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Smallholding Mortgages

Finding finance to help you buy a smallholding can be difficult.

Your plans may not fit with lender’s criteria or you may be looking to buy a house with occupancy restrictions which lenders are cautious of.

On top of that, you’re looking for the best finance to match your current needs but also to set a solid foundation for your business and family in the future. 

Getting that right starts with getting the best advice and support at an early stage in your project or move planning.

Having established you have a realistic opportunity to secure funding, we prepare lending proposals, put them to several appropriate lenders and negotiate terms on your behalf.

We then guide you and your mortgage through every step to a successful completion. 

Typical smallholding and houses with land mortgage terms

  • Terms up to 25 years
  • Fixed interest rates for up to 25 years
  • Interest-only periods for up to 2 years
  • Bank base rate tracker variable interest rates
  • Combined employment and business income considered
  • Lump sum reductions with no or minimal early repayment penalty
  • No introductory interest rates; just a competitive rate for the whole term
  • Up to 70% loan to value (LTV); 100% mortgage considered with further owned property

5 things you may find useful if you’re new to smallholdings

  1. You may have previously bought a home with a mortgage on a 4x salary basis. Commercial lending works differently – a change of mindset helps equip you for the journey.
  2. Prepare yourself for a longer journey. Commercial mortgages tend to take longer to organise than residential mortgages – think months rather than weeks.
  3. Lenders will ask for a ‘shopping list’ of information – you can find many aspects of this in this Business Plan Guide and includes a cashflow forecast. You’ll find more answers on the FAQ page.
  4. Key to success is building the right business case to go to lenders with.
  5. Please remember – even the best prepared plans won’t have everything in place… and we’re on hand to help you.

Recents successes

“R&BS have access to the whole of the rural mortgage market and know the criteria of the individual lenders. They deal with bank managers, underwriters and heads of departments. Their knowledge of the market is therefore second to none.”

  • Smallholding purchase – ‘knot’ what it first seemed!

    Smallholding purchase – ‘knot’ what it first seemed!

    Angela and Will were buying 5 acres with buildings and planned to run rural enterprises to supplement their incomes.But when the bank missed a crucial point in the valuation report, their dreams looked set to vanish. 

  • Smallholding finance secured for a family and business move

    Smallholding finance secured for a family and business move

    John and Nicole had a dream of moving to Devon to run John’s business and set up a smallholding. But getting a bank to support them with a mortgage was difficult, so they called on the help of R&BS.

  • Purchase of a country manor house with land and stables

    Purchase of a country manor house with land and stables

    When Jackie Taylor sought to purchase a manor house with stables and land, her usual lenders had no appetite for the property type or livery business. R&BS secured mortgage approval within two days, and kept the case on track through two years of complications.

Three things set R&BS apart

Relationships with 30+ specialist banks and lenders means we find mortgages on great terms where others fail.

Understanding both field and finance means you won’t have to explain your business to us.

Independent – not being tied to a single bank or lender means clients are our sole priority.