LendInvest demand surges 52pc

When launching in May 2013 LendInvest had a minimum investment amount of £50,000.

Christian Faes, its chief executive, said: "We have made a huge investment in the development of our technology, and we now have a platform that has the foundations to scale significantly.

“We wanted to make sure that we could cope with the increased investor interest in LendInvest, and had the most robust system possible, before we opened up the platform to the everyday investor.

"The returns that LendInvest gives investors are of the best in the peer-to-peer market.

“These investor returns all come with the comfort that the loan is secured by first registered charge against UK property, and underwritten by an experienced lending team with a track record of over six years.”