The honest timetable
| Stage | Best case | Typical |
|---|---|---|
| Enquiry to indicative terms | Same day | 1 working day |
| Terms accepted to valuation booked | Same day | 2 to 4 days (access, valuer availability) |
| Valuation report | 2 days after inspection | 3 to 5 days; longer for commercial |
| Lender legal work | 3 to 4 days | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Your solicitor's work | Runs in parallel | The usual cause of delay |
| Funds released | Day 7 | Day 14 to 21 |
What a seven-day completion needs
- A solicitor who does bridging every week, instructed before terms are issued, with the file open and ID done.
- Valuation access on the first or second day. On a purchase, the agent or auctioneer arranges it; on a refinance, you do.
- A clean title with nothing to fix: no missing leasehold information, no unregistered land, no restrictions, no disputes.
- A borrower who sends every document the same day it is asked for, and who has the deposit and costs sitting in one account with three months of statements ready.
- A lender that uses dual representation (its solicitor acts for both sides) or accepts a desktop valuation on a straightforward residential property.
Where the days go
Legal enquiries. The lender's solicitor raises questions; your solicitor answers slowly, or has to ask you, or has to ask the seller's solicitor. Every round trip is two to three days.
Leasehold. Management pack from the freeholder or managing agent: routinely a week, sometimes three.
Valuation access. Tenants who will not let the valuer in; auctioneers who need the seller's permission; keys held by a receiver.
Source of funds. Lenders must see where your deposit came from. Money moved between several accounts, gifts, or company funds without a trail can add a week.
Company borrowers. New SPVs need setting up, bank accounts opened, and directors' personal guarantees drafted and independently advised.
Auction timings
Traditional auctions give 28 days from the fall of the hammer (some 20, some 14). That is enough if the loan is started before the auction. It is tight if you start the day after, and dangerous if you start a week after. Read the auction finance page before you bid.
About the numbers on this page. Rates, fees and loan-to-values are typical market ranges for unregulated bridging in England, given so you can size a deal. They are not an offer. Your terms depend on the property, the exit, the lender and you.
Questions we get asked
Can a bridging loan complete in 48 hours?
Only with a valuation already on file, legal work substantially done, and a lender that has already approved the borrower. It happens on repeat business with the same lender. For a new deal, plan on seven working days as the fastest realistic case.
Does a desktop valuation speed things up?
Yes, by about a week. Some lenders accept automated or desktop valuations on conventional residential property below a certain value and LTV. Not available for commercial, land or unusual property.
What is dual representation?
The lender's solicitor also acts for you, so there is one firm instead of two exchanging letters. It is faster and often cheaper. Not every lender offers it and not every borrower wants it.
Tell us the deal.
A few numbers and a postcode is enough for a first view. Indicative terms cost nothing and commit you to nothing.