Business Mortgages Broker arranges business mortgages for limited companies buying or refinancing the premises they trade from, anywhere in North West England: Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, Lancashire and Cumbria. A business mortgage is a long-term loan secured on the premises a trading company occupies. It is not a residential mortgage, and we are a broker, not a lender: we take your case to the lenders whose criteria fit.
With 7,417,397 people at the 2021 census, this is the third most populated UK region. Alongside purchases, we arrange refinancing and equity release for companies that already own their buildings, and finance for owners buying through a pension. Matt Lenzie, who has 25 years in financial services, raising debt and equity, runs the business.
From textiles to services: the economy of North-West England
The region was historically linked with the textiles industry, mainly before the mid 20th century, and the mills, warehouses and terraced works of that era still stand in towns across Lancashire and Greater Manchester. Today the economy is weighted towards Greater Manchester, which produced £57,395m of GVA in 2014, followed by Merseyside (£28,257m), Lancashire (£27,668m), Cheshire (£25,803m) and Cumbria (£10,747m).
Research by Cushman and Wakefield in 2008 ranked Manchester the second best UK city in which to locate a business, and the city's office and professional sector reflects that. Energy matters too: the Morecambe Bay gas field provides 6% of the UK's natural gas. Further north, Cumbria and the Lake District rely on tourism, which supports hotels, guest houses, pubs and outdoor businesses.
Which premises do companies own in Northwest England?
The mix varies sharply between the conurbations and the rural north.
- Mills and older industrial buildings: manufacturers, wholesalers and creative firms in converted textile buildings in Bolton, Oldham, Blackburn and Preston.
- Modern industrial and distribution units: around Warrington and the M6 and M62 junctions, and near the Port of Liverpool.
- Offices: professional, financial and digital firms in Manchester, Liverpool, Chester and Stockport.
- Retail and hospitality: high street shops across the conurbations, seaside trade in Blackpool and hotels and pubs in the Lake District. A hotel or pub is a trading business, with indicative pricing of 7.0 to 9.0% a year, subject to status, accounts and valuation.
- Healthcare: dental, veterinary, pharmacy and care premises across all five counties.
For a standard owner-occupier, indicative pricing is 6.0 to 7.5% a year, typically at 70 to 75% loan to value (up to 80% for strong cases), subject to status, accounts and valuation.
Refinancing and pension purchases in the North-West of England
An owner who bought a unit or mill years ago may now be sitting on equity that could fund machinery, a second site or a shareholder exit. Remortgaging business premises can release it, or move an old loan onto terms that suit the business today. Indicative commercial remortgage pricing is 6.0 to 8.0% a year, subject to status, accounts and valuation.
Another route is for the directors' pension to own the building and the company to pay it rent. Buying premises through a pension, using a SIPP or SSAS, needs a regulated pension adviser or scheme administrator: we introduce and arrange the borrowing, we do not advise on pensions. 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.
SDLT and the legal charge on a North West (UK) purchase
All five counties are in England, so Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) applies, collected by HMRC. Non-residential and mixed-use property pays 0% up to £150,000, 2% from £150,001 to £250,000 and 5% above £250,000 (HMRC, gov.uk; rates as at October 2026; check the current rates before you buy). A pension buying the premises pays SDLT too. Our guide to stamp duty on commercial property sets out how the slices work.
Security is a mortgage by legal charge under English law, registered at HM Land Registry with the transfer, and the same applies on a remortgage. If your business spans the Pennines, see our page on Yorkshire and the Humber, or business mortgages across England.
Cities and towns we cover in NW England
Manchester
The region's largest settlement, at the centre of a Greater Manchester economy that produced the most GVA in the region (£57,395m in 2014). The city centre, Salford Quays and Spinningfields hold the professional, financial and media offices, while Trafford Park and the ring of former mill towns house manufacturers, distributors and trade counters.
Liverpool
The second largest settlement, built around the Port of Liverpool and the Liverpool Cruise Terminal. Port-related logistics, freight and engineering firms occupy warehouses and industrial units along the docks and in Knowsley and Speke, while the city centre has a strong professional, creative and hospitality sector in its historic commercial buildings.
Bolton
A Greater Manchester town of over 100,000 people with a deep textile history. Many former mills now hold manufacturers, wholesalers and storage businesses, and modern estates near the M61 house distribution and trade occupiers. The town centre adds retail and professional practices, often in older buildings with upper floors.
Stockport
A Greater Manchester town of over 100,000 people, south of the city on the M60. Stockport has a mix of office buildings used by professional and digital firms, industrial estates with engineering and trade businesses, and a town centre with independent retail, restaurants and healthcare practices.
Warrington
A Cheshire town of over 100,000 people where the M6, M62 and M56 meet, between Manchester and Liverpool. That location has made it a centre for warehouses, distribution and trade counters, and its business parks house corporate and professional offices. Units here tend to be modern, which helps a straightforward valuation.
Preston
A Lancashire city of over 100,000 people on the M6, and the administrative centre for much of the county. Engineering and manufacturing businesses occupy estates around the city, while the centre holds professional offices, retail and hospitality. Former mill buildings are used by wholesalers and light industry.
Blackpool
A Lancashire resort town of over 100,000 people. Hotels, guest houses, bars, amusements and seafront retail make up much of the commercial property, and lenders treat those as trading businesses valued partly on their trade. Seasonal income needs to be shown over a full year of accounts.
Chester
A Cheshire city listed in the over 100,000 band. Chester's historic centre, including its listed Rows, is dominated by retail, restaurants and hospitality, while business parks on the edge of the city house financial, professional and technology firms. Listed buildings need a careful survey but remain financeable.
Area facts: Wikipedia (North West England, Stamp duty in the United Kingdom#Stamp duty land tax, HM Land Registry). Tax figures: HMRC, Revenue Scotland and the Welsh Revenue Authority, as at October 2026.
