial investment loans
• Debentures
• General security documentation
• Inter-creditor deeds
• Legal charges
• Loan facility agreements
• Loans to HMOs and other properties
• Peer-to-peer loans
• Personal and corporate guarantees
• Real estate holding loans (where the intention is to repay the loan facility through the sale or refinance of the underlying real estate asset)
• Real estate investment loans
• Residential development loans
• Residential investment loans
• Share charges
• Trading business loans

Advice for lenders

When acting for the lender, we will ensure that the facility agreement reflects the commercial terms agreed between you and the client, and that it provides certainty you need both in repayments and in the event that the security ever needs to be enforced. We will advise, where necessary, as to the structure of the financing and suitability of the security package in order to provide you with maximum security for the duration of the loan.

We pride ourselves in taking a proactive approach and will either review your existing finance documents and suggest amendments where applicable or, prepare a whole suite of precedent finance documents tailored to you and your requirements.  

Our team will take the time to understand your business requirements so that you can be sure that your money will be working towards your commercial success.

As well as making sure your secured facility agreement is watertight, we will go through an extensive due diligence process in respect of the security (and work closely with our Real Estate Finance/Corporate and Construction colleagues where necessary to achieve this) to provide an all-encompassing service.  

Advice for borrowers

When representing the borrower, we will ensure that the facility agreement and related security documents are in your best interest and that you are fully aware of the implications of signing the finance documents in favour of the lender. We will negotiate any unduly onerous terms on your behalf.

As a borrower, you need to be sure that the loan you are taking has the flexibility you need for your business. Our expert Banking and Finance solicitors can advise you on the terms and conditions you have been offered in light of your needs and that of your business.

We know that there is often a tight timescale to be met when putting finance in place and we routinely work to meet short deadlines and under extreme pressure of time.

Our depth of experience means that if legal difficulties are encountered, we have usually dealt with the same situation before and we know exactly how to respond to avoid the deal being stalled or derailed.