Jorden Abbs
Chief Executive
Joined Norfolk Capital Group at 19 and worked across the business, including as Sales Director, before taking the lead at Commercial Trust.
Specialist property finance broker
Property finance for whatever you’re building.
Buy to let, bridging, commercial and development finance from 80+ high street and specialist lenders. A specialist advisor who picks up the phone, a lender decision in principle often within two hours, and an account manager who chases it all the way to completion.
- 80+lenders, from high street names to specialists
- 2 hoursis often all it takes to get a decision in principle
- 85%maximum loan to value on buy to let
- 4.7/5average rating from 445 Google reviews
- 1988the year our family-owned group started trading
What we arrange
Whatever you’re building, we know who’ll lend on it.
Every lender has its own rules on HMOs, limited companies, first-time landlords, holiday lets and mixed-use property. Our advisors match deals to criteria all day, every day, so you don’t lose weeks applying to the wrong one.
For landlords
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Buy to let mortgages
Buy or remortgage a rental house or flat, whether it’s your first let or your fiftieth.
Up to 85% LTV
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Limited company buy to let
Invest through an SPV or trading company, whether you set it up last week or years ago.
New and established companies
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HMO & multi‑unit mortgages
Houses in multiple occupation and multi-unit freehold blocks, from small shared houses to large HMOs.
High street rates on smaller HMOs
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Holiday let mortgages
Traditional holiday cottages and Airbnb-style short-term lets, in your own name or a company’s.
Short-term lets welcome
Also: 85% LTV buy to let · Buy to let with bad credit · Second charge mortgages
For investors and developers
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Bridging loans
Short-term finance to buy fast, fund a renovation, or buy a property a mortgage lender won’t touch yet.
Funds in days
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Auction finance
Line up your funding before the hammer falls, so you can bid knowing you can complete on time.
Built for auction deadlines
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Development finance
Ground-up builds and major refurbishments, with funds released in stages as the work progresses.
Single units to whole schemes
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Development exit finance
Refinance your development loan as the build finishes, and give yourself time to sell or let the units.
Time to sell or let
Also: Below market value purchases · Flipping property · Second charge bridging
For business owners
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Commercial mortgages
Buy or refinance shops, offices, warehouses and other premises, to trade from or to let out.
Decisions can be same day
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Semi-commercial mortgages
Mixed-use property with business and residential space, like a shop or office with a flat above.
Mixed-use specialists
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Business mortgages
Own the premises your business trades from, and build equity in bricks and mortar instead of paying rent.
For owner-occupiers
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Homeowner business loans
Borrow against your home to fund equipment, cash flow, renovations or growth for your business.
Funds in days
Also: 100% commercial mortgages · Commercial mortgage rates · Second charge borrowing
Not sure which you need? Ask. If we’re not the right people, we’ll tell you straight: we don’t arrange mortgages for the home you live in, unless you’re borrowing against it for your business.
Ask an advisorHow it works
Four steps. One team.
We do the chasing.
We work by phone and email, so it doesn’t matter where in the UK you, or your property, happen to be.
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Tell us what you need
Call, live chat or send an enquiry. A specialist advisor talks through your plans and circumstances in a short fact-find call.
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We search 80+ lenders
Your advisor compares high street and specialist lenders against your deal, then explains the best fit and its monthly costs in plain English.
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Get a decision in principle
Often within two hours for buy to let, bridging and homeowner business loans. Commercial and development finance can be the same day.
Often within 2 hours -
We chase it to completion
Your dedicated account manager takes care of the paperwork and liaises with the lender and solicitors, so you’re never the one chasing.
“Ellie was absolutely on top of everything and kept the process moving along…”Amanda J., Google review
Buy to let calculator
How much could your rent support?
Buy to let lenders don’t just look at your deposit. They also test whether the rent covers the mortgage interest at a higher “stress” rate. See both limits in seconds.
- Loan to value (LTV)
- Your loan as a percentage of the property’s value. Most buy to let lending tops out at 75%, with fewer lenders going to 85%.
- Rental cover
- Lenders usually want the rent to be 125% of the interest, or 145% for higher-rate taxpayers, at the stress rate.
Illustrative maximum loan
£187,500
Limited by loan to value
Deposit to buy at this value: £62,500
Your deposit is the limit here. Some lenders go to 80% or 85% LTV, with fewer products to choose from.
For illustration only. This isn’t an offer of finance or a guarantee of what you can borrow. Lenders’ rental calculations vary and change often, and your circumstances, credit history and the property itself all affect the result. Some lenders allow personal income to top up the rent (“top slicing”). Prefer the full version? Try our live buy to let rates calculator, updated twice daily.
Why Commercial Trust
We say what we do.
We do what we say.
That’s how our values of honesty and integrity are written down. It’s also why so many clients come back to us for their next property. Here’s what it looks like in practice.
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People, not bots
The advisors on our live chat are the same experts you speak to on the phone. In office hours, you always reach someone who knows the market.
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80+ lenders, plus exclusives
High street names and specialist lenders, including deals some lenders only make available through key accounts like us.
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Fast when it counts
Decisions in principle often within two hours. Tell us it’s urgent and we’ll go straight to lenders who move quickly.
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We handle the paperwork
A dedicated account manager processes your documents and keeps lenders and solicitors moving all the way to completion.
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Advice that isn’t for sale
We’re not tied to any lender. You pay us a fee, so our recommendation is never steered by which lender pays brokers more.
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Qualified, and invested
We fund every advisor through the industry’s CeMAP qualification, and many of our team, including our Sales and Marketing Directors, are landlords too.
Client reviews
Our reviews don’t mention a call centre. They mention Ellie, Lottie and Migle.
Commercial Trust stayed with us even when things got difficult thankyou
We are very happy with the service. Ellie has helped us find a mortgage for a very niche property. Great communication through out and totally worth the money.
Fantastic work, prompt professional responses to client queries, a fast decision making process, and clear consistent communications: I would highly recommend.
A fantastic job by everyone at Commercial Trust from start to finish. Special thanks to Lottie, whose professionalism, persistence and excellent communication…
Commercial Trust have been absolutely brilliant in the whole process of remortgaging multiple properties in my portfolio of HMO’s.
Second time using commercial trust and Ellie Baldwin and Jordan gooch sorted another property in good time for me once again. Great service will use again.
Extremely good service from Commercial Trust from start to finish. Worth every penny. Very grateful to Migle in particular…
Great team, very knowledgable and proactive in ensuring everything is completed within timescales. Would highly recommend.
Maddie and Charity really helped us through a stressful period and solved lots of problems. Always calm, professional and knowledgeable…
Who we are
Norwich‑based. UK‑wide.
In it for the long run.
Commercial Trust is part of Norfolk Capital Group: family-owned, trading since 1988 and run by the same Group Chairman since day one. We’re built for lifetime relationships with clients, not one-off deals.
- 1988
Norfolk Capital Group starts trading, with the same Group Chairman then as now.
- 2012
Commercial Trust is founded to help landlords, investors and business owners find the right property finance.
- 2018
Double winner at the Legal & General Mortgage Club Awards: Best Broker Firm for Buy to Let, and Best Small Firm for Overall Quality.
- 2019–23
Finalists at the Mortgage Strategy, Financial Reporter, Mortgage Introducer, Business Moneyfacts and L&G Mortgage Club awards.
- Today
A Key Partner of the Legal & General Mortgage Club, with a panel of 80+ lenders.
Billy McCluskey
Sales Director
Started as an advisor and now runs the whole advice team. A landlord himself, and known for giving straight answers.
Nicola Eaton
Marketing Director
Joined the group in 2013 and oversees our introducer scheme. A landlord too, she leads the guidance we share with investors year-round.
For letting agents, estate agents, IFAs and mortgage advisers
Refer a client. Keep the relationship.
When a client needs specialist property finance, introduce them to us. We agree your commission before we speak to them, a dedicated business development manager keeps you updated, and we never cross-sell services that compete with yours.
Straight answers
Questions we’re asked every day.
Can’t see yours? Ask an advisor on 0808 132 0097. It’s free to call.
What does a specialist property finance broker do?
We find and arrange the right finance for landlords, property investors and business owners. Every lender has its own criteria on things like HMOs, limited companies, holiday lets, mixed-use buildings and credit history. We know which of our 80+ high street and specialist lenders are likely to suit your deal, recommend the best fit and manage the application through to completion.
Do you charge a fee?
Yes, and we’re upfront about it. Nothing is payable until your advisor has found a product you want to go ahead with. Every application then has a non-refundable £599 booking fee, payable on submission.
Buy to let mortgages have a completion fee of up to £1,999 for loans under £500,000, or 1% of the loan for loans over £500,000. Bridging loans and commercial mortgages have a completion fee of £3,499 for loans under £350,000, or 1% of the loan for loans over £350,000. Completion fees are paid after your mortgage completes, or if you choose not to proceed with an offer you’ve accepted.
How quickly can I get a decision?
If you have the information we need, a lender decision in principle for a buy to let mortgage, bridging loan or homeowner business loan can come within two hours of speaking to us. For commercial mortgages and development finance it can be the same day.
Bridging loans and homeowner business loans can then fund in days, while buy to let, commercial and development finance usually take several weeks. If speed matters, tell your advisor and they’ll go to lenders who move quickly.
Should I invest in my own name or through a limited company?
It usually comes down to your tax position. We’ll explain how the lending options differ, and we recommend speaking to a tax adviser alongside receiving a product recommendation from us.
What’s the difference between buy to let, commercial and semi-commercial?
Buy to let mortgages are for residential property let to domestic tenants. Commercial mortgages are for business premises such as shops, offices and warehouses, whether you let them to businesses or run your own business from them. Semi-commercial mortgages cover property with both uses, such as a flat above a shop.
Do I need a bridging loan or development finance?
Bridging loans are short-term finance for speed, such as an auction purchase, or for property that needs work before you can get a long-term mortgage. Development finance funds ground-up builds and major refurbishment projects, released in stages as the work progresses.
Why do I need to speak to you on the phone?
It protects you and us. The products we arrange aren’t FCA regulated, but we are, so we have to verify the identity of everyone we work with. We also audit calls to keep our service standards high, and keep a full record of our dealings in case you ever need us to investigate a concern.
Can you help with a mortgage for my own home?
No. We specialise in finance for investment and business property, so we can’t arrange a standard mortgage for the home you live in. The one exception is if you want to borrow against your home to raise money for your business.
When are you open?
Monday to Thursday 9am to 8pm, and Friday 9am to 6pm. We’re closed at weekends and on bank holidays, but you can send an enquiry at any time and we’ll call you back.
Ready to get your finance moving?
Speak to a specialist advisor today. It’s free to call, and there’s no fee until you choose a product.
0808 132 0097FreephoneMon–Thu 9am–8pm · Fri 9am–6pm