Which UK Lenders Lend on Flats Above Takeaways or Shops?
Many UK lenders decline flats above commercial premises on resale grounds. The business type matters — offices and shops are usually fine; hot takeaways, pubs and bookmakers are often refused.
Data refreshed 2026-04-22. Information only — not advice.
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High Street Lenders
- Barclays— Up to 95% LTV, case-by-case
- Clydesdale Bank— Up to 95% LTV, case-by-case
- Halifax— Up to 95% LTV, case-by-case
- HSBC— Up to 95% LTV
- Metro Bank— Up to 95% LTV
- NatWest— Up to 95% LTV
- TSB— Up to 95% LTV
- Virgin Money— Up to 95% LTV, case-by-case
Building Societies
- Bath Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- Beverley Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- Buckinghamshire Building Society— Up to 90% LTV, case-by-case
- Chorley Building Society— Up to 95% LTV, case-by-case
- Coventry Building Society— Up to 95% LTV, case-by-case
- Earl Shilton Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- Ecology Building Society— case-by-case
- Furness Building Society— Up to 95% LTV, case-by-case
- Godiva Mortgages— Up to 95% LTV, case-by-case
- Hanley Economic Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- Harpenden BS— Up to 80% LTV, case-by-case
- Hinckley & Rugby Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- Leeds Building Society— Up to 95% LTV, case-by-case
- Loughborough Building Society— Up to 95% LTV, case-by-case
- Market Harborough Building Society— Up to 80% LTV, case-by-case
- Monmouthshire Building Society— Up to 95% LTV, case-by-case
- Newbury Building Society— Up to 95% LTV, case-by-case
- Penrith Building Society— Up to 90% LTV
- Scottish Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- Stafford Railway Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
- Suffolk Building Society— Up to 95% LTV, case-by-case
- Swansea Building Society— Up to 80% LTV, case-by-case
- West Bromwich Building Society— Up to 95% LTV
Specialist Lenders
- Castle Trust— case-by-case
- CHL Mortgages— Up to 75% LTV, case-by-case
- Foundation Home Loans— Up to 90% LTV, case-by-case
- Hodge Bank— Up to 95% LTV, case-by-case
- InterBay— Up to 85% LTV
- Keystone Property Finance— Up to 80% LTV
- Legal & General Home Finance— Up to 60% LTV, case-by-case
- LiveMore— Up to 80% LTV, case-by-case
- Moda Mortgages— case-by-case
- Rely Mortgages— case-by-case
- Skipton International— Up to 75% LTV, case-by-case
- The Mortgage Lender— Up to 95% LTV, case-by-case
- Together— See lender criteria
- Vida Homeloans— Up to 97% LTV
Why some lenders say no
- Resale risk — flats above hot takeaways sell slower and for less.
- Odour, noise, and pest concerns flagged by surveyors.
- Some lenders auto-decline on any property within 50m of specified business types.
Related reading: Why some properties are 'unmortgageable' · Property types accepted
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Run My Affordability CheckFrequently asked questions
Does the type of business matter?
Yes. Offices, accountancies, estate agents, dentists — generally accepted. Retail — usually accepted. Hot takeaways, pubs, bookmakers, adult entertainment — usually declined.
Does distance from the business matter?
Most lenders flag direct above/adjacent properties. Some apply a radius rule (e.g. decline if within 50m of specific business types).
Can a higher deposit fix it?
Sometimes. A few lenders accept commercial-adjacent flats at lower LTVs (e.g. 75% rather than 90%). Specialist lenders go higher at a rate premium.
Is this more of a problem in leasehold?
Slightly — the surveyor reviews the lease for commercial-use restrictions and noise clauses. A weak lease plus a commercial neighbour often causes a decline.
