Lender review · Development and investment property finance
Puma Property Finance
- Reviewed May 2026
- Editor Oliver Mackman
- Companies House 11685426
- Methodology Public
St James's-based property lending arm of Puma Capital Group, covering residential development, PBSA, BTR, hotels and care across the UK. Aimed firmly at mid-to-large schemes with experienced sponsors. Direct origination team, relationship-led rather than self-serve.
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
- Development and investment property finance
- Ticket size
- £3m to £75m
- Typical rate
- Bespoke
- Decision time
- 3 to 6 weeks
- Soft search at quote
- No
- Limited companies only
- Yes
- FCA regulated
- No
- Companies House
- 11685426
- Founded
- 2018
Scores against our methodology
- Rate transparency3/5
- Eligibility clarity3/5
- Decision speed2/5
- Decline handling4/5
How Puma Property Finance works
Puma Property Finance operates as a development and investment property finance provider in the UK SMB market. St James's-based property lending arm of Puma Capital Group, covering residential development, PBSA, BTR, hotels and care across the UK. Aimed firmly at mid-to-large schemes with experienced sponsors. Direct origination team, relationship-led rather than self-serve.
The product mechanic is straightforward in shape but the underwriting is sector-specific. Tickets sit in the £3m to £75m band, decisions land within 3 to 6 weeks, and the published rate range is Bespoke. A hard search may apply at quote stage; ask before you submit if credit-file footprint matters to you. Like most UK lenders to limited companies, the standard SMB lending sits outside the FCA perimeter.
Where Puma Property Finance fits best: mid-market development £5m to £50m, operational real estate (hotels, care, pbsa), experienced sponsors. Where it does not fit: sub-£3m tickets, speed-prioritised cases, pure short-term bridging.
Pricing examples
Worked examples using Puma Property Finance's published rate range (Bespoke). 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 Puma Property Finance 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-£3m tickets; Speed-prioritised cases; Pure short-term bridging.
- Credit profile: Clean credit preferred; older satisfied items often acceptable.
- Company structure: Limited companies only.
- Best fit: Mid-market development £5m to £50m; Operational real estate (hotels, care, PBSA); Experienced sponsors.
Pros
- + Multi-sector coverage across residential, hotels and operational real estate.
- + Backed by Puma Capital Group institutional structure.
- + Genuine mid-to-large ticket capacity without syndication.
- + In-house technical and credit functions.
Cons
- − Minimum ticket effectively rules out smaller schemes.
- − Diligence and approval cycles measured in weeks.
- − Pricing bespoke, not published.
Best for
- · Mid-market development £5m to £50m
- · Operational real estate (hotels, care, PBSA)
- · Experienced sponsors
Weak at
- · Sub-£3m tickets
- · Speed-prioritised cases
- · Pure short-term bridging
When to use Puma Property Finance
Use Puma Property Finance when
Your application matches the best-fit profile: mid-market development £5m to £50m, operational real estate (hotels, care, pbsa), experienced sponsors. The published ticket range (£3m to £75m) covers your ask, the decision speed (3 to 6 weeks) fits your cash-gap timeline, and the rate range (Bespoke) is acceptable to you given your credit profile.
Do not use Puma Property Finance when
Your profile sits in the weak-at list: sub-£3m tickets, speed-prioritised cases, pure short-term bridging. Puma Property Finance 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 Puma Property Finance as a screen.
FAQs
What is the minimum trading time for Puma Property Finance?
Puma Property Finance 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 Puma Property Finance require a personal guarantee?
Most UK SMB lenders require a personal guarantee from at least one director. Puma Property Finance 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 development and investment property finance specifically, expect a PG to be requested.
How fast does Puma Property Finance fund?
Puma Property Finance quotes 3 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 Puma Property Finance?
Puma Property Finance's published range is Bespoke. 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 Puma Property Finance declines me?
If Puma Property Finance 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. Puma Property Finance scores 4/5 on decline handling in our methodology.
Where to apply
Apply directly via www.pumapropertyfinance.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 Puma Property Finance.
Specialty alternatives
See all lender reviews for alternatives.
Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director. Last reviewed: 8 May 2026. Lender website: www.pumapropertyfinance.co.uk.