Bridging has been one of the standout areas of specialist lending in recent years, and the latest BDLA data offers a useful snapshot of where the market is heading. Some may read the figures as a sign of softening. Completions reached £2.3bn in Q2, down 8.9% on the previous quarter, while applications dipped slightly to £10.2bn, a fall of 1.5%.
In reality, the longer-term picture is far more positive. Completions are up almost a third year-on-year, applications are higher than in Q2 2024, and lender loan books stand at a record £13.1bn. This is not a reversal but a period of consolidation after a record run. It gives lenders and brokers the chance to assess where activity is flowing and prepare for the next phase of growth.
From reactive to strategic
The real shift lies in how bridging is being used. For too long, it was seen as a last resort when a chain collapsed, or a mortgage fell through. That view is changing quickly. Brokers and investors are increasingly using bridging as a planned step in their strategy.
Landlords are upgrading properties to meet EPC standards, converting single lets into HMOs, or repositioning assets for new tenant markets. Bridging provides the flexibility to complete works, stabilise income, and then refinance or sell at the right time. Structured correctly, it reduces risk by creating momentum and options.
This evolution is also reshaping how lenders work. When bridging and term lending are aligned from the outset, the client’s journey is built with the exit in mind. The transition is smoother, the plan more robust, and the client experience far better. For brokers, one relationship across both stages cuts duplication, saves time, and allows them to focus on structuring the deal properly.
Direct access remains essential. Complex cases rarely follow a straight line and brokers need decision-makers who can adapt as plans evolve. Whether it is phased drawdowns, staggered disposals, or layered ownership, judgement and flexibility are what keep deals on track. Technology supports transparency, but it is the human relationships behind the scenes that make the real difference.
A market coming of age
Even with this progress, the sector is only beginning to show what it can deliver. Many brokers confident in arranging buy-to-let or commercial term loans still hesitate to use bridging when it could clearly create better outcomes for their clients. Legacy concerns or a sense of complexity often sit behind this hesitation.
Competition is accelerating the shift. Pricing across the market is tightening, so service, certainty, and structuring are becoming the real differentiators. Brokers are looking to lenders who can combine pragmatic underwriting with direct access to decision-makers, while also offering legal processes that cut friction. The lenders who thrive will be those who can provide this consistently, even when deals become challenging.
The BDLA data reflects this maturity. Loan books are expanding even as completions ease, exits are clearer, and loan performance remains stable. That record loan book of £13.1bn underlines how bridging has moved beyond its old role as a stopgap and become a core part of investors’ strategies. This is not a market in retreat. It is deepening and strengthening.
With pricing converging across the sector, the real competition is no longer cost but capability. Certainty of funding, pragmatic structuring, and the ability to stay with brokers through complexity are what matter most.
The opportunity ahead
For brokers, the opportunity is clear. Position bridging as part of a defined plan from the outset and clients are more engaged, more trusting, and better served. When bridging is presented as the first step on a journey with a clear destination, the relationship with the client becomes stronger and longer term.
For lenders, the responsibility is to keep raising the bar. That means supporting heavy refurbishments, semi-commercial portfolios, and unusual titles with consistency and clarity. It also means providing straight answers, direct access, and structures that support both the bridge and the exit. This is not about chasing volume but about consistently delivering clarity and reliability – the things brokers rely on most.
The numbers confirm the market is in good health. But the bigger story is how bridging is being woven into more sophisticated strategies. The real growth lies ahead, and brokers who build bridging into their processes today will not only deliver better outcomes for clients but also place themselves at the forefront of the sector’s next phase.
We are still at the beginning of what bridging can deliver. Brokers who embrace that shift now will not only create stronger outcomes for clients but will also help shape the future of the market itself.
Andrea Glasgow is sales director – specialist mortgages & bridging at Hampshire Trust Bank
