Second charge bridging: raising money without touching the first mortgage
When a commercial or investment property has equity but the existing mortgage is worth keeping, a second charge bridge raises against that equity and leaves the first loan alone. 22 of the 53 bridging lenders on our panel offer it; most of the market simply does not.
We know which lenders take second-charge risk, at what combined loan-to-value, and how they handle first-lender consent. That shortlist is the work; the rest is paperwork.
The second-charge panel in numbers
22
of 53 bridging lenders offer second charges
42
accept slight adverse credit on bridging
33
will re-bridge an existing bridging loan
26
can use automated valuations on smaller loans, which speeds completion
Counts are distinct lenders on our panel with at least one live product matching the criterion, checked September 2026. Panel composition changes over time, and meeting a criterion is not an offer: every case is subject to the lender's own checks.
When a second charge is the right shape
The first mortgage is cheap
A long fix at a rate the market no longer offers is an asset. Refinancing it to raise £150k of working capital burns the rate on the whole balance; a second charge prices only the new money.
Early repayment charges would bite
Where breaking the first loan costs a percentage of the whole facility, a second charge routinely comes out cheaper overall, even at bridging rates, for a short-term raise.
Speed matters more than rate
Tax deadlines, completions and one-off opportunities rarely wait for a full refinance. Second charge bridges complete on bridging timescales, days to a few weeks, not months.
The exit is defined
Bridging wants a visible way out: a sale, a refinance, an incoming receipt. A second charge with no exit is expensive drift, and lenders underwrite the exit as hard as the property.
A note on who we take on
We currently work with UK limited companies and LLPs only, for business and commercial purposes. We complete non-regulated introductions and are not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. We do not arrange regulated loans or lending secured on a director's own home.
The panel behind this page
Second-charge cases go straight to the 22 lenders on our bridging panel of 53 that take them, matched on combined loan-to-value and exit, part of 200+ lenders across all products. That range matters more than any single rate: the lender that suits a five-year-old limited company with clean accounts is rarely the one that suits a seasonal business or a director with a past blip, and a broker with a shallow panel has to force your case into whichever box it holds.
Names you may recognise on the panel
Examples from our panel as at September 2026, not an endorsement of any lender and not the full list. We check criteria first and put your case only to lenders whose requirements you fit. The full panel by product is in our lender directory, and how we choose is set out on our how we work page.
Frequently asked questions
How many lenders offer second charge bridging?▼
22 of the 53 bridging lenders on our panel will sit behind an existing first charge, out of 200+ lenders across all products (checked September 2026; panel composition changes over time). It is a genuine subset: roughly six in ten bridging lenders will not take second-charge risk at all, which is why direct applications so often dead-end.
Why use a second charge instead of refinancing the first mortgage?▼
Usually because the first mortgage is worth keeping: a good long-term rate, early repayment charges that would sting, or a facility that took months to arrange. A second charge raises money against the remaining equity and leaves the first loan untouched. You pay more for the second lender sitting behind the first in the queue, so it makes sense when the raise is short-term or the first mortgage is genuinely worth protecting.
Do I need my first lender's permission?▼
Normally yes. Most first-charge lenders must consent to a second charge being registered, and some take weeks or refuse. Where consent is a problem, a few bridging lenders will work with an equitable charge or a different structure instead. It is exactly the kind of wrinkle worth flagging before the case goes anywhere, because it changes which lenders are realistic.
How much can be raised on a second charge bridge?▼
It is driven by combined loan-to-value: the first mortgage plus the new second charge, measured against the property value. Second-charge bridging typically tops out at a lower combined LTV than a first-charge bridge would, and pricing steps up with the combined figure. The equity behind the first charge, not the property value alone, is what sets the ceiling.
Does adverse credit block a second charge bridge?▼
Less than you might expect, because the property secures the loan: 42 of our bridging lenders accept slight adverse credit and 19 will look at heavy adverse. The exit matters more than the history: lenders want a credible route to repayment, usually a sale or refinance, more than a clean file.
Is second charge bridging FCA regulated?▼
On a business or investment property lent to a limited company, generally not. A second charge secured on someone's home is regulated territory, and we do not arrange regulated loans or anything secured on a director's own residence. CapExpand introduces limited companies and LLPs on a non-regulated basis and is not an FCA-authorised firm.
Important information
CapExpand Ltd is not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and can only complete non-regulated introductions. We work with UK limited companies and LLPs only, for business and commercial purposes. We are not a lender and we do not provide financial, tax or legal advice. We do not arrange regulated residential mortgages, consumer buy-to-let mortgages or any other regulated mortgage contracts. We work with a panel of lenders whose particulars are available on request, and we receive commission from the lender if a deal completes, at no cost to you. All lending is subject to status, valuation where applicable and the lender's own checks.
Registered office: Pure Offices, Lake View Drive, Annesley, Nottingham, NG15 0DT. Company No. 14433858.
Tell us about the property and the first charge
Value, outstanding mortgage, how much you need and the exit. We come back with the second-charge lenders that fit, usually within a day.