Mortgage Solutions23 August 2026

CHL opens bridging to more adverse-credit borrowers — but London landlords still need a watertight exit

CHL Mortgages has widened its bridging criteria to include more adverse-credit cases, with rates from 0.7% a month, loans from £100,000 to £10m and borrowing up to 75% LTV. For London landlords, that could unlock auction, chain-break and refurbishment deals, but only if credit issues, valuation route, legal position and refinance or sale exit are evidenced from day one.

CHL Mortgages bridging financeadverse creditLondon landlordsauction finance refurbishment finance

A bridging rate of 0.7% a month will grab attention, but the real story is that CHL Mortgages is now willing to consider more borrowers with adverse credit — including some cases involving unsatisfied CCJs, debts and arrears — on loans from £100,000 to £10 million at up to 75% LTV.

This article is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules can change and may apply differently to each property. Check the dated source and seek appropriate professional advice before acting.

Need help reviewing your property?

Arrange a conversation with our team about your property, tenancy and the local requirements that may apply.

Request a compliance conversation

Stay informed

Get our landlord updates by email

Receive selected landlord updates and links to source material.

Key obligations

When referring or advising clients, letting agents and landlords must ensure clients’ adverse-credit details (e.g. unsatisfied CCJs, secured/unsecured arrears) are disclosed and fully documented for underwriter assessment.
Confirm whether a property is eligible for an AVM vs. requiring a physical valuation; agents should not assume physical valuations will be carried out.
For refurbishment bridging, agents/landlords must ensure compliance with planning, building regulations, and appropriate survey/legal documentation (especially for structural works) as lenders will want evidence.
Use of CHL products currently requires access via DA brokers, selected mortgage clubs, or CHL’s bridging packager panel — ensure you or your broker has the correct authorisation/route before advising clients.
Ensure tenancy agreements, existing charges and legal priorities are checked and disclosed (lenders will require clear details of existing security or charges).

Recommended actions

Identify landlord/borrower candidates who could benefit (adverse credit, auction buyers, chain breaks, refurbishment projects) and flag the product as a potential option.
Advise clients to fully declare any CCJs, debts or arrears; gather supporting documentation in advance to speed underwriting.
Confirm with CHL or its approved packager/broker whether the specific property qualifies for an AVM. If not, arrange for a full valuation/survey — for heavy refurbishments arrange structural surveys and costed works schedules.
Work only with directly authorised brokers or the lender’s approved packagers/mortgage clubs. If you currently refer to non-DA advisers, ensure they have access to CHL distribution routes or switch to an approved intermediary.
Warn clients about bridging loan characteristics: relatively high monthly interest (from 0.7%/month), short-term nature, and the need for clear exit strategies (sale, refinance, completed refurbishment).
Review tenancy and security positions before sanctioning bridging finance (e.g. existing charges, tenant rights, notice periods) and get legal advice where necessary.
Update internal referral and compliance checklists to capture AVM acceptance, adverse credit disclosures, proposed works scope, and distribution route eligibility.
Train frontline staff/brokers on the product scope and limitations so initial client triage (eligibility, document checklist) is accurate and avoids wasted time.

Source: View source material

This summary is informational only. Verify product terms, eligibility, valuations, distribution routes and regulatory status directly with CHL Mortgages, the lender’s packager/broker partners, and/or legal/regulatory advisers (including the FCA) before advising clients or proceeding with transactions.

Related services

More landlord news you might find useful

Mortgage Strategy4 June 2026

Glenhawk Cuts Bridging Loan Rates Across the Board: What London Landlords Need to Know

Glenhawk has lowered interest rates on all its bridging loan products, including regulated and unregulated loans, with monthly rates reduced by 2 to 8 basis points depending on loan-to-value (LTV) bands. This includes new automated valuation model (AVM) policies allowing lending up to 75% LTV. London landlords should review how these changes impact their short-term financing strategies, especially for refurbishment or acquisition projects.

Glenhawkbridging loansinterest rate cuts

Mortgage Strategy7 November 2026

Kensington cuts 75% LTV buy-to-let rates, but 5% fees could wipe out the saving

Kensington Mortgages has reduced selected 75% LTV buy-to-let rates by up to 0.15 percentage points across its Prime, Prime eKo and Core ranges. For many landlords, however, the real question is whether a lower pay rate justifies a product fee of up to 5%, especially once EPC eligibility, licensing and refinance timing are factored in.

Kensington Mortgagesbuy-to-let mortgage75% LTV

Landlord Today21 October 2026

Skipton International lifts SPV buy-to-let lending to 75% LTV — but key criteria are still missing

Skipton International has raised the maximum LTV on limited company/SPV buy-to-let mortgages to 75% and lowered the minimum loan to £100,000 across its UK BTL and SPV ranges. The change could help London landlords on smaller purchases and low-balance refinances, but without published detail on rates, stress testing, property eligibility or implementation, it is a criteria shift to verify — not a deal to assume.

Skipton InternationalSPV buy-to-let75% LTV

CHL opens bridging to more adverse-credit borrowers — but London landlords still need a watertight exit | Rentals and Sales