bizbritain guides
The guide library
Every article we’ve published, newest first. Filter by topic or search for the question in front of you. Cited, dated, and quietly updated when policy or rates change.
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Proof of funds when buying a business: what to show before the loan is agreed
Proof of funds when buying a business shows a seller you can pay. Here is what usually counts, and what an agreement in principle can show.
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Buying assets from a liquidator: what you can buy and how to pay for it
Buying assets from a liquidator means buying equipment, stock or a brand, not the company or its debts. How the sales work, what to check and how to fund it.
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Buying the family business from your parents: gift, sale or family buyout?
How is a family buyout funded? Compare a gift, a sale and a mix, what a lender wants to see, and how a new company buys your parents' shares.
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How to buy a business that isn't for sale: finding and approaching the owner
You can buy a business that isn't for sale. Where off-market businesses come from, how to approach the owner and what to have ready before you talk price.
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Business buying programmes and acquisition mentors: what a lender still needs
A business buying programme can teach you the process. It cannot lend you the money. What these courses offer, and what a lender still needs from you.
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Working capital after buying a business: how to fund the first 90 days
Working capital after buying a business pays for stock, wages and bills before customers pay you. How to plan the first 90 days and fund them with the loan.
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How much does acquisition finance cost? The rate is only part of the price
How much does acquisition finance cost? Interest is only part of it. Fees, security and the structure of the deal decide what you really pay.
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Buying a limited company that is struggling: what comes with the shares
Buying a limited company means taking on its debts, tax arrears and claims. What to check before you agree a price, and how to fund a turnaround.
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Buying a business in administration: what you get and how to have funding ready
Buying a business in administration means buying assets fast, with few warranties. What you get, what happens to staff, and how to have funding ready.
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Funding a bolt-on acquisition: what changes when your business is already trading
How to fund a bolt-on acquisition when your business is already trading: how lenders judge the two firms together, and paying for the deal and the integration.
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Transfer of a going concern: when buying a business comes with no VAT bill
A transfer of a going concern carries no VAT if HMRC's conditions are met. What they are, when a deal falls outside them, and what it means for your funding.
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Assignment of lease when you buy a business: the landlord's consent and your completion date
An assignment of lease moves rented premises to you when you buy a business. What the landlord must do, what it may ask for, and how to protect your completion date.
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