Financial Guides and Articles
Plain-English guides on business banking, insurance and more.
Featured
What Is Invoice Finance?
Invoice finance lets you release cash tied up in unpaid invoices without waiting for customers to pay. It comes in two main forms, factoring and discounting, each suited to different business types and situations. Here is how to work out which one fits yours.
How to Structure Payment Terms (and avoid disputes before they start)
The best invoice disputes to avoid are the ones you prevent. Two disputes from earlier in my career, and what they taught me about structuring payment terms properly from the start.
How to Resolve an Invoice Dispute
An invoice dispute is different from a late payment. The client is contesting what you are owed, not just delaying it. Here is how to assess the dispute, negotiate a resolution, and know when to escalate.
How to Chase an Unpaid Invoice
Most businesses will deal with an unpaid invoice at some point. Here is how to chase one effectively, what you are legally entitled to charge, and when to escalate.
Exit Strategies for Bridging Loans
The exit strategy is not just part of a bridging loan application. It is the foundation the entire loan is built on. Here is what makes an exit credible, what the most common routes look like, and what happens when they go wrong.
Bridging Loans for Auction Purchases
Auction purchases require completion within 28 days, which rules out standard mortgage finance for most buyers. Bridging loans are built for exactly this situation. Here is how it works in practice.
Can You Get a Commercial Mortgage With Bad Credit?
Bad credit makes a commercial mortgage harder to obtain but not impossible. The quality of the security and the strength of the property changes the equation. Here is what to expect and how to approach it.
Commercial Mortgages for Owner-Occupiers vs Investors
Commercial mortgages serve two distinct purposes: buying premises your business trades from, and buying property to let to others. Lenders assess each differently. Here is how they compare.
Risks of a Secured Business Loan
Secured business loans offer lower rates in exchange for putting an asset at risk. Here is an honest look at what the risks actually are and how to assess whether they are manageable for your business.
Secured Business Loans for Limited Companies
Limited companies are well suited to secured business lending, but the way lenders assess them differs from sole traders. Here is what directors need to know about applications, personal guarantees, and using company assets as security.
Bridging Loan vs Secured Business Loan. What's the Difference?
Bridging loans and secured business loans both use an asset as security, but they serve different purposes, carry different costs, and suit different timescales. Here is how to tell which one you need.
Bridging Loans for Property Investors
Property investors use bridging loans for speed and flexibility that standard finance cannot match. Here is how bridging works in a property investment context, what lenders look for, and how to structure your exit.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Bridging Loan?
Bridging loans are the fastest form of secured finance, but the timeline still varies considerably. Here is what drives that variation and how to give your application the best chance of completing quickly.
What Month Two of Starting a Business Actually Looks Like
First hire, first partnership agreement, and the moment a small business got funded through a platform that started as a closed laptop in a home office. Month two is where things got real.
Commercial Mortgage vs Business Loan. Which Is Right for You?
A commercial mortgage and a secured business loan both use property as security, but they serve different purposes. Here is how the two compare and which one your situation calls for.