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First Charge Bridging Loans

Quick and straightforward First Charge Bridging Loans across the UK

  • Loans from £25,000 to £500,000
  • Terms from 1 to 18 months
  • Borrow up to 75% loan-to-value
  • Personal and limited company borrowers considered
  • Adverse credit considered
  • Serviced and rolled-up interest options available
  • Lending across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
  • Buy to let, HMO, holiday let, MUFB and student properties considered

Discuss your first charge bridging loan

All applications are subject to valuation, legal review, underwriting and full lending criteria.

Enquire Now
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Why choose Mercantile Trust?

With our common sense approach to lending, we offer flexible and quick solutions tailored to your needs.

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Borrow from £25,000 to £500,000
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Borrow up to 75% Loan-to-Value (LTV)
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Lending across the UK: England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland
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Available on: Holiday Lets, HMOs, MUFB, and Student Lets
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What is a first charge bridging loan?

A first charge bridging loan is a short-term loan secured against a property where the bridging lender holds the first-ranking legal charge.

This means the lender has the first claim over the proceeds from the property if it has to be sold to repay the secured borrowing.

A first charge bridging loan will commonly be used when:

  • The property is owned outright and has no mortgage secured against it.
  • A property is being purchased without a conventional mortgage.
  • An existing mortgage will be repaid when the bridging loan completes.
  • Short-term finance is needed before a longer-term mortgage can be arranged.

First charge bridging finance is different from a second charge bridging loan, which sits behind an existing first mortgage or secured loan.

0800 032 3737
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First Charge Bridging Loan criteria

 

  • Nationwide Coverage: Available for properties across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
  • Borrowing on Buy to Let, HMO, Holiday let, MUFBs, and Student Lets for any legal purposes 
  • Competitive LTV: Borrow up to 75% loan-to-value (LTV)
  • Diverse Property Types: Most construction types accepted
  • Landlord-Friendly Terms: No minimum income required for existing landlords
  • Affordable Entry: Minimum property value of £75,000
  • Loan Sizes: Borrow from £25,000 to £500,000
  • Flexible Repayment: Choose monthly payments or repay at the end of the term
  • No Early Repayment Charges: Repay early with no penalties,  just a discharge fee of £245 applies
Discuss a first charge bridge

Why choose Mercantile Trust for Bridging Loans?

Mercantile Trust is a specialist UK lender providing fast, flexible bridging finance. We manually assess each application, considering the property, borrower and exit strategy.

What Makes Us Different?

  • Dedicated bridging specialists
  • Manual underwriting approach
  • Fast decisions and completions
  • Adverse credit considered
  • Automated valuations available in some cases
  • Flexible repayment options
  • No early repayment charges on selected products
  • Lending throughout the UK including Scotland and Northern Ireland

A clear application process

  • No upfront application fees
  • No broker fees when applying directly
  • No obligation to proceed
  • No hard credit check at the initial enquiry stage – we use a soft search, which won’t affect your credit score.

Our bridging loans are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), but we remain committed to responsible lending and clear support throughout the process.

Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a debt secured against it.

Who We Are
Case study: Fast First charge Bridging loan completed in 2 days

Application process 

1

Submit your enquiry


2

Receive an initial lending decision


3

Property valuation instructed


4

Legal work completed


5

Funds released

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Ready to get started? 

We are here for anyone who needs flexible and tailored loan solutions. Whether you have complex income, have imperfect credit, are employed or self-employed, or need faster access to funds than a high street lender can offer — we’re here to help.

Let’s discuss how we can help your next investment. Speak to an expert.

0800 032 3737

Frequently asked questions about Bridging Loans

 

First Charge Bridging Loans Case Studies

See how property investors, landlords, and developers across the UK have used bridging finance from Mercantile Trust to purchase properties, complete refurbishments, meet auction deadlines, and unlock investment opportunities. These real-world examples demonstrate how fast, flexible short-term lending can help solve complex property finance challenges.

Read all posts
First Charge Bridging Loan Completed in Just Three Days.png (1)
Case Study
2 September 2026
First Charge Bridging Loan Completed in Just Three Days

Mercantile Trust completed a £425,000 first charge bridging loan in three days, helping a portfolio landlord meet a pressing repayment deadline.

Read More
How Smart Structuring Enabled A Time Critical BTL Purchase (1)
Case Study
3 February 2026
Case Study: £100,000 Bridging Loan Secured in 48 Hours

Fast £100k rolled bridge via equitable charge, completed in 2 days, enabling a buy-to-let purchase where a traditional lender route wouldn’t work.

Read More
Case Study Fast 1St Charge Bridging Loan To Support Family Business Investment (2)
Case Study
20 January 2026
Case Study: Fast 1st Charge Bridging Loan to Support Family Business Investment

Case study: £70k 1st charge bridge completed in 2 days, secured on an unencumbered BTL to fund a family business.

Read More
Case Study Bridging Loan Success Across Four Properties In Northern Ireland
Case Study
24 November 2025
Case study: Bridging Loan success across four properties in Northern Ireland

Fast, flexible second-charge bridging loan across four NI properties with no valuation or legal fees, helping a landlord consolidate and move forward.

Read More
Case Study Quick Bridging Loan Completed In Just 8 Working Days
Case Study
11 November 2025
Case Study: Quick Bridging Loan Completed in Just 8 Working Days

Fast £86k equitable bridge completed in 8 days for an experienced landlord — quick funds, no consent needed, all handled in-house.

Read More
Case Study Second Charge Bridging Loan On A Buy To Let Property (1)
Case Study
15 October 2025
Case Study: Second Charge Bridging Loan on a Buy to Let Property

Fast 7-day second charge bridge for auction purchase. £75k raised on existing BTL, no monthly payments, flexible refinance exit after works.

Read More
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© 2026 Mercantile Trust. All rights reserved.
Mercantile Trust is part of Norfolk Capital Group, a UK financial-services group whose companies have provided financial solutions to the UK market since 1988.

Postal address: Mercantile Trust Limited, Building 2, Axis, Rhodes Way, Watford, Hertfordshire, WD24 4YW.
Registered Office: 25-27 Surrey Street, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 3NX. Mercantile Trust is registered in England No: 07023863.

FCA reference number: 732016

Our loan products are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

YOUR PROPERTY MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR ANY OTHER DEBT SECURED ON IT.

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