The average completion time for a bridging loan fell for the third consecutive year in 2025, according to the latest Bridging Trends data.

Last year saw the average bridging loan take 43 days to complete, down from 47 days in 2024, to bring it to the lowest figure since 2017.

Bridging Trends is a quarterly publication developed by specialist lender, MT Finance, that offers a snapshot of the bridging sector. The group suggested that multiple factors combined last year to significantly speed up the bridging process, including the implementation of more technology, increased efficiency and brokers having a better understanding of what is needed from them.

A total £811m worth of bridging loans was transacted by Bridging Trends contributors in 2025, a 1.4% fall from £822.2m in 2024.

MT Finance said this could have been due to a softer Q4 2025 which saw £199.9m in transactions, down from £209.4m in Q3, a trend indicative of the last quarter in previous but one that could have been exacerbated by a sense of caution in the run-up to the Budget.

“November’s Budget wasn’t as disastrous for the property sector as many feared and instead it has largely been a case of business as usual,” said bridging director at MT Finance, Raphael Benggio.

“There is a lot of liquidity and lenders certainly seem to be competitive with their rates, which is great news for borrowers. It is also encouraging to see the downward trajectory of average completion times which shows how useful bridging is for those facing tight deadlines.”

The Bridging Trends data also uses analysis from Knowledge Bank, which provides insights through the top broker criteria searches in each quarter.

Across 2025, the top criteria searches made by bridging finance brokers were for “regulated bridging”, “minimum loan amount” and “maximum loan-to-value”.

Knowledge Bank also reported an increase in searches relating to “splitting title deed”, “planning permissions” and “minimum age at application” in Q4, which Knowledge Bank sales director, Shane Chawatama, said is a “strong signal that property investors are becoming more creative” with their portfolios.

“Rather than stepping back, advisers are clearly working through more complex asset structures, value-add opportunities and alternative exit strategies,” Chawatama added.

“This sits alongside continued interest in adverse credit criteria, suggesting that while some investors are navigating credit challenges, the focus remains on restructuring and optimisation rather than distress. For lenders, this underlines a growing opportunity to support sophisticated, criteria-led transactions where clarity and flexibility are just as important as price.”

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