THE PROPERTY FILTER TAKE
Together cut unregulated bridging rates by 5bps on 8 May 2026, with first charge rates now starting from 0.90%/month - a move against the broader market trend of rising rates.
A 5bps cut on a £300,000 bridging loan saves roughly £150/year in interest - modest on its own, but the signal matters more than the saving.
If you are planning a bridging transaction in the near term, you may wish to ask your broker whether Together's current rates represent the best available, given that most lenders have moved in the opposite direction.
Together Financial Services cut its unregulated bridging rates by 5bps (basis points - hundredths of a percentage point) on 8 May 2026, according to Mortgage Finance Gazette. The reductions bring first charge residential unregulated bridging to 0.90%/month, making Together one of the few lenders moving rates downward in a market where pricing pressure has been almost entirely upward.
Why this cut matters more than the numbers suggest
Five basis points sounds small. On a £300,000 bridging loan over 12 months, it saves roughly £150 in total interest cost. But the data tells a broader story. The vast majority of lenders have been raising bridging rates since late 2025 as funding costs increased. A lender cutting rates in this environment is either absorbing margin or signalling that it has funding headroom others do not.
According to Bridging & Commercial's market data, average unregulated bridging rates had drifted to around 1.09%/month across the market by early May. Together's move to 0.90% on first charge residential puts it meaningfully below that average - a gap of 19bps that compounds quickly on larger or longer transactions. The Property Filter stress test calculator can help you model how bridging costs interact with your exit finance before committing to a transaction.
Together says the rate reductions are specifically designed to improve affordability at higher LTVs (loan-to-value ratios - the proportion of the property value being borrowed). That targeting matters for investors looking at refurbishment projects or purchases where a larger proportion of the value needs to be financed short-term. The lender has also recently cut rates across its regulated bridging, second charge and personal finance products, suggesting this is a deliberate repricing strategy rather than a one-off move.
Context: what is happening to bridging rates across the market?
The broader picture is one of compression from the top. A number of lenders pulled or repriced bridging products upward in Q1 2026, citing gilt yield movements and increased cost of capital. That has left borrowers with fewer competitive options at the sub-1% monthly rate level that characterised 2024.
For investors using bridging finance as part of a BRRR (buy, refurbish, refinance, rent) strategy or to fund auction purchases, the negotiation and finance guide covers how to assess lender terms and factor bridging costs accurately into deal appraisals. The property investment strategies hub is also worth reviewing if you are weighing whether bridging makes sense for your next acquisition.
Key takeaways
- Together cut unregulated bridging rates by 5bps on 8 May 2026, per Mortgage Finance Gazette. - First charge residential unregulated bridging now starts from 0.90%/month - roughly 19bps below the current market average. - Most lenders have raised bridging rates since late 2025; this move goes against that trend. - The cut targets higher LTV borrowers specifically, widening affordability at the riskier end of the bridging market.
Together Financial Services cut its unregulated bridging rates by 5bps (basis points - hundredths of a percentage point) on 8 May 2026, according to Mortgage Finance Gazette. The reductions bring first charge residential unregulated bridging to 0.90%/month, making Together one of the few lenders moving rates downward in a market where pricing pressure has been almost entirely upward.
Why this cut matters more than the numbers suggest
Five basis points sounds small. On a £300,000 bridging loan over 12 months, it saves roughly £150 in total interest cost. But the data tells a broader story. The vast majority of lenders have been raising bridging rates since late 2025 as funding costs increased. A lender cutting rates in this environment is either absorbing margin or signalling that it has funding headroom others do not.
According to Bridging & Commercial's market data, average unregulated bridging rates had drifted to around 1.09%/month across the market by early May. Together's move to 0.90% on first charge residential puts it meaningfully below that average - a gap of 19bps that compounds quickly on larger or longer transactions. The Property Filter stress test calculator can help you model how bridging costs interact with your exit finance before committing to a transaction.
Together says the rate reductions are specifically designed to improve affordability at higher LTVs (loan-to-value ratios - the proportion of the property value being borrowed). That targeting matters for investors looking at refurbishment projects or purchases where a larger proportion of the value needs to be financed short-term. The lender has also recently cut rates across its regulated bridging, second charge and personal finance products, suggesting this is a deliberate repricing strategy rather than a one-off move.
Context: what is happening to bridging rates across the market?
The broader picture is one of compression from the top. A number of lenders pulled or repriced bridging products upward in Q1 2026, citing gilt yield movements and increased cost of capital. That has left borrowers with fewer competitive options at the sub-1% monthly rate level that characterised 2024.
For investors using bridging finance as part of a BRRR (buy, refurbish, refinance, rent) strategy or to fund auction purchases, the negotiation and finance guide covers how to assess lender terms and factor bridging costs accurately into deal appraisals. The property investment strategies hub is also worth reviewing if you are weighing whether bridging makes sense for your next acquisition.
Key takeaways
- Together cut unregulated bridging rates by 5bps on 8 May 2026, per Mortgage Finance Gazette. - First charge residential unregulated bridging now starts from 0.90%/month - roughly 19bps below the current market average. - Most lenders have raised bridging rates since late 2025; this move goes against that trend. - The cut targets higher LTV borrowers specifically, widening affordability at the riskier end of the bridging market.
