InterBay – reviews, analysis and fees

InterBay is a specialist in commercial mortgages, though a sister site also offers asset finance for a range of industries.

InterBay is owned by the same parent company as Kent Reliance, who you will find profiled elsewhere on this site. InterBay will consider working with direct applications, but the acceptance criteria for this lender are pretty strict.

If you are interested in borrowing from InterBay to invest in commercial property, you may be better served taking the financial hit and applying through a broker.

Even then, question if this is a worthwhile endeavour – InterBay does not have the best reputation online, with many reviews complaining that this lender strings out the application process for longer than necessary and rarely comes to a positive conclusion.

InterBay business property loans and mortgage finance

• Pros and cons
• Commercial mortgages
• Asset finance
• Business loans
• Merchant cash advance
• Invoice finance
• Business vehicle finance
• Business credit cards
• InterBay key information
• InterBay reviews
• Business eligibility criteria
• Business finance alternatives
• Additional considerations
• FAQ

Pros and cons of InterBay for business finance 

Pros	Cons
✓ Wide range of commercial mortgage products	✗ No business loans available, only mortgages and asset finance
✓ Asset finance also available through a separate website	✗ May only agree to work with you through a broker, which means more fees. Either way, InterBay charges a set-up fee
	✗ Very few online reviews, and those that do exist are almost universally negative

Commercial mortgages

InterBay offers four core commercial mortgage products. Interest rates will vary on these products, depending on how much you lay down as a deposit. The greater value you purchase upfront, the lower your interest rate will be. The best offers are typically capped at a 65% loan-to-value ratio, repaid over a short period. Set-up fees will also apply.

• Commercial
• Semi-commercial
• Bridging
• Buy-to-let and HMO

Commercial

Borrow up to 75% of the value of a commercial property that your business will trade from or let to another SME. 

Semi-commercial

Borrow up to 75% of the value of a property that will be used for both business trading and residential purposes, such as a shopfront that you will also live above. 

Bridging

Borrow up to 75% of the value of a property as a short-term bridging loan. You will need to display a clear exit strategy to qualify for this form of lending.

Buy-to-let and HMO

An SPV can apply for funding through InterBay to expand a property portfolio intended to be let to paying tenants. Buy-to-lket mortgages have a higher loan-to-value ratio of 80%, allow you to borrow more.

Asset finance 

InterBay also offers asset finance products through a separate website. These products are available in three forms:

• Hire purchase
• Finance lease
• Equity release

Hire purchase

Borrow the cost of an asset with a minimal (or, in some cases, zero) deposit and repay InterBay for up to seven years. These repayments can be seasonal to account for changes to turnover across the financial year. Once the repayments are complete, pay a small fee to take ownership of the asset outright. 

Finance lease

Borrow the cost of an asset with a minimal (or, in some cases, zero) deposit and lease it from InterBay. Repayments can be seasonal to account for changes to turnover across the financial year, and you can make larger payments if you wish to end your agreement early. Once the lease is complete, you can return the asset to InterBay for sale, claiming a percentage of any value, or start a new agreement.

Equity release

Release equity found in assets that your business already owns. You will need to contact InterBay to discuss your options if this approach interests you. 

Business loans

✗ Not available through InterBay. See business loans. 

Merchant cash advance

✗ Not available through InterBay. See merchant cash advance.

Invoice finance

✗ Not available through InterBay. See invoice factoring.

Business vehicle finance

✗ Not available through InterBay. See business vehicle finance. 

Business credit cards

✗ Not available through InterBay. See best business credit cards. 

InterBay key information

Phone number	0345 878 7000
App downloads	N/A
Website	www.interbay.co.uk
Number of branches	N/A
FSCS protected?	No
Founded	2006

InterBay reviews

Review platform	Score	Number of votes
TrustPilot	2.2/5	9
Feefo	Not reviewed	N/A
Reviews.io	Not reviewed	N/A
Smart Money People	Not reviewed	N/A
Which?	Not reviewed	N/A
Average score	2.2/5	9

Business eligibility criteria

InterBay apply pretty strict criteria to lending. At the very least, you will need to satisfy the following to stand a fighting chance of acceptance for funding.

• Aged at least 18, and will be younger than 85 upon completion of a lending term
• Provide evidence of at least 12 months of consecutive employment with the same company, or a trading history of the same length if you are applying as a sole trader or business owner.
• Have no unspent criminal convictions
• Have a suitable deposit. If these funds have been gifted, they must have been provided by parent, grandparent, or sibling, and this individual must provide a written statement that they will not seek repayment
• Evidence that your income will cover mortgage repayments (no minimum turnover is assigned)
• Minimum of two years of sector experience for any investment property that you will not be using for your own business needs
• No IVAs, bankrupcy, orders, or repossessions in the last six years, no CCJs or defaults in the last three years, and no mortgage arrears or missed payments on secured borrowing in the last 12 months

Even if you do satisfy this criteria, there is no guarantee that InterBay will approve your application. This lender has a reputation online for taking time to make a decision, then say no anyway.

Business finance alternatives

Perhaps the most direct alternative to InterBay is Kent Reliance, a lender owned by the same parent company. Alternatively, investigate a direct commercial mortgage or asset finance provider, or team with a mortgage broker that will locate other offers that may meet your needs better.

Additional considerations

As discussed, InterBay does not have the best reputation when it comes to speed. The business is making efforts to resolve this by teaming with VAS Panel to increase turnaround time on lending decisons.

FAQ