Bridging is no longer one-dimensional – HTB on the market’s evolution

By Bridging Loan Directory 12th February 2025

Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB) has long been a major player in the bridging market, offering tailored lending solutions across residential, semi-commercial, and commercial property.

With bridging finance continuing to evolve, Alex Upton, Managing Director of Specialist Mortgages & Bridging at HTB, shares how the bank is supporting brokers in an increasingly sophisticated market.

“Bridging isn’t what it used to be,” Upton says. “It was once all about speed—get in, get out, move on.

Now, it’s a much broader tool. Investors are using bridging in ways that simply weren’t as common a few years ago—structured exits, heavy refurbishments, semi-commercial acquisitions, and strategic portfolio shifts. Lenders have had to keep pace.”

HTB has built its proposition to reflect these changing demands, working with brokers to structure deals that go beyond traditional short-term lending.

“We support brokers in the areas where demand is growing,” Upton says.

“That means development exits, semi-commercial lending, heavy refurb, and more complex transactions where investors need tailored solutions.

We lend up to 75% LTV on semi-commercial and 70% on fully commercial and heavy refurb, giving brokers flexibility in structuring their deals.

We also offer serviced and retained interest options, depending on what works best for the client.”

The market is expanding rapidly, with recent data indicating that bridging finance hit £10.9 billion by the end of 2024, with further growth of 25% projected over the next five years.

Investors are becoming more strategic in their borrowing, using bridging as part of a long-term plan rather than just a short-term fix.

“We’re seeing investors take a more structured approach,” Upton says.

“Many aren’t just looking for a bridge—they’re planning the next step before they even complete.

That’s why our specialist mortgages and bridging teams work so closely together, making it seamless for brokers when their clients transition from short-term finance into a longer-term solution.”

HTB has also introduced AVMs where appropriate to speed up valuations, making transactions smoother for brokers working to tight deadlines.

“If the deal fits, we’ll use an AVM,” Upton says. “It’s all about efficiency. But we’re not an automated lender—if a case needs full underwriting, it gets full underwriting.

The key is knowing when to apply technology and when to use experience.”

Legal delays remain a well-known challenge in the bridging sector, so HTB has introduced dual representation to help cut time lost in the process.

“It just makes sense,” Upton says. “Many bridging delays aren’t down to lending issues—they’re legal ones. Dual rep speeds things up by reducing duplication, keeping everyone on track, and ultimately getting deals over the line faster.”

With competition in bridging at an all-time high, execution is what separates lenders who succeed from those who don’t.

“There are plenty of lenders in the market,” Upton says. “Brokers don’t need more term sheets—they need certainty.

If we say yes, we deliver. No moving the goalposts, no last-minute surprises—just straight execution. That’s what brokers want, and that’s what we focus on.”

For Upton, the strength of the broker-lender relationship is what drives repeat business.

“The best relationships in this industry are built on trust,” she says. “Brokers want to know that when they bring a case to us, they’re going to get a straight answer. If it’s a yes, we make it happen. If it’s a no, we’ll tell them early—no one has time to waste.”

Looking ahead, Upton expects bridging to become even more integrated into long-term investment strategies.

“Bridging isn’t just a short-term fix anymore,” she says. “It’s part of a broader investment strategy—whether that’s transitioning from bridge to term, restructuring a portfolio, or managing cash flow.

Investors need lenders who understand that bigger picture, and that’s where we add real value.”

HTB remains a trusted lender in bridging, offering brokers certainty, flexibility, and structured lending solutions in a market that continues to evolve.

“Bridging isn’t just about getting something over the line quickly anymore,” Upton says. “It’s about getting the right deal in place. That’s what we do.”