Specialist business mortgage broker for companies across the London Borough of Croydon

Wikipedia names retail and enterprise as Croydon's main employment sectors and calls the town a major office area, one of the largest in south-east England outside central London. Nestlé had its UK headquarters at St George's House, still known as Nestlé Tower, until 2012; Virgin Media has offices at Communications House; the Home Office's UK Visas and Immigration department is headquartered at Lunar House; and Real Digital International runs a factory on Purley Way built in 2006.

For smaller owner-occupiers that means a wide choice: office buildings and floors in the centre, shop units on the high streets, and warehouse, trade and light industrial units around Purley Way. Professional firms, healthcare providers, wholesalers, motor trades and manufacturers all buy here. Our page on owner-occupier mortgages explains how lenders weigh the business against the building.

Croydon has two major shopping districts: the town centre, with North End, the Whitgift Centre, Centrale and St George's Walk, and the Purley Way area, with the Valley Park complex, Croydon Colonnades, Croydon Fiveways and Waddon Goods Park. Surrey Street Market holds a royal charter dating from 1276. Wikipedia also records a retail decline: Allders in North End closed in 2013 and Debenhams in 2020, retail vacancies have risen, and redevelopment of Centrale and the Whitgift Centre has been delayed. The council issued a section 114 notice in December 2020 and received a £120 million government loan.

For a buyer, that can mean opportunity, but lenders value what a building would fetch today, and they look closely at vacancy on the surrounding street. A strong trading history and a building that could suit other uses help the case. Where a purchase needs works first, a short bridging loan at an indicative 0.70 to 0.95% a month, subject to status, accounts and valuation, can come before the term loan.

Lenders active in owner-occupier lending usually advance 70 to 75% of the lower of price and valuation at an indicative 6.0 to 7.5% a year, subject to status, accounts and valuation. Terms run 5 to 25 years and arrangement fees are usually 1 to 2%. Croydon is in England, so SDLT is due at 0% up to £150,000, 2% from £150,001 to £250,000 and 5% above £250,000 on non-residential purchases (HMRC, rates as at October 2026; check the current rates before you buy).

Illustrative example. A wholesale business buys a freehold trade unit off Purley Way for £850,000. A 75% loan is £637,500, so the deposit is £212,500. SDLT on that price is £32,000, so the company needs around £244,500 before fees. The stamp duty guide shows the full calculation.

Croydon London Borough Council is the planning authority, and the area is undergoing a regeneration initiative, Croydon Vision 2020, aimed at attracting businesses. Before completion the lender's solicitor checks that the current use of the property is lawful, which matters in a town where offices have been converted and retail units have changed use.

For a Croydon building the lender registers its first legal charge at HM Land Registry and commonly asks for directors' guarantees too. Commercial lending to a limited company is unregulated and falls outside the FCA's regulated mortgage perimeter. Where a deal would be regulated, for example lending to a sole trader or individual, or a property where the borrower or a close family member will live in part of it, we refer it to an appropriately authorised firm. See our London business mortgages page for the other boroughs.