Many brokers will already know that there's still a bit of a hang-up when it comes to short-term lending in Scotland. Some lenders see a Scottish postcode and start backing away before the deal’s even had a chance. That’s never sat right with me, and it’s certainly not how we work at Inspired Lending.
We’ve been lending in Scotland since July 2024 and have never needed a map to tell us whether a deal’s worth looking at. For us, it’s always been about whether the numbers work, the borrower knows what they’re doing, and the asset’s got legs. Whether it’s Dundee, Dalkeith or Dulwich, it’s all the same principle.
No postcode politics
Let’s be honest. Many lenders do not lend north of the border. But for us, postcode has never been a filter and we take the same approach to deals wherever they’re based. Rather than immediately restrict based simply on a location, we have the flexibility to judge the deal on its merits first and then look to provide a solution - whether that be a straight forward lend, conversion with works or a commercial enquiry.
A lot of locations get unfairly boxed off as too far, or too complicated. You just need to know how to handle it. Legals, valuations, asset managers - all of that can be worked around. What matters is whether the deal makes sense.
Scots law isn’t a blocker
For sure, lending in Scotland comes with certain quirks. You’ve got Standard Security instead of the usual legal charge. No requirement for consent to second charges (a big win). But this isn’t some dark art, it’s just a different process.
Enforcement has its own procedure too. You can’t go straight to repossession. You have to serve a calling-up notice and give the borrower two months. Then there’s the court process to evict if needed. But again, that’s just part of it. As long as everyone understands the timescales, there shouldn’t be an issue.
Titles, tenements and the bits that catch people out
Scottish property can be a bit different under the bonnet. A lot of flats sit in tenements, which come with factoring costs and shared repairs. And while Scotland doesn't have the same ground rent structure as England, you’ll still find the odd legacy charge that needs flagging.
Commercial leases also tend to favour fixed or index-linked rent increases, rather than open-market reviews. That actually makes the income more predictable which is good news for brokers and lenders. Residential rents are governed by the PRT system, which limits how often landlords can raise rents. So again, we base our assessments on actual rents, not future uplift.
Real deals need real thinking
I’ve been in this market long enough to see how often good cases get turned down for the wrong reasons. Sometimes it's a postcode. Sometimes it's the process. Sometimes it’s just a lack of flexibility. That’s not how we work. If a deal doesn’t stack up, we’ll say so. But we’ll take the call. We’ll go through it properly.
Every deal deserves a proper look. We know brokers need answers quickly, and they need confidence we’ll follow through. That’s why our team picks up the phone, asks the right questions, and gets into the details. Because the best outcomes often start with a short call.
Scotland’s ready – are you?
We’re committed to lending in Scotland. That’s one of the reasons we were at the Mortgage Adviser Event in Glasgow last month. I went along to be part of a panel and talk to brokers face to face. Not just to say we’re lending, but to show it. That matters.
Scotland deserves the same access to short-term finance as any other part of the UK. There are good borrowers here. Good projects. And a strong pipeline of deals waiting to happen. It just needs lenders who aren’t afraid to say yes.
The deal always comes first
At Inspired, we don’t hide behind a list of exclusions. We don’t throw out a deal because of its postcode. And we don’t drag things out when the answer’s already clear.
If a deal works, we’ll find a way. If it doesn’t, we’ll tell you – straight. But we’ll always take a look.
That’s what brokers need. Straight answers. Flexibility. And someone who’s ready to back a solid deal, no matter if it’s located north of Hadrian's wall.
