PM calls for rules to raise the standards of new homes design .

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Saxon Heights Show Homes 2018

Property Finance News:-Prime minister, Theresa May, has said she would like to see new regulations to improve housing standards.

She told delegates at the Chartered Institute of Housing Conference this week that the quality of housing must not be compromised by the drive to build more homes.

Property Development Loans

“I cannot defend a system in which owners and tenants are forced to accept tiny homes with inadequate storage, where developers feel the need to fill show homes with deceptively small furniture, and where the lack of universal standards encourages a race to the bottom.”

Ms May called for new regulations to mandate developers to build higher-quality housing. She said some local authorities make nationally described space standards a condition of granting planning permission. But added that many did not and that even when standards were applied they were not mandatory.

The prime minister said this resulted in an uneven playing field, with different rules in different parts of the country, leaving “tenants and buyers facing a postcode lottery”.

The government wants universal mandatory regulations providing clear national standards which it believes would lead to increased house building.

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Brokers Hank Zarihs Associates said this would be a good move and something both property development lenders and SME house builders would welcome.

Ms May’s comments coincide with the publication of a damming cross -party parliamentary report Planning and the broken housing market.

The Public Accounts Committee report claims the government’s 300,000 new homes a year goal by the mid 2020s is astray because of planning delays. It points out that less than half of UK councils have an up-to-date local plan.

Committee chair, Meg Hillier, said: “Progress against the government’s annual new house building target is way off-track and currently shows scant chance of being achieved.”

She said the 300,000 a year new build target was highly ambitious and at a level not seen since the Second World War.

“There’s no clear rationale for this figure and the ministry themselves says only 265,000 new homes a year are needed,” she added.

The report points out that local authorities are “struggling” to produce local plans showing where and what types of homes are needed. It highlights that just 42 per cent of councils have an up-to-date plan and criticises the government for failing to take “decisive action”.

Federation of Master Builders, FMB, chief executive Brian Berry said his members had not seen any improvement in service since fees were introduced in January last year.

“It is completely unacceptable that sites are being stalled because planning departments are not dealing with applications quickly enough.”

He added: “By allocating small sites for housing delivery in their local plan, local authorities will be reducing the burden of uncertainty for the nation’s small house builders, and therefore speeding up housing supply through better diversifying the sector.”

The committee is calling on the housing ministry to intervene. It has said it should adopt ‘carrot and stick’ measures of support and penalties. It’s also criticises the time the planning inspectorate takes to determine housing appeals. The committee pointed out this has increased from 30 weeks in 2013 to 38 weeks in 2018. It wants detailed action and milestones to be set on improving the inspectorate’s performance.

The government has said a million new homes have been built in the last five years. In Manchester, the number of extra homes is up 12 percent, in Nottingham by 43 per cent, and in Birmingham by 80 per cent. The number of affordable housing starts has also increased to nearly 54,000 this year, said the government.

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Shiraz Khan
Stay informed with the latest news, market trends, and expert guidance on bridging loans, development finance, and UK real estate investment. Our blog is here to support your property journey with clear, practical advice.
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Frequently Asked Questions

You may have heard about bridging loans in the context of property investment or moving house, but what exactly are they? Basically, bridging finance is a type of short-term loan that allows a buyer to purchase a property before their existing home or investment property is sold. As the name suggests, it ‘bridges’ the funding gap in the lag between purchase and sale – offering rapid access to the necessary purchase funds for a brief period of time.

Borrowers can access from £5,000 to £250 million, depending on applicant status, the value of the property and other lender criteria. Higher lending amounts are typically reserved for borrowers who can put up several properties as security. Quotes are provided on a Loan to Value (LTV) of 65%-80% in most situations.

Bridging loans can be used in a number of situations. For example:

  1. When people are moving home in a chain, with a gap between completion dates (e.g. needing to pay for the new property before receiving funds on the completed old property).
  2. When property investors or private buyers renovate a home and want a rapid sell-on.
  3. When an individual is looking to buy a property at an auction.
  4. When property investors and developers are looking to pay a tax bill
  5. When buyers want to secure finance against an uninhabitable property.

This type of finance can be used by homeowners, landlords and property developers alike.

The bridging finance market has grown rapidly, with a number of small and focused lenders now on the market, catering for specialist property finance needs. The market has changed because large high-street lenders have become less willing (and sometimes less able) to lend ever since the financial crisis of 2008.

As to whether a bridging loan for property development, auction purchase or private home buying is a good idea, it depends on a variety of factors. Bridging loan requirements vary by lender, but each will have certain common features that need to be considered.

The most notable feature of this type of finance is that the interest rate is likely to be high. At the same time, there are typically high administration fees applied to the loan. Because of this, it is essential to proceed very carefully and with a full view of the facts. Borrowers have been burned by this type of loan in the past, in instances where transactions have fallen through, or where lenders have turned out to be unscrupulous and untrustworthy.

Benefits of instant bridging loans

1. Rapid access to money
2. Ability to borrow large sums – often up to £250 million depending on applicant status
3. Options for flexible borrowing.

Possible downsides of bridging loans:

1. Failure to understand the unique features of these loans can result in financial risk
2. Bridging finance is secured against your property; meaning it can be sold if you can’t meet the repayment terms
3. A costly option with fees and higher interest

Bridging finance interest rates will vary by lender. However, interest costs of 1.5% a month are not unusual, which can equate to an annual percentage rate of 18%.

Bridging loans may have fixed or variable interest rate features. Fixed interest rates are ideal for customers who want stability, as they offer the same amount of interest for the duration of the term. The rate is pre-agreed, but there may be a premium for this security.

The other choice is to have a variable rate bridging loan which can change with the base rate. However, you can save money if the base rate decreases. Borrowers who are less concerned about security sometimes prefer the variable rate option if they believe that the financial markets will travel in their favour. Knowledge and market insight is required here, along with a thorough understanding of personal risk tolerance. If interest rates appear to be rising, most customers will choose the fixed interest rate to lock it in and avoid further increases in the event of a base rate rise.

Bridging loan periods tend to be for several months and there are usually different options for paying the interest portion.

Monthly repayments

The customer repays the interest every month as a separate payment, rather than adding it to the outstanding balance

Rolled-up bridging finance deals

The compound interest is calculated monthly but added to the outstanding loan balance and paid together when repayment is due.

Retained interest

The monthly interest payment due is covered up to a predefined date so that the full sum is only repaid when monies are due.

As well as interest payments, there will be an arrangement fee for the set-up of the bridging loan, which is usually around 1-2%. A repayment fee for exit paperwork may also apply, along with valuation fees for the cost of the surveyor.

Remember, this type of finance is designed to be short-term. As soon as it extends beyond the agreed interim or bridging period, penalties can rapidly stack up. Typically, bridging finance is available for 1 – 18 months.

Yes, there are two broad types: closed bridging finance and open bridging finance.

With closed bridging finance you will tell the lender how you will repay the loan – with what funds and when. These loans usually complete within a few months and the clear exit plan is required as a lending condition.

Open bridge finance won’t usually need this type of exit plan, and it is typically the loan of choice when funds are needed urgently to complete a property transaction. No detailed plan is needed to explain how the debt will be settled, and the finance tends to be offered for up to a year. Of course, it’s important to note that interest will keep being applied throughout this period.

There are also first charge bridging loans and second charge bridging loans.

If you have a loan against a property which is already mortgaged, you’d take out a second charge loan. An example of this would be if you were planning to finance a property extension to improve the property. The categorisation tells the lenders who will have legal priority for repayment if the loan was unable to be paid off at the term-end.

First charge loans apply if the new loan is the first secured on the property.

Bridging loan requirements will depend on the lender. Often, lenders will require that:

Customers must also take out their property mortgage with them too, providing the bridge finance as an interim measure before the standard mortgage comes into play.

Property is put forward as security against the loan. Some lenders expect applicants to have more than one property in order to be eligible for their bridging finance products, but this will depend on the lender and the size of the loan.

Applicants show proof of income – although, interestingly, as loan interest isn’t repaid monthly, some lenders do not request this.

The applicant shows evidence of their property investment track record if they are planning to develop their purchased property.

The applicant can show a business plan if they are using the bridging loan for commercial purposes.

Development loans are another type of short-term property development loan. They are repaid in stages and calculated on the gross value of the development. Personal loans are another option, as are remortgages when timescales are more flexible and a long-term loan is desirable.

Use a bridge loan calculator
Ask for your lender to provide a tailored bridge finance example or illustration around your particular borrowing needs.
Think carefully about the type of bridging loan that you need – whether open bridge finance or closed bridge finance.
Know whether the loan is a first or second charge type.
Clarify whether the interest rate is fixed or variable.
Review products from several lenders.
Be clear on your security.
Read the small print!

Bridging loans are offered by banks, building societies, specialist lenders and brokers. They aren’t widely advertised and usually require a direct application by the customer to find out the product features and offers.

Once you have made an application, a decision will usually be made within 24 hours. The funds then will take around two weeks to be issued, including time for checks to be carried out, the valuation and the actual transfer.

Hank Zarihs are highly experienced and specialist financial intermediaries operating in the property development market. We work with a tried and tested panel of over 60 trusted lenders and can provide excellent bridging finance with attractive features. Contact us to find out more.

Shiraz

Shiraz Khan linkden

Managing Director

Shiraz Khan is the author of the content. Shiraz is the managing director and founder of Hank Zarihs Associates. With over 16 years’ of experience we are master brokers within the short term financing industry. We specialise in a wide variety of short term loans.

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