What Lenders Actually Need from You
Practical, plain-English guides explaining exactly what lenders and investors look for in each document and piece of information. No downloads, no forms — just clear, structured guidance to help you prepare for commercial finance.
Disclaimer: This resource provides general information and planning tools only. It is not financial, legal, tax, accounting, investment or regulated mortgage advice. FinanceMyCompany.co.uk is a credit broker, not a lender. Lender criteria, availability, pricing and terms vary and are subject to application, credit assessment, affordability, underwriting, valuation, security, documentation and legal work. Obtain appropriate independent professional advice.
Business Plan
What lenders and investors expect to see in a business plan — the sections, data and narrative that make your case for funding.
Investor Pitch Deck
What to include in a pitch deck when seeking equity investment or partner funding — the slides, data and narrative investors expect.
Cashflow Forecast
What lenders need in a cashflow forecast — the structure, line items, assumptions and timeframes that make your forecast credible.
Funding Checklist
The documents and information lenders commonly request — from KYC to security details — so you can prepare before you apply.
Commercial Mortgage Guide
What you need to know about UK commercial mortgages — owner-occupied vs investment, LTV, affordability, valuation, security, fees and the application process.
Development Finance Guide
What you need to know about UK development finance — costs, LTC, LTGDV, drawdowns, monitoring surveyors, interest, fees, exit strategy and risks.
Asset Register
What to include in a business asset register — the columns, categories and data points lenders need when assessing asset-backed finance.
Personal Guarantee Guide
What you need to know about personal guarantees — secured, unsecured, limited, unlimited, joint-and-several, enforcement risks, caps, duration and release.
Funding Comparison
How to compare lender offers properly — the fields to capture, why nominal rates are misleading, and what to look for beyond the headline figure.
Due Diligence Checklist
What to investigate when acquiring a business or property — corporate, financial, tax, legal, commercial, operational, employment, property and more.
Bridging Finance Guide
What you need to know about UK bridging finance — regulated vs unregulated, LTV, term, exit strategy, fees, interest and the risks of short-term borrowing.
Management Accounts Guide
What lenders need in your management accounts — the reports, frequency, format and detail that give lenders confidence in your current trading position.
Understand What Lenders and Investors Need
FinanceMyCompany.co.uk provides practical guides explaining exactly what lenders and investors expect to see when you apply for commercial finance. Whether you are preparing a business plan, building a pitch deck, forecasting cashflow, or gathering documents for a commercial mortgage, our guides walk you through what is needed — section by section.
Our library covers planning (business plan, investor pitch deck), financial preparation (cashflow forecast, asset register, funding comparison), comprehensive guides (commercial mortgage, development finance, personal guarantee), and practical checklists (funding checklist, due diligence checklist). Each guide breaks down the sections, data points, and common pitfalls to avoid.
FinanceMyCompany.co.uk is a credit broker, not a lender. These guides provide general information only — they are not financial, legal, tax, accounting, investment or regulated mortgage advice. Lender criteria, availability, pricing and terms vary. Always obtain appropriate independent professional advice.
Important Information
Credit broker, not a lender. FinanceMyCompany.co.uk is a credit broker, not a lender. We introduce applicants to lenders and do not provide lending ourselves. We do not imply approval, guaranteed eligibility, guaranteed pricing, or guaranteed timescales.
General information only. The resources on this page provide general information and planning tools only. They are not financial, legal, tax, accounting, investment, or regulated mortgage advice. You should obtain appropriate independent professional advice before making any decisions based on these resources.
Lender criteria vary. Lender criteria, availability, pricing and terms vary and are subject to application, credit assessment, affordability, underwriting, valuation, security, documentation and legal work. Using these resources does not guarantee that any lender will offer finance.
Risk warnings. Business borrowing can place company assets at risk. Secured borrowing can put the secured property or asset at risk if repayments are not maintained. Personal guarantees can expose personal assets and may lead to bankruptcy. Calculations and forecasts are illustrative estimates and not offers or lender decisions. You remain responsible for checking all inputs and outputs.
No stale figures. We do not hardcode current interest rates, tax rates, statutory thresholds, or lender criteria in these resources, as these may become outdated. Where relevant, we link to maintained official sources. Always verify current figures before relying on them.
© 2026 FinanceMyCompany.co.uk. All rights reserved. These resources are provided free of charge for general information and planning purposes. They may not be reproduced or distributed for commercial gain without written permission.
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