LendInvest for intermediaries: key products and criteria UK advisers should know

LendInvest for intermediaries is a specialist property finance platform built exclusively for UK brokers. It covers bridging, buy-to-let, residential, and development finance – all managed through an online broker portal. Most products are available through intermediaries only.

This guide covers LendInvest’s products, criteria, and submission process for brokers considering placing cases with the lender.

What is LendInvest for intermediaries?

LendInvest launched in 2008 as Montello Bridging Finance. It went online in 2012 and became LendInvest in 2013. In 2019, it became the first UK fintech to securitise a portfolio of buy-to-let mortgages.

Since then, it has grown into one of the UK’s leading non-bank mortgage lenders. It has originated more than £3 billion in loans, backed by global institutions including HSBC, J.P. Morgan, and Citigroup. The lender has been profitable since 2015.

Technology sits at the core of the business. LendInvest has built a proprietary asset management platform to manage the mortgage process, with a stated aim of reducing form-filling and improving decision speed.

Today, it operates two divisions:

• LendInvest Mortgages: bridging, buy-to-let, and residential products
• LendInvest Capital: investment products for institutional and retail investors

In 2021, LendInvest became a public company, listing on AIM – the London Stock Exchange’s market for smaller growth companies – under the ticker symbol LINV.

LendInvest bridging for intermediaries

Bridging finance has become a core tool for brokers handling time-sensitive or complex property transactions. LendInvest offers a range of bridging products through its intermediary portal.

Key figures

• financing up to £30 million
• interest rates from 0.82% per month
• maximum LTV: 85%
• terms up to 18 months

Bridging loan product range

• regulated and unregulated residential bridging
• commercial and semi-commercial bridging
• auction finance
• bridge-to-Let
• development exit bridging
• refurbishment bridging (up to 70% LTGDV)

Serviced, retained, and rolled interest options are all available. First charge is available on regulated and unregulated cases. Second charge applies to regulated bridging only.

Refurbishment bridging is available up to 70% LTGDV, with a maximum of three drawdowns. This product is not available via the portal. It requires a direct conversation with the team.

How to submit a bridging case

All standard bridging cases go through the broker portal. LendInvest claims that quotes and Heads of Terms are ready in as few as 10 clicks. The full journey, from initial enquiry to completed application, runs entirely online.

E-signatures are supported on regulated cases, cutting turnaround time further. For unregulated bridging, the portal also enables clients to sign off digitally, removing the need for paper at every stage.

LendInvest buy-to-let for intermediaries

With two-thirds of UK landlords planning portfolio growth, demand for specialist BTL products remains active. LendInvest’s buy-to-let product covers purchases and remortgages across England, Wales, and Scotland.

Key figures

• finance up to £2 million
• two-year fixed rates from 3.54%
• maximum LTV: 80%
• term lengths: 7 to 30 years

Eligible borrower types

LendInvest’s buy-to-let products are open to:

• individual landlords
• limited company borrowers
• portfolio landlords
• expat landlords (British citizens overseas, up to 75% LTV)

Buy-to-let product range

HMOs with up to 15 bedrooms and multi-unit freehold blocks (MUFBs) with up to 20 units are accepted. Title insurance is applied to standard property and small HMO remortgage cases, subject to qualification.

For portfolio cases, LendInvest accepts property portfolio information in any format, provided it contains the minimum required data. There is no mandatory template.

When a client’s existing LendInvest rate expires, the Product Transfer facility allows brokers to move them onto a new product without a full re-underwrite.

How to apply for buy-to-let

Buy-to-let cases are submitted through the mortgages portal. Open Banking is available as an alternative to traditional bank statements. For portfolio landlords navigating an increasingly complex market, this reduces the document burden at the point of application.

LendInvest residential mortgages for intermediaries

Not every borrower fits standard high street criteria. LendInvest’s residential range is aimed at borrowers who fall outside mainstream lender requirements.

Key figures

• loans up to £1.5 million
• rates from 5.29%
• maximum LTV: 90%
• terms: 7 to 40 years

Eligible borrower types

• self-employed applicants
• credit-impaired borrowers
• key workers
• clients with complex incomes (including zero-hours contracts and cis contractors)
• interest-only borrowers
• qualified professionals

Residential product range

LendInvest accepts a wide range of income types, including several that mainstream lenders typically exclude or restrict. The borrower categories are not mutually exclusive. Clients may qualify under more than one at the same time.

Income types accepted include:

• employed income including bonus, commission, and overtime (up to 100%)
• self-employed income across sole traders, partnerships, and limited companies
• zero-hours contract income – 100% of basic pay with 12 months’ history, 50% for under 12 months
• CIS contractors, assessed as contractors rather than self-employed
• benefit income including Universal Credit, PIP/DLA, and child benefit

For the full income and criteria requirements, refer to LendInvest’s residential criteria guide before submitting a case.

How to apply for a residential mortgage

The process runs through LendInvest’s mortgages portal in four steps:

1. Submit your case online
2. Receive your Decision in Principle (DiP)
3. Complete the full application
4. Track progress in one place

The portal runs credit searches, affordability checks, and assessments in the background as you complete the DiP.

LendInvest development finance for intermediaries

Development finance sits within LendInvest Capital and targets experienced SME developers. Brokers who work with property developers can introduce cases directly.

Key figures

• Loans from £1 million to £20 million
• Maximum LTGDV: 70%
• Maximum LTC: 85%
• Terms up to 24 months
• Initial rate from 5.5% + Bank Rate
• Exit fee from 1%

Development finance product range

Coverage spans England, Scotland, and Wales. Eligible project types include:

• ground-up new builds
• heavy refurbishment
• conversions
• new build schemes

Planning gain is considered as part of day one land loan leverage. This is relevant for sites where planning approval is expected to add value before construction begins.

How to apply for development finance

LendInvest has an in-house chartered building surveyor and a 24-hour interim drawdown process. Indicative terms are issued within 24 hours of a proposal. Credit decisions follow within 48 hours of a completed application.

LendInvest also supports product transitions between pre-planning bridging, development finance, and development exit. This allows a borrower’s funding to move through different project phases with the same lender, without requiring a separate application at each stage.

The LendInvest mortgages portal

LendInvest’s broker portal is the primary submission and case management tool for intermediaries. It handles bridging, buy-to-let, and residential applications. All products are accessed through the same system.

From the portal, brokers can:

• get instant bridging quotes and Heads of Terms
• submit and manage residential and buy-to-let applications
• run online calculators across all products
• track cases in real time
• connect directly with case managers and underwriters
• handle product transfers for existing BTL clients

Residential product transfers are also handled through the portal. Brokers can identify deals approaching expiry and switch clients to a new product without re-submitting a full application.

The portal integrates Open Banking for buy-to-let cases, which can be used as an alternative to traditional bank statements.

Why brokers use LendInvest

LendInvest’s product range spans bridging, buy-to-let, residential, and development finance. All are accessible through a single intermediary portal.

LendInvest has been profitable since 2015. Its funding base includes institutional investors such as J.P. Morgan, HSBC, and Citigroup. For development and larger bridging cases, that institutional backing provides a degree of funding certainty that matters when timelines are tight.

Because the products span multiple stages of the property finance cycle, a broker could in principle support the same client from a bridging purchase through to a buy-to-let remortgage. Whether that continuity is a practical advantage will depend on rates and criteria at each stage.

Is LendInvest right for your clients?

LendInvest is likely to be most relevant for brokers who handle cases outside standard high street criteria. The acceptance of formats like Open Banking and flexible portfolio submissions address common sticking points in specialist cases.

Client types where LendInvest may be worth considering:

• self-employed borrowers and those with complex income
• portfolio landlords, including limited company and HMO investors
• clients with adverse credit history
• expat borrowers (British citizens overseas)
• developers needing flexible drawdown terms

As buy-to-let continues to professionalise, the product’s coverage of limited company borrowers and expats is also worth noting. You should verify current rates and criteria directly with LendInvest before placing cases, as these are subject to change.

If LendInvest for intermediaries isn’t a good fit, there are other lenders to consider. Some of them are:

• Together for intermediaries
• Fleet Mortgages for intermediaries
• Foundation for intermediaries
• Newbury for intermediaries
• Vitality for intermediaries

For more profiles of lenders with intermediary services, visit our Guides section.