West One Bridging Loans Review (2026)

West One Bridging Loans at a Glance

West One lends from 0.55%/month on first-charge residential at up to 75% LTV, from £75,000 to £30m and above, with no early repayment charges and no automated credit scoring. It is FCA-authorised, so you can take a regulated bridge here too.

The rate, scale and adverse-credit flexibility are the draw. The second-charge and commercial pricing are the catch. Here is how the headline terms stack up for you:

West One Bridging Loans at a Glance

Feature	Detail
Monthly rate	From 0.55% (unregulated 1st charge); from 0.75% (regulated)
Maximum LTV	75% (1st charge residential); 65% (2nd charge)
Loan size	£75,000 to £30,000,000+ (Premier referral above £30m)
Term	1 to 24 months (regulated max 12 months)
Arrangement fee	Typically ~2% (variable; can be added to loan)
Exit fee	None (no ERCs in most cases)
Completion speed	Average 14 days; fast-track 2–3 days with AVM
Adverse credit	CCJs under £500 ignored; no automated credit scoring
Regulation	FCA-authorised for regulated bridging
Customer rating	Feefo 4.7/5; Trustpilot 4-star (approx 205 reviews)
Verified 24 May 2026.

What West One Offers

West One lends across standard residential, commercial, semi-commercial, HMO and land, in both the regulated and unregulated markets, and its pull is the combination most specialists cannot match: rates from 0.55%, loans to £30m, and manual adverse-credit underwriting.

Founded in 2007 and London-based, it has built a name as a high-capacity, flexible lender for property professionals who need speed, size, or accommodation of adverse credit.

We rate that breadth as West One’s real edge: on most unregulated deals you are choosing it for capacity and credit flexibility, not just the headline rate. If your credit file has marks on it, you will feel the difference where it counts, at underwriting.

A bridging loan is a short-term, interest-only facility secured against property. You draw down the capital on day one, pay interest during the term (monthly, rolled-up, or retained depending on product), and repay the principal in full at exit.

West One releases loan proceeds on completion of legal formalities. The borrower provides an exit strategy at application; typically a property sale, buy-to-let remortgage, or development exit. The lender underwrites primarily on the asset value and the viability of that exit.

We’d describe this as the core advantage of specialist bridging: because the underwriting centres on the property and the exit rather than the borrower’s income history, deals that high-street banks decline can still complete quickly.

Regulated bridging applies when your loan is secured against a property you (or a close family member) currently live in or intend to occupy as your main residence.

That distinction matters. These loans are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), giving you consumer protections including the right to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

West One’s regulated bridging is available as first or second charge. Maximum term is 12 months under FCA rules. Regulated products at West One use retained interest only: the full interest for the term is calculated upfront and deducted from the gross advance.

Unregulated bridging covers investment, commercial, and development purposes. It sits outside FCA oversight. West One offers all three interest structures (retained, rolled-up, serviced) on unregulated deals, with terms up to 24 months.

West One’s core bridging product covers residential, commercial, semi-commercial, HMO, and land. Its Bridge-to-Let product combines a bridging facility with a pre-agreed exit onto a West One buy-to-let mortgage, removing the refinance risk at exit.

For development and heavy refurbishment, West One provides loans priced on Loan-to-Cost (up to 85% LTC including 100% of build costs in arrears) and Loan-to-Gross-Development-Value (up to 65% LTGDV). These are handled by the development team and priced bespoke.

West One Bridging Loan Rates and Fees

West One bridging starts at 0.55%/month on first-charge residential, with the rate you are offered then set by loan type, LTV tier, charge priority and your adverse-credit profile.

Worked example: £300,000 unregulated residential loan at 0.65%/month for 9 months.

Monthly interest: £1,950. Total interest over term: £17,550. Add a 2% arrangement fee (£6,000) and TT fee (£35): total cost of borrowing approximately £23,585. Exit repayment: £300,000 principal.

We’d always run this comparison before choosing rolled-up versus serviced interest.

On a 9-month bridge, serviced preserves your day-one capital; rolled-up avoids your monthly cash commitment.

The difference in total cost is small. The difference in your cash flow during the term is real.

West One offers three interest structures on unregulated bridging: retained, rolled-up, and serviced. Regulated bridging uses retained interest only.

Retained interest is calculated for the full term and deducted from the gross advance before drawdown. You make no monthly payments; the net day-one cash is reduced by the full interest reserve.

Rolled-up interest accrues monthly and is added to the loan balance. No monthly payments, but the exit repayment is slightly higher than the principal due to compounding.

Serviced interest is paid monthly, like an interest-only mortgage. Day-one capital is maximised but requires a regular monthly income stream. West One subjects serviced interest to a strict affordability assessment.

LTV tier. The lower your LTV, the lower your rate. Rates are typically banded at 50%, 60%, 65%, and 75% LTV for residential products.

Charge priority. First charge loans carry lower rates than second charge. Second charge loans sit behind an existing first charge mortgage, increasing the lender’s risk.

Property type. Standard residential attracts the lowest rates. Commercial and semi-commercial products start at 0.95%/month regardless of LTV.

Adverse credit profile. Minor adverse (CCJs under £500, old defaults) may not affect rate. Heavier adverse is priced into specialist tiers from 0.95% to 1.60%/month.

West One Bridging Loan Criteria

What gates a West One deal is the asset and your exit, not your income: it runs no automated credit score on you without permission, weighs your CCJs and defaults by hand, and lends to 75% LTV on first-charge residential.

On who can borrow, it lends to individuals, limited companies, SPVs, LLPs and offshore entities from £1m, first-time investors included, with no minimum income on unregulated bridging.

Standard residential (houses, flats, new builds, leasehold): maximum 75% LTV on first charge; 65% on second charge.

Unmortgageable properties (no kitchen, bathroom, central heating, or running water): accepted. Loan sized against current unmodernised value.

HMOs and MUFBs: up to 6 beds/units on standard criteria; up to 10 units with enhanced criteria; 11+ units on referral.

Mixed-use and semi-commercial: accepted where residential element is under 50% of total floor space.

Land: accepted with and without planning permission. Exact LTV on land without planning is case-by-case.

Commercial: offices, retail, standard commercial accepted. Care homes, places of worship, and football clubs excluded.

Adverse credit. West One does not run automated credit scoring without your permission. Satisfied CCJs and defaults are ignored entirely. Unsatisfied CCJs and defaults under £500 are also ignored. That’s one of the most specific adverse credit positions in the market.

If you have up to two unsatisfied CCJs over £500 within the last 12 months, you may still qualify on specialist tiers.

Missed payments: if your record includes missed or late payments on unsecured credit, these are accepted, especially where your loan proceeds clear those arrears.

IVAs and DMPs: if your IVA or Debt Management Plan is discharged, West One accepts it at 12, 24, or 36 months depending on product tier. Active IVAs are accepted if your loan proceeds repay them.

Bankruptcy: standard tiers require no previous bankruptcy. Specialist tiers accept your discharged bankruptcy if it is more than 3 years old.

Your primary security is a first or second legal charge over the property. For second charge bridging, your combined LTV including the existing mortgage must fall within West One’s limits (maximum 65% combined).

No personal guarantee is required as standard on your unregulated bridging loan. West One covers England, Wales, and mainland Scotland.

Applying for a West One Bridging Loan

West One accepts your application directly or via a broker. To start your case you need to provide the property address, estimated value and loan amount, your intended exit strategy, adverse credit disclosure if applicable, and your required completion timeframe.

For development cases, site plans and planning references are required. When you apply via a broker, West One pays the procuration fee, and experienced brokers often have direct BDM contacts who can fast-track your case assessment.

Valuation. Standard cases require a physical valuation commissioned by West One and paid upfront by the borrower. For eligible properties at lower LTVs, Automated Valuation Models (AVMs) are available, removing the physical valuation cost and significantly accelerating the timeline.

Legal work. Dual legal representation (a single solicitor acting for both lender and borrower) is permitted and reduces completion time and legal costs. For fast-track bridging up to £750,000, West One offers a free legal service via appointed in-house solicitors.

Documents required: proof of identity, evidence of the exit strategy (sale agreement, mortgage in principle), property title and planning documents where applicable. Income evidence is not required for unregulated bridging.

Decision in principle: instant via broker portal for standard residential. Complex commercial structures take 24–48 hours.

Standard completion: West One’s quoted average is 14 days from initial enquiry. This assumes a physical valuation and standard legal process.

Fast-track completion: where AVM is used and dual legal representation is instructed, West One can complete in 2–3 days. Designed specifically for auction purchases and time-critical chain breaks.

If you’re buying at auction and the hammer falls on Wednesday, West One’s AVM fast-track means you can have funds within 2–3 days. That’s what the 28-day auction completion window is designed for.

We’d recommend confirming AVM eligibility with a broker or West One directly before assuming fast-track is available for your case.

West One Exit Strategy Requirements

West One requires a credible exit strategy at application.

Acceptable exits include: open-market sale of the property; refinance onto a buy-to-let mortgage (including West One’s own Bridge-to-Let product); residential mortgage refinance for regulated bridging; development exit finance; and cash redemption.

We’d note that West One’s Bridge-to-Let product offers a structural advantage: if you intend to refinance onto a buy-to-let mortgage at exit, West One can pre-agree your refinance at the start of the bridge, removing your refinance risk entirely. We’d rate that as a genuine differentiator.

A closed bridge has a confirmed exit date: exchange of contracts on your sale, or a formal mortgage offer received. An open bridge has no fixed exit date, typically because your sale or refinance has not yet completed.

West One accepts both. If your exit is confirmed, your closed bridge carries lower risk and typically attracts better rates. If your exit is open, expect a higher risk premium.

We’d always aim to close the bridge before drawdown where your timeline allows. Closed bridges attract sharper pricing.

If your exit does not complete by the end of the agreed term, West One applies an over-term fee monthly until the loan is repaid. If serviced interest payments are missed, default interest applies at 1%–2% per month above the contracted rate.

Extensions are not automatic. West One can grant them where you communicate early and your underlying asset retains adequate equity.

If your refinance date slips by two months, West One applies an over-term fee every month you’re past the end of your agreed term. Budget for that possibility.

In the event of sustained default, West One as the secured lender has the right to appoint a receiver and enforce against your security property. We’d treat any bridge with an uncertain exit as carrying real enforcement risk; the rate is irrelevant if the exit fails.

West One Bridging Loan Customer Reviews

West One holds a Feefo rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars and a 4-star rating on Trustpilot (approximately 205 reviews at May 2026). Positive reviews consistently highlight speed of execution and willingness to take on complex cases.

Customers regularly name individual underwriters and completions officers in positive reviews, suggesting that the relationship-driven model extends beyond the BDM team.

Several reviews specifically mention West One completing deals that other lenders declined, particularly on adverse credit profiles and unusual property types.

Negative reviews centre on communication during complex underwriting phases. Some borrowers reported difficulty getting clear status updates during due diligence, particularly on larger or more complex cases.

A smaller number of reviews mention slower-than-expected turnaround when the case encountered complications post-DIP. This is not unusual in specialist bridging, where completions can be held up by third-party solicitors or valuers.

We’d suggest requesting a named contact in the completions team at the start of any case to reduce the chance of communication gaps during the final stages.

West One Regulation, Safety and Complaints

On safety, what matters is whether your specific loan is regulated. West One Loans Limited is FCA-authorised for regulated mortgage activity, covering bridges where you or a close family member occupies the security property.

Unregulated bridging loans fall outside FCA oversight. FSCS protection does not apply to bridging loans.

If your bridging loan is regulated, you have the full range of consumer protections and access to the Financial Ombudsman Service. Raise your complaint with West One first; if it remains unresolved, you can escalate to the FOS. That matters if something goes wrong.

West One Alternatives

Together edges West One on regulated bridging rates (0.71% vs 0.75%) and on minimum loan size (£26,000 vs £75,000). If your loan is under £5m, regulated, and your adverse credit fits Together’s published thresholds, Together is worth comparing. The regulated rate gap is real.

West One pulls ahead on unregulated rates (0.55% vs Together’s 0.83%), maximum loan size (£30m+ vs £5m), and maximum term (24 months vs 12 months). For your large development or investment deal, West One’s capacity is the stronger tool.

Shawbrook’s defining advantage is 85% LTV on residential refurbishment. If your deal hinges on maximising your day-one capital for refurbishment, Shawbrook may return more usable cash at drawdown.

West One beats Shawbrook on rate (0.55% vs 0.79%), maximum loan size, adverse credit specificity, and direct borrower access.

West One is the stronger starting point for standard residential and commercial bridges.

We’d only route to Shawbrook if your specific need is maximum-LTV refurbishment.

Is West One Bridging Finance Right for You?

West One delivers on the two things specialist bridging most needs: speed and flexibility. Its 0.55%/month unregulated rate is among the lowest in the market.

Its manual adverse credit underwriting is one of the most specific and transparent available. That pattern matches what the product guide claims. And its loan capacity (up to £30m and above) makes it viable for large portfolio transactions that smaller specialist lenders cannot match.

No ERCs. Full stop. That benefit is real for any borrower whose exit timeline is variable.

The AVM and dual legal fast-track option, completing in 2–3 days, is a genuine differentiator for auction purchases.

We’d recommend West One as the first call for property professionals with minor adverse credit, large loan requirements, or time-critical completions. We’d note that it loses ground to Shawbrook on refurbishment LTV (Shawbrook reaches 85%) and to Together on regulated rates and smaller loan sizes.

But across the broadest range of unregulated bridging scenarios, West One is a strong and well-evidenced choice. We’d expect most experienced property investors to shortlist it.

Frequently Asked Questions