Blend Network

Blend Network is a UK peer-to-peer (P2P) property lending platform that specialises in providing short-term debt finance to residential property developers. The operating entity historically associated with the brand is Blend Loan Network Limited (Company No. 10025252), incorporated June 2016; the platform publicly launched in January 2018.

Regulatory status: Blend Loan Network Limited has been directly authorised by the FCA since 19 April 2021 (FRN 913456). It previously operated as an Appointed Representative, which is why that status no longer appears on the Register.

Recent corporate activity: The platform has reported institutional funding rounds (February 2024: >£50m institutional lines alongside family office capital) and the launch of an exit bridge product for completed residential schemes. Investors should verify current product availability and structuring directly with the platform.

Blend Network connects retail and sophisticated investors with loans to UK residential property developers. Typical steps: register, complete KYC/AML, deposit funds into a segregated client bank account, and choose loans to fund or use the platform's AutoLend feature.

Security and loan structure: Loans are described as secured by legal charges over the underlying property assets (commonly first legal charges) and are advanced in stages for development projects. The platform reports an average LTV/LTGDV profile around the mid-50s percent range (example average LTV ~56%), with specific product variants offering higher LTGDV/loan-to-cost in defined circumstances (e.g., a "Blended" product up to 75% LTGDV and up to 90% loan-to-cost for smaller schemes). These are platform-disclosed metrics and should be verified against the loan-specific documentation on each deal.

Interest and payments: Loan coupons are typically marketed in the historical range of approximately 8–15% per annum with a reported historical average of ~11.3%. Interest may be paid monthly (retained interest) or rolled-up and paid on redemption depending on the loan terms. These are historical/platform-disclosed terms and do not guarantee future loan returns.

Primary product: P2P debt to residential property developers — investors can pick individual loans (manual lending) or use an AutoLend/automated allocation feature to match pre-set criteria.

Key commercial terms:

• Minimum commitment: typically £1,000 per loan.
• Fee profile: no primary-market setup, membership, or lending fees for investors; a 0.60% fee applies to successful seller transactions on the Secondary Market (buyer pays no fee). Secondary Market listings are generally available to buyers 24 hours after being posted.
• IFISA: the platform indicates loans can be held in an Innovative Finance ISA (IFISA); IFISA status relates to tax treatment, not risk reduction. Confirm IFISA eligibility and ongoing administration arrangements given the firm's changed regulatory status.

Blend Network's structure and minimums have generally suited professional, experienced, or high-net-worth investors who can tolerate capital-at-risk and illiquidity and who seek targeted exposure to short-term property development finance. The platform historically has offered relatively high coupons compared with many bank products, which reflects higher credit and liquidity risk. The platform excludes US taxpayers and has other eligibility criteria that prospective investors must confirm.

Investors who cannot bear capital loss or who require ready liquidity are not suitable for P2P property development loans. Those considering Blend should ensure they can meet diversification needs given the platform's relatively low deal flow.