BloomSmith

What BloomSmith does

BloomSmith is a UK-based specialist lender providing short-term (bridging) finance for the VAT element of commercial property transactions. Founded in 2015 and headquartered in London, the firm lends between £50,000 and £10 million per transaction at a published rate of 1.25% per month plus a 1.75%+ arrangement fee, and has cumulatively lent against £275m+ of commercial property since inception. Its product is structured around the mechanics of HMRC VAT reclaim, meaning the loan is typically repaid when the borrower receives the VAT refund from HMRC — a workflow that distinguishes BloomSmith from generalist bridging lenders.

The firm's operating model combines direct underwriting with broker-led origination. It is funded via a £20m+ wholesale facility from Shawbrook Bank (originally established 2022, renewed 2025) and has built a service ecosystem around the loan itself, including partnerships with Fladgate LLP for legal work, Buckle Barton for VAT and accounting, and Rockstead as auditor. Distribution is routed through the UK commercial finance broker network (NACFB member), supplemented by named broker partners such as Arc & Co., CBS Capital, and Finance Hub, plus newer digital channels including the Brickflow marketplace (joined 2025) and a white-label arrangement with Practice Portfolio targeting accountancy firm referrals.

BloomSmith's customer base spans commercial property developers, investors, and intermediaries — including UK domestic borrowers and, more recently, overseas buyers of UK commercial property reached via the propX partnership. Online tooling (eligibility checker, interest calculator, SPV structuring support) is used to reduce inbound friction. The company operates as a private limited company (BloomSmith Administration Limited) with 11-50 employees and no disclosed equity funding to date; revenue is generated primarily through arrangement fees and interest spread on its loan book.

Name

BloomSmith

Legal name

BloomSmith Administration Limited

Website

https://bloomsmith.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BloomSmith is a UK specialist lender providing short-term VAT bridging loans (£50k–£10m) for commercial property transactions, serving developers, investors, and brokers since 2015 with £275m+ cumulatively lent.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Property Lending

NAICS

Real Estate Credit (522292)

SIC

Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)

akta.pro primary industry

CRE Bridge & Transitional Lending (FSALADAC)

Keywords

• VAT bridging loans
• Commercial property finance
• Short-term lending
• Unsecured bridging loans
• HMRC reclaim funding

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Interest Income: BloomSmith generates revenue through monthly interest charges on VAT bridging loans. Standard monthly interest rate is 1.25%, with loans typically structured as 90-day facilities. Interest is calculated on the loan principal and paid by the borrower until HMRC repays the loan.
2. Arrangement Fees: Arrangement fees are charged at loan origination. Prices start from 1.75% of the loan amount. These are one-time fees collected at the time of loan setup.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BloomSmith provides unsecured short-term VAT bridging loans to commercial property buyers, covering the 20% VAT obligation on property acquisitions. Loans range from £50,000 to £10 million, are funded within 48 hours of contract completion, and have a standard 90-day term that is repaid by HMRC through a managed reclaim process. The offering is supported by online eligibility checking, an interest calculator, and pre-made Express SPV companies to streamline the lending structure.

Product overview

BloomSmith is a specialist VAT bridging loan provider offering a single core product: unsecured short-term financing to cover the VAT obligations on commercial property acquisitions. The company was founded in 2015 to address funding shortfalls in the commercial real estate lending market. The flagship VAT Bridging Loans product enables borrowers to receive funding between £50,000 and £10 million within 48 hours, with standard 90-day loan terms. The product is complemented by supporting tools including an Eligibility Checker for automated qualification assessment, an Interest Calculator for pricing estimates, and Express Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) that facilitate the lending process. All loans are repaid by HMRC through a managed reclaim process, and the company does not require second legal charges on properties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VAT Bridging Loans Unsecured short-term bridging loans that fund the 20% VAT obligation on commercial property acquisitions. Loans range from £50,000 to £10 million with standard 90-day terms, delivered within 48 hours of contract completion without requiring a second legal charge on the property. Loan principal is repaid by HMRC on the borrower's behalf through a managed reclaim process.
• Eligibility Checker

Quantifiable outcome

• Funding delivered within 48 hours of contract completion
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BrickflowcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 August 2025Brickflow is the UK's first digital marketplace for specialist property finance. BloomSmith's partnership introduces VAT bridging finance to the Brickflow platform, providing visibility among property finance seekers and expanding BloomSmith's reach to new borrowers.
• Fladgate LLPcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFladgate LLP is one of the UK's top 100 law firms providing legal services for BloomSmith's loan transactions. The firm works with borrowers' solicitors to formalise contracts and has been a key strategic partner since BloomSmith's inception in 2015.
• Buckle Barton Chartered AccountantscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBuckle Barton provides chartered tax accountancy services and acts as BloomSmith's VAT agent for HMRC reclaim processes. The firm helps structure property transactions to optimise VAT treatment and has collaborated on cases like Kentford Automotive's TOGC structuring.
• RocksteadcoreOthersRockstead conducts quarterly external audits of BloomSmith's accounts and processes, achieving 100% accuracy. The firm is FSQS-accredited and provides third-party verification of BloomSmith's lending practices and financial information.
• Practice PortfoliominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPractice Portfolio enables accountancy firms to white-label BloomSmith's VAT bridging loan product for their platforms, including integrated eligibility checkers. This extends BloomSmith's distribution to accountancy firm clients.
• National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers (NACFB)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerBloomSmith is a proud patron lender of NACFB, the UK's largest independent trade body for commercial finance brokers. This membership provides industry recognition, networking opportunities, and credibility with broker partners.
• Finance HubminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFinance Hub is a broker that introduced the £2.5m multi-unit Southall VAT funding deal, demonstrating collaboration on multiple loan transactions.
• Monarch CommercialminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMonarch Commercial acted as agent for the £2.5m Southall business units sales, facilitating multiple VAT bridging loan transactions.
• Rainstone MoneyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRainstone Money introduced the £1.07m Greenford VAT bridging loan, representing an ongoing broker relationship.
• Berkeley Commercial FinanceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBerkeley Commercial Finance broker Afsheen Gul arranged the £660k Maidenhead office VAT bridging loan.
• Helix Structured FinanceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHelix Structured Finance introduced the £1.02m Eccles, Manchester VAT bridging loan for a land acquisition.
• UK Finance GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK Finance Group introduced the £262,620 Heter Iska-compliant VAT bridging loan for a Hitchin property purchase.
• Shadow Capital PartnersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorShadow Capital Partners introduced the £650k Pontyclun, Wales VAT bridging loan in partnership with BloomSmith.
• GDP FundingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorManchester-based GDP Funding introduced the £1.8m Buckinghamshire industrial property VAT bridging loan.
• Transparent Specialist FinanceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHertfordshire-based Transparent Specialist Finance arranged the £497k Windsor VAT bridging loan.
• propXminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDubai-based propX specialises in international real estate transactions and introduced the £1.192m Slough office-to-residential conversion VAT loan.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• LendInvest: UK specialist property finance platform offering bridging loans, development finance, and buy-to-let mortgages. Comparable as a tech-enabled non-bank lender serving UK property investors and developers via direct and broker channels.
• Hope Capital: UK specialist bridging finance lender providing short-term property loans to brokers and borrowers. Directly comparable as a non-bank bridge lender targeting the same UK property intermediary market.
• Octopus Property: UK specialist property finance provider offering bridging, development, and buy-to-let mortgages to property professionals. Directly comparable as a specialist non-bank lender serving UK commercial property borrowers through intermediary channels.
• Pluto Finance: UK specialist bridging finance lender serving property professionals through the broker channel. Comparable as a smaller non-bank specialist competing for the same intermediary-driven commercial property deals.
• Roma Finance: UK specialist bridging and development finance lender serving property professionals through the broker network. Comparable as a non-bank short-term property lender with broker-led distribution.
• Together Money: UK specialist lender offering bridging, commercial, and development finance to property professionals. Directly comparable as a non-bank specialist serving the UK commercial property market via brokers.
• Landbay: UK specialist peer-to-peer buy-to-let mortgage lender. Comparable as a tech-enabled specialist property finance provider, though more focused on BTL than commercial VAT bridging.
• Finova Capital: UK specialist bridging and development finance lender focused on property professionals. Comparable as a non-bank provider of short-term commercial property loans distributed through the broker channel.

Broad incumbents

• Shawbrook Bank: UK specialist challenger bank providing bridging, buy-to-let, and commercial property finance. Comparable as BloomSmith's primary funding partner and a broader incumbent offering overlapping bridging products with deeper capital base and regulated status.
• Hampshire Trust Bank: UK specialist challenger bank offering bridging, development, and commercial property finance. Comparable as a broader incumbent specialist bank competing in the same UK property intermediary space with deeper funding capacity.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bloomsmithuk
• Facebookfacebook.com/BloomSmithLtd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bloomsmith
• Instagraminstagram.com/bloomsmithvat

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BloomSmith