Written by Mark Langshaw Reviewed by Chris Duckworth
Sources
23 September 2026
Full rewrite to bring page up to date
27 February 2021
First Published
Roma Finance is a leading UK specialist lender recognised for its manual, pragmatic approach to property finance. Headquartered in Manchester and operating across England, Wales, and Scotland, Roma specialises in short-term bridging finance, auction funding, complex refurbishments, ground-up development, and semi-commercial property ventures.
Operating under its "lending less ordinary" philosophy, Roma avoids rigid automated credit scoring in favor of case-by-case manual underwriting. A standout feature of Roma's proposition is its joined-up Bridge-to-Term model: through its fast-track RomaFLOW bridging facility, RomaGROW development suite, and RomaPRO long-term commercial/buy-to-let mortgage range, property investors can acquire, refurbish, and seamlessly refinance assets under a single lending umbrella.
Wondering whether Roma are the right provider for your bridging finance? Book a free, no-obligation chat with one of our experts below and we’ll compare their latest deals against the rest of the market for you.
Get a bespoke bridging loan quote today
Use our free service to access bespoke quotes and a market comparison from a bridging loan specialist today.
We will compare Roma Finance bridging loan rates against the entire market to help you find your ideal insurance coverage without the stress.
To get started, fill in our quick online form below and one of our expert bridging finance advisers with be in touch today!
Product overview
The table below offers a quick overview of Roma’s bridging loan offering:
|
Product Tier |
Max LTV |
Loan Size Range |
Monthly Interest Rates |
Key Underwriting Features |
|
RomaFLOW (Residential Bridge) |
Up to 75% LTV |
£75,000 – £3,000,000 |
From 0.75% – 0.90% p.m. |
Fast-track processing; AVMs accepted up to £500k / 70% LTV; no exit fees on refinance exits. |
|
Auction Finance |
Up to 75% LTV |
£75,000 – £3,000,000 |
From 0.85% – 0.95% p.m. |
Designed for 28-day auction completion windows; dual legal representation available. |
|
Refurbishment & Conversion |
Up to 75% LTV (Day 1) Up to 70% LTGDV |
£75,000 – £3,000,000 |
From 0.85% – 0.99% p.m. |
Stage drawdowns in arrears; funds structural updates, HMO splits, and change-of-use. |
|
Up to 70% LTV |
£100,000 – £2,000,000 |
From 0.95% – 1.10% p.m. |
Mixed-use retail/residential, offices, and industrial units; flexible servicing options. |
|
|
Developer Exit Bridge |
Up to 70% LTV |
£100,000 – £3,000,000 |
From 0.89% – 0.99% p.m. |
Replaces higher-cost development finance once site is wind and watertight to allow marketing sales. |
|
Bridge-to-Term (RomaPRO) |
Up to 75% LTV |
£75,000 – £2,000,000 |
Fixed term options (e.g. 7.99% fixed) |
Direct rollover from bridging to long-term BTL or semi-commercial mortgage. |
Typical Lending Criteria
Roma Finance provides short-term bridging finance across residential investment, semi-commercial, commercial, and development assets. Their core lending parameters include:
-
Applicant Eligibility: Accepts individuals, UK Limited Companies, SPVs, LLPs, foreign nationals, and expats (provided there is a UK credit footprint and bank account). First-time landlords and inexperienced property developers are accepted alongside established portfolio operators.
-
Loan Amounts & LTV Limits: Standard facility sizes range from £75,000 to £3,000,000 (larger loans available by bespoke referral). Maximum Loan-to-Value (LTV) caps at 75% LTV for standard residential bridging and auction purchases, 70% LTV for semi-commercial assets, and 65% LTV for commercial sites.
-
Refurbishment & Conversion Thresholds:
-
Light Refurbishment: Works costing under 20%–50% of current market value (non-structural decorator updates) up to 75% LTV.
-
Heavy Refurbishment / Conversion: Structural alterations, planning change-of-use (e.g., commercial to residential, HMO conversions), and extension work funded up to 70% LTV day-one / 70% LTGDV (Gross Development Value).
-
-
Adverse Credit Tolerance: Manual, flexible underwriting stance. Historical CCJs, defaults, or minor credit blips are accepted, provided the borrower can demonstrate a clear explanation and a bulletproof exit strategy.
-
Property Types Accepted: Standard UK residential investment property, non-standard construction, flats above commercial premises, HMOs, multi-unit blocks (MUFBs), semi-commercial/mixed-use buildings, commercial properties, and unmortgageable auction lots.
-
Acceptable Exit Strategies: Sale of the subject property, external remortgage to a high-street lender, or seamless internal transfer onto a 3-to-5-year RomaPRO long-term mortgage deal.
Pros, Cons and Reviews
Pros
-
Fast-Track Processing (RomaFLOW): Automated Valuation Models (AVMs) up to £500,000 and dual legal representation allow qualifying residential bridging deals to complete in 7 to 14 days.
-
Seamless Bridge-to-Term Rollover: Enables borrowers to acquire/refurbish an asset on a short-term bridge and transition straight onto a 3-to-5-year RomaPRO buy-to-let or semi-commercial deal without exit penalties.
-
Pragmatic Manual Underwriting: Evaluates transactions on commercial merit, making them accessible to first-time developers, non-standard construction, and applicants with historic credit blips.
-
Broad Asset & Geographic Coverage: Lends across residential, HMO, MUFB, semi-commercial, commercial, and ground-up development projects throughout England, Wales, and Scotland.
Cons
-
Bespoke Pricing on Complex Deals: Does not publish fixed rate tables for heavy-adverse or complex commercial tiers, requiring case-by-case pricing.
-
Standard Loan Limit Capped at £3 Million: Facility sizes over £3,000,000 require bespoke referral and higher-tier credit committee approval.
-
Stage Drawdown Monitoring: Development and heavy refurbishment funds are released strictly in arrears following independent monitoring surveyor sign-off.
Customer Review Consensus
Roma Finance enjoys a strong reputation among real estate developers, auction buyers, and commercial mortgage brokers across the UK:
-
What Borrowers Praise: Investors consistently praise Roma’s execution speed and flexibility, particularly through the RomaFLOW channel, which can complete qualifying bridging cases in under 28 days using Automated Valuation Models (AVMs). Borrowers value the "Bridge-to-Term" feature, which allows property buyers to execute short-term structural refurbishments or conversions and transition straight into a long-term RomaPRO buy-to-let or semi-commercial mortgage without paying secondary arrangement or exit fees.
-
Common Grievances: Borrowers note that Roma does not publish flat, fixed-rate tables for complex or heavy-adverse commercial deals, choosing instead to price risk individually. Additionally, standard published loan caps sit at £3 million (requiring bespoke referral for larger facilities), and non-standard commercial or second-charge deals carry higher arrangement fees and strict exit monitoring.
Expert Broker Verdict
"What really sets Roma apart is their joined-up asset lifecycle financing. An investor can buy a distressed property at auction using RomaFLOW, fund structural conversions using RomaGROW, and roll directly onto a long-term RomaPRO mortgage once the asset is income-producing. For developers, HMO converters, and commercial buyers seeking a smooth transition from short-term bridge to long-term debt, Roma offers exceptional flexibility."
Head of Bridging and Commercial
How to Apply for a Roma Finance Bridging Loan
-
Define Project Scope & Exit Route: Clarify the property acquisition or refurbishment costs, estimated gross development value (GDV), and concrete exit strategy (sale or long-term refinance).
-
Submit Initial Enquiry via Broker: Partner with a specialist bridging broker to present the deal structure to Roma Finance, securing an Agreement in Principle (AIP) within 24 hours.
-
Fast-Track Valuation: For qualifying residential bridging cases up to £500,000, Roma utilizes Automated Valuation Models (AVMs) to bypass physical surveyor visits. Full independent valuations are instructed for commercial, development, or structural conversion projects.
-
Underwriting & Legal Execution: Complete background ID checks and legal review. On qualifying cases, Roma allows dual legal representation, where one legal firm acts for both lender and borrower to accelerate completion.
-
Fund Drawdown: Capital is released to complete the auction or property purchase, with refurbishment drawdown facilities made available in pre-agreed stages.
Get started here to begin a free, no-obligation chat with a bridging finance broker who specialises in Roma Finance’s product range and can help you decide whether they’re the right option for you.
Through their RomaFLOW fast-track channel, residential bridging loans using automated valuations (AVMs) and dual legal representation can complete in 7 to 14 days, making them a prime option for urgent auction purchases. Standard physical valuation cases typically complete in 21 to 28 days.
For standard residential bridging cases where the exit strategy is an external remortgage or a transition onto Roma’s own RomaPRO term product, no exit fee is charged. Exit fees may apply to specialized commercial, heavy adverse, or second-charge bridge options.
Yes. Roma specialises in funding distressed properties, auction lots lacking working kitchens/bathrooms, structural conversion projects, and buildings with severe damp or non-standard construction that traditional high-street banks reject.
Yes. Roma Finance actively provides bridging, refurbishment, commercial, and development funding across England, Wales, and Scotland.