Lender review · Private bank commercial lending
Arbuthnot Latham
- Reviewed May 2026
- Editor Oliver Mackman
- Companies House 00819519
- Methodology Public
London-headquartered private bank with a serious commercial-lending arm covering owner-managed businesses, professional practices and real estate. Banking and lending sit on the same balance sheet, which suits clients who want their main bank account, treasury and term debt with one counterparty. Specialist Finance subsidiary handles bridging.
Director, BestBusinessLoans
Oliver leads BestBusinessLoans's editorial reviews and methodology. With a background in UK commercial finance, he oversees lender research, rate verification and review independence.
Last reviewed: 8 May 2026
At a glance
- Product
- Private bank commercial lending
- Ticket size
- £1m to £25m
- Typical rate
- Quoted at offer
- Decision time
- 2 to 6 weeks
- Soft search at quote
- No
- Limited companies only
- Yes
- FCA regulated
- Yes (check the FCA Register)
- Companies House
- 00819519
- Founded
- 1833
Scores against our methodology
- Rate transparency3/5
- Eligibility clarity3/5
- Decision speed2/5
- Decline handling4/5
How Arbuthnot Latham works
Arbuthnot Latham operates as a private bank commercial lending provider in the UK SMB market. London-headquartered private bank with a serious commercial-lending arm covering owner-managed businesses, professional practices and real estate. Banking and lending sit on the same balance sheet, which suits clients who want their main bank account, treasury and term debt with one counterparty. Specialist Finance subsidiary handles bridging.
The product mechanic is straightforward in shape but the underwriting is sector-specific. Tickets sit in the £1m to £25m band, decisions land within 2 to 6 weeks, and the published rate range is Quoted at offer. A hard search may apply at quote stage; ask before you submit if credit-file footprint matters to you. Arbuthnot Latham is FCA regulated.
Where Arbuthnot Latham fits best: owner-managed businesses £2m+, professional practices, property investor spvs. Where it does not fit: sub-£1m tickets, speed-sensitive cases, sole traders.
Pricing examples
Worked examples using Arbuthnot Latham's published rate range (Quoted at offer). This lender prices by factor rate or bespoke quote, so we show the structure, not a worked APR.
| Ticket | Term | Estimated total cost | Approx monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| £25,000 | 24 months | See lender quote | See lender quote |
| £50,000 | 36 months | See lender quote | See lender quote |
| £100,000 | 48 months | See lender quote | See lender quote |
Indicative only. Confirm on a Arbuthnot Latham quote.
Eligibility
- Trading time: typically 12 to 24 months minimum for the cleanest pricing.
- Turnover floor: not always published. As a working figure, expect a £100k+ turnover requirement for term loans of £50k+. Smaller tickets and MCA structures have lower floors.
- Sector exclusions: Sub-£1m tickets; Speed-sensitive cases.
- Credit profile: Clean credit preferred; older satisfied items often acceptable.
- Company structure: Limited companies only.
- Best fit: Owner-managed businesses £2m+; Professional practices; Property investor SPVs.
Pros
- + Genuine PRA-regulated UK bank with FSCS deposit protection.
- + Relationship-banking model: dedicated banker on every case.
- + Strong on professional practices, owner-managed business and SPV structures.
- + Banking, lending and wealth integrated under one roof.
Cons
- − Minimum ticket size and onboarding bar are high.
- − No self-serve product; relationship-led only.
- − Slower decisions than challenger banks.
Best for
- · Owner-managed businesses £2m+
- · Professional practices
- · Property investor SPVs
Weak at
- · Sub-£1m tickets
- · Speed-sensitive cases
- · Sole traders
When to use Arbuthnot Latham
Use Arbuthnot Latham when
Your application matches the best-fit profile: owner-managed businesses £2m+, professional practices, property investor spvs. The published ticket range (£1m to £25m) covers your ask, the decision speed (2 to 6 weeks) fits your cash-gap timeline, and the rate range (Quoted at offer) is acceptable to you given your credit profile.
Do not use Arbuthnot Latham when
Your profile sits in the weak-at list: sub-£1m tickets, speed-sensitive cases, sole traders. Arbuthnot Latham will likely decline, and the decline itself can sit on broker records for 90 days. If you have any of these flags, route directly to a specialist (post-decline lender, MCA against card flow, asset-backed alternative) rather than using Arbuthnot Latham as a screen.
FAQs
What is the minimum trading time for Arbuthnot Latham?
Arbuthnot Latham typically asks for 12 to 24 months of trading. Newer businesses can sometimes qualify against alternative underwriting (card flow for MCA, asset security for asset finance), but the cleanest pricing tends to require two full sets of accounts.
Does Arbuthnot Latham require a personal guarantee?
Most UK SMB lenders require a personal guarantee from at least one director. Arbuthnot Latham is no exception in the standard case. The few exceptions: asset-backed lending where the asset itself stands as security, and a small number of MCA structures where card flow is the underwriting basis. For private bank commercial lending specifically, expect a PG to be requested.
How fast does Arbuthnot Latham fund?
Arbuthnot Latham quotes 2 to 6 weeks for an underwriting decision. Funding to bank account typically follows within one to three working days of acceptance, subject to KYC, signed documents, and (where applicable) registration of any debenture or charge.
What rate should I expect from Arbuthnot Latham?
Arbuthnot Latham's published range is Quoted at offer. The headline number is rarely the offered number. Rate transparency on this lender scores 3/5 in our methodology. Expect the cleaner end of the band only if you have 2+ years of trading, clean credit, and turnover comfortably above the lender's stated floor.
What happens if Arbuthnot Latham declines me?
If Arbuthnot Latham declines, you have three realistic next steps. First, ask for the decline reason in writing, most reputable UK lenders will tell you. Second, route the application to a specialist post-decline lender (Bizcap, JPM Capital, Bolton Finance) where credit issues are the constraint, or to an asset-backed alternative where security is available. Third, use a broker panel to fan the application across the lenders most likely to accept your specific decline reason. Arbuthnot Latham scores 4/5 on decline handling in our methodology.
Where to apply
Apply directly via www.arbuthnotlatham.co.uk, or use our free quote form to be matched across the UK broker panel most likely to approve your specific profile, not just Arbuthnot Latham.
Specialty alternatives
See all lender reviews for alternatives.
Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director. Last reviewed: 8 May 2026. Lender website: www.arbuthnotlatham.co.uk.