If no lender issues an Agreement in Principle (AIP), or you choose not to sign our engagement letter, you pay bizbritain nothing. If you've signed and no lender issues a credit-approved offer, no success fee and no abort fee are charged. The same applies if the deal doesn't complete for any reason other than your decision not to proceed, such as the seller or the lenders withdrawing. In those cases the retainer is the only fee you pay, and bizbritain carries the time and expertise risk alongside you up to that point.
What you keep
- the deal packaging and financial analysis
- the lender proposal
- our findings on why the market declined
Using the findings
They can show you what to change: a lower price, more vendor support, more of your own money, or a different target. See What if my acquisition finance is declined?.
If you decide not to proceed
If you've signed and a lender has issued a credit-approved offer, but you then decide not to proceed, a capped abort fee applies on top of the retainer. See What is the abort fee, and when does it apply?.
How much is the retainer?
It depends on the facility size, from £500 up to £250,000 to £5,000 above £5 million. See How much does bizbritain charge for acquisition finance?.
Last reviewed: 8 October 2026