Acquisition lenders look at three things, in this order: you as the buyer, the business you're buying, and the deal itself. If you tick most of the boxes below, we should be able to help.
The criteria
- You're 18 or over and UK-resident, with no recent unspent convictions for fraud.
- You've identified a target business, or have a real shortlist.
- You have sector experience: you've run, managed or worked at a senior level in the same industry.
- You have money of your own to put in, typically 10% to 30% of the price, less with strong support from the seller.
- The target is profitable, with maintainable earnings the deal can be sized against.
- You have a UK-registered company to buy through, or a clear plan to set one up before completion.
- You have a reasonable personal credit profile. Adverse history isn't an automatic no; specialist lenders price for it.
- You're prepared to give a personal guarantee, which is standard on most acquisition facilities. Its scope and amount vary by lender.
Still searching for a business?
You can start working with us on your search criteria. A lender application needs a specific target. See Do I need a target business before I apply for acquisition finance?.
Unusual deal or tight timeline?
Bridging facilities, restructured deferred payments, and replacing a lender that dropped out late are all things we look at case by case. See What if my acquisition finance is declined?.
Last reviewed: 8 October 2026