Hampshire Trust Bank moves borrower from bridging onto a five-year fix, releasing capital for their next investment
Hampshire Trust Bank (HTB) has closed a £473,000 refinance of a four-unit multi-unit freehold block (MUFB) in Herne Bay, Kent, completing the transaction less than two weeks after offer – moving the borrower off £440,000 of existing bridging finance and onto longer-term funding while releasing additional capital for their next property investment.
The deal was structured through HTB's Flow product, a five-year fixed facility designed for professional property investors seeking a clear route from short-term bridging onto term debt. The completion came 13 days after offer was issued.
Stay ahead of the UK mortgage market. Subscribe to the Mortgage Introducer daily newsletter for broker news, rate updates, and the industry latest delivered to your inbox every morning.
A well-packaged submission
The transaction was introduced by Shmuel Hoffman, Director of Core Capital, whose broker submission was credited as central to the case progressing efficiently through underwriting and legal completion. Joe Lethbridge (pictured top), Business Development Manager for Specialist Mortgages at HTB, supported the deal alongside underwriter Andrew Smith and completions officer Chelsea Fisher. Legal work was handled by Bianca Moraru and Helen Johnston of Arch Law.
Hoffman said the pace reflected the quality of communication between all parties. "Once the offer was issued, the case moved very quickly. Communication between HTB, Arch Law and ourselves was excellent – everyone knew what was needed and there was a real sense of people working together to get the refinance completed," he said. "To go from offer to completion in 13 days was a fantastic result for the client. I was genuinely impressed with how the whole team handled it."
The property – four one-bedroom flats held under a single title – is owned by an existing HTB customer.
Speed built on clarity
Lethbridge said the turnaround was not simply a function of lender capability – it reflected what becomes possible when a broker submits a well-prepared case from the outset. "Speed matters most when it comes with clarity. Shmuel submitted a well-packaged case, which meant everyone could focus on what was needed to get from offer through to completion," he said.
The refinance achieved two objectives simultaneously: clearing the bridging position and releasing equity to support the client's next purchase. "The refinance moved the customer from bridging onto a longer-term facility through Flow, while also releasing capital for their next investment. From that point, it was about keeping everyone aligned and maintaining momentum," Lethbridge added.
He was clear the result was a collective effort. "Andrew, Chelsea and the team at Arch Law all played an important part. Completing 13 days after offer is a strong example of what can happen when the broker, lender and legal teams are all working towards the same outcome."
The specialist lending context
Professional landlords are increasingly looking to transition bridging positions onto longer-term structured finance once assets are stabilised – a trend that has sustained demand for MUFB lending across the specialist market. Multi-unit freehold blocks have drawn consistent interest from portfolio investors, though brokers have noted that lender appetite for the product varies considerably.
HTB's broader position in the specialist market was set out recently by Neil Leitch, the bank's managing director of development finance, who spoke to Mortgage Introducer about planning reform, SME developer viability, and HTB's regional lending strategy. The Herne Bay case sits within a wider picture of specialist lenders adapting to a more complex property finance environment than existed even two years ago. Fast completions in that environment rarely result from lender pace alone, they depend on clean submissions, responsive legal teams, and clear communication at every stage.
Want to be regularly updated with mortgage news and features? Get exclusive interviews, breaking news, and industry events in your inbox – subscribe to our FREE daily newsletter. You can also follow us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and LinkedIn.
