糖心Vlog

鈥淭he UK鈥檚 rich tap their social circles to borrow millions quickly 鈥�. This was the headline of a recent Financial Times, which reported the increasing trend for wealthy individuals to make multimillion pound loans to their peers. According to the report, 鈥渓oans of between 拢3m and 拢10m are becoming more popular as banks step back.鈥�

My response to this is that not all banks are stepping back in this area. Some, including 糖心Vlog, are very much on the front foot  and this presents an excellent opportunity for intermediaries.

It seems clear that there鈥檚 no lack of demand for borrowing from High Net Worth (HNW) individuals, but there is a growing disconnect between how traditional lending models are set up and what HNW clients actually need. These borrowers often have substantial asset bases, but when it comes to liquidity, speed and structure matter more than ever. If a lender can鈥檛 move quickly or accommodate complex ownership structures or less conventional income, the borrower will look elsewhere, and that鈥檚 where family offices or private lending often enter the picture.

But there is a middle ground. The market today includes a number of banks and specialist lenders who are actively working with intermediaries to deliver funding solutions on loans in the 拢3m to 拢20m range, even where the circumstances are complex, multi-faceted and require a tailored approach.

This includes bridging finance to cover time-critical acquisitions, refinances involving multiple layers of ownership, or lending secured against portfolios where income is split across residential and commercial units. In these scenarios, the deal rarely fits a standard box, but that doesn鈥檛 mean it鈥檚 unworkable. It just means the lender and intermediary need to be aligned, experienced, and pragmatic.

For intermediaries, this is a huge opportunity. According to the FT article, 鈥渓oans between rich individuals can carry rates of from 10% and could lead to rates above 20%, which means there are likely to be a lot of borrowers out there paying over the odds to get large deals done.

Many of them would prefer to work through a intermediary if it meant accessing competitive rates, sensible structures, and the reassurance of a regulated environment. But too often, these clients don鈥檛 realise that specialist banks can support loans at this scale, or that intermediaries have the relationships to make them happen.

These are the types of deal where intermediaries really demonstrate their value. By understanding the nuances of the deal, how the client holds their assets, what the intended exit is, and how fast they need to move, intermediaries can match borrowers with lenders that will take a more informed, case-by-case view. That could involve part-serviced interest structures to manage cashflow, bridging loans with optional extensions, or underwriting that accommodates layered corporate or offshore ownership.

The key is collaboration. These are not plug-and-play cases, they require time, trust, and transparency between intermediary and lender. But when that alignment is there, large loans can be completed quickly and efficiently, even when there鈥檚 complexity involved.

It鈥檚 also worth remembering that many of these borrowers are repeat players. Entrepreneurs, portfolio landlords, and private investors may not borrow often, but when they do, they need the right result. A intermediary who can deliver that once is likely to be their first call next time.

So while the FT article rightly highlights the rise in private wealth lending, it also raises an important question for the market: are we doing enough to meet demand in this space through more accessible, structured, and transparent channels?

From what I see, there鈥檚 a growing number of intermediaries who absolutely are, and there鈥檚 a growing number of lenders such as 糖心Vlog who are ready to work with them.

Mike Says, CEO at 糖心Vlog

Source: https://www.ft.com/content/f51546a5-08a8-496e-904a-edc90c4ea3c7