Funding when you've been trading 6 months, not 6 years.
Asset finance for businesses under 24 months old. We use a specialist new-start lender panel that underwrites on director experience, contracts and balance sheet — not just filed accounts.
Eligibility at a glance
- Min trading
- 0–6 months acceptable
- Typical deposit
- 15–25%
- Rate from
- 9.9% APR
- Max facility
- Up to £150k typical, £400k stretch
- PG required
- Yes — full personal guarantee standard
What actually moves the needle.
Director CV
Lenders care more about your last 10 years of experience than the company's last 6 months. CVs of all directors are reviewed individually.
Personal credit
Director credit files are pulled (with consent). 750+ Experian = stronger pricing; 600–750 = workable; under 600 = tougher but not impossible.
Asset & deposit
A 25% deposit on a sellable hard asset (van, digger, tractor, machine tool) hugely strengthens the case. Soft assets are harder at start-up.
Contract evidence
Signed contracts, LOIs or framework agreements showing where revenue comes from. Forecasts alone rarely move the needle.
Personal balance sheet
Property equity, liquid savings and earnings outside the business strengthen the personal guarantee.
Realistic green-lights.
- Director with 10+ years industry experience starting a sole-trader plumbing/electrical/groundworks business
- Limited co. 3 months old with director who's run two prior successful businesses, applying for a £45k van
- Newly-qualified dental associate buying their first principal practice with a clinical bank loan + asset finance for the kit
- Owner-operator HGV business with one signed contract worth £180k/year applying for a single tractor unit
Where it gets harder.
- Directors with no prior industry experience and no contract evidence
- Soft assets (IT, furniture, fit-out) at start-up — much harder than hard assets
- Anything over £100k without contract evidence and a 25%+ deposit
- Directors with active CCJs, recent defaults or open IVA/bankruptcy
Have these ready and we'll move fast.
Reviewed by UK businesses
Sorted in 36 hours
"Bank wanted three weeks just to look at the file. AssetFi had the agreement signed and the digger paid for in 36 hours. Couldn't fault them."
Genuinely no fees
"I'd been stung by brokers before so I asked twice — really, no fees? Confirmed in writing. Got a sharper rate than my bank too. They've now done four vans for me."
Understood our cash flow
"We needed a CBCT scanner but our last accounts had a bad quarter. AssetFi went to specialist healthcare lenders, came back with three options and explained each properly. Brilliant."
Common questions.
How long do I need to have been trading?
There's no minimum — we have lenders who'll quote on businesses incorporated this week, provided the director has strong industry experience, an asset that holds value, and either a contract or a sensible deposit.
Will I need to give a personal guarantee?
On almost all new-start asset finance, yes. The PG is unlimited but the lender's only practical recourse is to call on the asset first. Some lenders cap PG at 25% of the facility on stronger profiles.
What deposit will I need?
Typically 15–25% on hard assets. A 25% deposit on a sellable asset (van, digger, tractor) gets the strongest pricing and widest lender choice. 0% is occasionally possible on prime LCV with very strong director profiles.
Can I get finance for IT, furniture or fit-out at start-up?
Soft assets are much harder at start-up. Possible on a strong profile with a 30%+ deposit, but most new-start funding goes against hard, sellable assets first. Soft assets often follow once the business has 12+ months of trading.
See if a deal works for you.
Soft search only. We'll come back inside 24 hours with a real-world view.
Other borrower types