Buying trading premises
You have found a shop, office, warehouse, surgery, salon, nursery or other premises and need to know whether the business can support the borrowing.
Commercial mortgage advice in the UK
Buying business premises, refinancing a commercial property or arranging finance for an investment? Count Ready helps you understand which lender routes are realistic before you spend time, valuation fees or legal costs on the wrong application.
Before you apply, a broker can test whether the case is lendable. They can match it with suitable lender types and prepare the evidence lenders expect. Good advice does more than chase a rate. It helps you avoid weak routes before you spend time or money on the wrong application.
If you want to buy or refinance premises for your own business, lenders usually review trading accounts, affordability, stability, property suitability and your deposit or equity. We explain the likely questions before you apply.
Investment cases are different. Lenders look closely at lease terms, tenant quality, rental income, property type, valuation and borrower structure. We frame the enquiry around the income and security they will assess.
Last reviewed: 23 July 2026
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Commercial mortgage enquiries often involve important deadlines, valuation fees and lender evidence. Independent reviews help you see how Count Ready communicates, explains options and supports clients through mortgage decisions.
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Commercial lending is usually assessed case by case. A broker is most useful when the property, borrower or deadline needs judgement rather than a simple comparison table.
You have found a shop, office, warehouse, surgery, salon, nursery or other premises and need to know whether the business can support the borrowing.
You are buying or refinancing a property let to tenants and need lender views on rent, lease length, tenant strength and property type.
You want to review terms, release equity, consolidate facilities or move away from a current lender without weakening the business cashflow.
The borrower may be a trading company, SPV or group structure, and lender appetite can vary depending on accounts, ownership and guarantees.
A previous decline, adverse credit, short trading history or unusual income does not always end the conversation, but it does affect lender choice.
Mixed-use property, such as a shop with a flat above, needs care because the residential element can change lender criteria and regulation.
A strong enquiry gives lenders enough information to make a sensible assessment. We usually check these points before recommending a route.
Deposit levels vary by lender, sector, property type and borrower strength. Many cases need meaningful deposit or equity, often around 20% to 40%. Stronger or weaker cases can fall outside that range, so treat any figure as a guide rather than a rule.
Our aim is simple: give you an honest view early, then prepare an application that answers lender questions before they cause delays.
Tell us the property type, loan amount or purchase price, deposit or equity, borrower structure and deadline.
We check whether a commercial mortgage, semi-commercial mortgage, commercial buy-to-let, remortgage or alternative finance route looks most realistic.
We explain what documents may be needed and what could strengthen the lender conversation.
Where the case is ready, we discuss suitable lender routes and support the application through to offer.
Ask how the broker will assess your property, accounts or rental income. A useful broker should explain lender questions, likely fees, next steps and what happens if the first lender says no.
Look for plain-English advice on trade-offs: deposit versus affordability, speed versus certainty, high-street lender versus specialist lender, and whether another finance route may be better.
Not necessarily. Many UK commercial mortgage enquiries can be reviewed and progressed by phone and online. A broker’s understanding of the property, sector, borrower and lender routes may matter more than the distance to an office.
Commercial mortgage broker, adviser and advisor are often used for similar services, so the job title alone does not show the scope of help. Ask which lender or finance routes can be considered, who will handle the case, how you will receive updates and what happens if the first route is unsuitable.
Before instructing a broker, ask for a written fee agreement or disclosure explaining the broker fee, when it becomes payable, any lender commission, the work included and any cancellation terms. If face-to-face support matters, confirm availability before proceeding. Count Ready provides a hybrid mortgage service by phone and online, with face-to-face appointments in some circumstances. It does not have physical branch offices throughout the UK.
Use these guides if you are still comparing options or preparing your enquiry.
Start with a practical review
Share the property type, purchase price or loan amount, deposit or equity, business or rental income and timescale. We review the enquiry and explain lender routes worth considering.
Some commercial mortgage and business buy-to-let cases are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. If a case is regulated, we will explain this before you proceed.
Please include the property type, property value or purchase price, required loan amount and whether the property is for your own business or investment.
Primary references
A useful broker should explain their role, the lenders or routes they can consider, the evidence your case needs and every material cost before you commit. These independent references help you check the firm, understand the wider finance process and ask better questions.
Use the FCA’s guidance and official register tools to check a firm’s status, permissions and appointed-representative relationship before relying on regulated advice.
An overview of commercial-property finance routes and the business, deposit and property information a finance provider may need to assess.
Consumer guidance on comparing advisers, market scope, fees and commission. Commercial cases can work differently, so ask the broker to explain what applies to your enquiry.
PERG 4 explains the regulatory perimeter for mortgage activity. Whether a commercial-property case is regulated depends on its facts, borrower and property use.
A broker can help present and route an enquiry but cannot guarantee approval. The lender makes the credit decision and may change or withdraw an indication after underwriting, valuation or legal checks. References checked: 20 July 2026.
A commercial mortgage broker reviews the borrower, property, deposit or equity, income evidence and purpose of borrowing, then identifies lender routes that may fit. The broker also helps prepare the application so lender questions are answered clearly.
You do not have to use a broker. Commercial lending can still be hard to compare if you do not know current lender appetite. A broker is useful when the property is unusual, the borrower is a company or the accounts need explanation. It can also help when the deadline is tight or a previous lender declined the case.
Not necessarily. Many UK commercial mortgage enquiries can be reviewed and progressed by phone and online. Compare the broker’s experience with the property and sector, lender or finance routes, communication, written fee and commission disclosure, and who will handle the case. If face-to-face support matters, confirm availability before proceeding.
Deposit depends on property, borrower strength, sector, purpose and lender appetite. Many commercial mortgage cases need a substantial contribution, commonly around 20% to 40%. Stronger or weaker cases may sit outside that range.
Yes. Lenders can consider a limited company, but they will review accounts, directors, shareholders, affordability, property details and often personal guarantees. The right route depends on whether the company trades, invests or holds property through a separate vehicle.
Many commercial mortgages are not regulated like residential mortgages because they support business or investment borrowing. Mixed-use or residentially connected cases can differ, so check the position before you proceed.
Useful documents include recent accounts, bank statements, property details, lease or rental information, proof of deposit or equity, company structure details and any current mortgage or finance statements. You do not need everything before the first conversation, but early detail helps avoid unsuitable lender approaches.
