Last updated: September 22nd, 2026
Find out how you can use title split bridging finance on your next property title split investment.
Written by Marcus Wright, owner and founder of Bolton Business Finance Ltd, in financial services since 2008 and a commercial finance broker since 2019. Last reviewed September 2026.
Title splitting property investments can often be a lucrative way of adding value to a property by splitting it up into its constituent parts. It’s essentially a legal process that takes a large property or plot of land and splits it into smaller freehold or leasehold lots.
This type of transaction is not generally suitable for standard finance options such as a mortgage. It will usually require a bridging loan, with a 1st charge lender that supports the splitting process.
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The short version
- Title split bridging finance funds the purchase of a property or site that will be divided into separate legal titles, such as a freehold block split into individual leasehold flats.
- Specialist lenders can lend against the value of the individual units after the split rather than the single title, which is how some deals reach 100% of the purchase price.
- Terms typically run 12 to 18 months, long enough for the legal work, any works and the sale or refinance of the units.
- The split has its own costs on top of the bridge: solicitor fees, title plans, an HM Land Registry fee for every new title and a valuation of each unit.
- Bolton Business Finance arranges title split bridging, including airspace schemes, for investors, developers and limited companies, for business purposes only.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Facility size | £100k to £20m |
| Term | Typically 12 to 18 months |
| Loan to split value | Residential up to 75%, semi-commercial up to 70%, commercial up to 65%, land up to 60% |
| Purchase price | Up to 100% where the split value supports it |
| Works | Up to 100% of the cost of works, released in arrears |
| Property types | Residential, semi-commercial, commercial, land and airspace |
| Coverage | England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland |
Title Split Bridging Loans
You can use title split bridging loans to purchase the property and also potentially fund the cost of works as well if required. The term of the loan will typically be 12-18 months, giving you time to carry out the legal process (and works if required) and then selling or refinancing the property.
Features of a Title Split Bridging Finance
When title splitting each project can have its own unique aspects that need to be considered when arranging finance. Typical features of a Title Split bridge include:
- Amounts from £100k to £20 Million
- Up to 100% of Purchase Price
- Up to 100% Cost of Works in arrears
- Residential, Semi Commercial, Commercial and Land
- UK Property in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
- Fast Completions
- Rates From 0.8% Per Month (typical, September 2026)
All applications are subject to underwriting and valuations. Adverse credit can be considered. Homeowners and Experience preferred but all circumstances considered.
Loan to Values For Title Splitting Bridging
Each case will be assessed on its own merits and will require an independent valuation. It may be possible to fund 100% of the purchase price, if the value of the individual units after the split is under the LTVs below.
- Residential – Up To 75% Loan To Split Value
- Semi-Commercial – Up To 70% Loan To Split Value
- Commercial – Up To 65% Loan To Split Value
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Examples of Property Title Splitting Investments
Here are a few examples of the types of title splits that we can help you source bridging finance for below.
Residential Title Split
Residential title splits have the highest loan to values available on bridging loans of up to 75% of the value after the split, subject to valuation.
- Houses with a large garden, splitting the garden into two or more plots
- Freehold flats to individual leasehold flats
- Splitting a large house into two or more flats/apartments
- MUFB to MULB
Semi Commercial Title Split
Funding available on semi commercial units will depend on how much is residential and how much is commercial. Typically loan to values available on bridging loans of up to 70% of the value after the split, subject to valuation.
- Splitting Retail Units with Flats above
- Farms with multiple buildings and land
Commercial Title Split
Typically loan to values available on commercial bridging loans of up to 65% of the value after the split, subject to valuation.
- Splitting larger commercial units into smaller freehold or leasehold units
- Splitting industrial estates to individual freehold units
- Hotels to apartments or flats
- Commercial to Residential Conversion
Title Splitting Land
Typically loan to values available on land with no property are lower potentially up to 60% of the value after the split, subject to valuation.
- Splitting large plot of land into smaller plots
- Planning Gains
- Splitting larger developments into smaller plots with planning
Typical Costs & Fees of Title Split Bridging
Here are the usual fees and cost you will have if you use bridging for a title split investment.
Interest Rates: Monthly interest 0.8% to 1.2% (typical, September 2026)
Arrangement Fee: 2%
Exit Fee: 0% to 1%
Lenders Legal Fees: £2-£5k
Valuation: £500 – £3000
You may also have other fees such as your own solicitor costs, title insurance and broker fees.
What it costs to split a title
The bridging costs above are only part of the budget. Splitting a title carries its own costs, and they are the ones investors most often underestimate. Most are charged per unit, so they grow with every flat or plot the split creates.
| Cost | What it covers | How it is charged |
|---|---|---|
| Your solicitor | Drafting the new leases or transfers, rights of access and services, and the management arrangements for each unit | Usually per unit or per new title. Get a fixed quote before you exchange. |
| Title plans | Plans for each unit drawn to HM Land Registry standards | A surveyor or plan drawer, normally per plan |
| HM Land Registry fees | Registering each new lease or transfer of part | Scale 1, based on the value of each unit. No online discount applies to new leases or transfers of part. |
| Valuation | A valuation of every unit on the split basis, as well as the whole | Higher than a single valuation, because each unit is reported on |
| Lender’s legal fees | The lender’s solicitor reviewing the new titles and taking security | Listed in the bridging costs above. Budget for the top of the range on multi-unit splits. |
| Project costs | Building regulations sign-off, separate meters, a management company, and planning where the use changes | Specific to each project |
HM Land Registry fees are set by the Land Registration Fee Order 2024, in force since 9 December 2024. As an example, registering a new lease with a premium of £100,001 to £200,000 costs £230 per title, and £330 for £200,001 to £500,000. Source: HM Land Registry, Registration Services fees, checked September 2026.
Which lenders fund title splits, and how to choose
Title splits are funded by specialist bridging lenders rather than banks. The main difference between them is how they value the security, and that decides how much you can borrow on the same property.
| What differs | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Split value or aggregate value | Some lenders lend against the combined value of the units after the split. Others lend against the building as one title. On the same property the loan size can differ significantly. |
| Day one advance | Lenders that fund up to 100% of the purchase price only do so where the split value keeps the loan inside their loan to value limit. |
| Works funding | Whether works are funded, how much, and whether money is released in arrears as a surveyor signs off each stage. |
| Interest | Retained, rolled up or paid monthly. Retained interest is deducted at the start and reduces the net amount you receive. |
| Property type | Appetite falls from residential to semi-commercial, commercial and land, which is why the loan to values above step down. |
| Exit | Sale of the units, or refinance onto buy to let or portfolio finance. The exit lender’s view of the finished units should be checked first. |
- Get the split valued properly. Ask for a valuation on both the aggregate and the split basis, so you can see what each type of lender will work from.
- Confirm the legal route before you commit. Freehold or leasehold units, rights of access, services, and whether anyone else’s consent is needed.
- Budget both sets of costs. The bridging costs and the split costs in the tables above.
- Choose the exit before the bridge. If you are refinancing, check the term lender’s criteria for the individual units first.
- Compare on net loan and total cost. The headline monthly rate is only one part of what the bridge costs.
Airspace development and title splits
Airspace development means building new flats on top of an existing building. It overlaps with title splitting because every new flat needs its own title, and the owner of the airspace is often not the owner of the flats below. The usual legal route is buying the freehold or taking a long lease of the roof space, then granting new leases for each flat created.
In England, Part 20 of Schedule 2 to the General Permitted Development Order 2015 allows up to two additional storeys of new flats on certain existing buildings, including purpose-built detached blocks of flats, subject to prior approval from the local planning authority. The rights came into force on 1 August 2020, apply to buildings constructed between 1 July 1948 and 5 March 2018, and the work must be completed within three years of prior approval.
Lenders want to see prior approval or full planning permission in place, a structural report confirming the building can take the extra storeys, and a clear legal right to build. The works are normally funded like a development or heavy refurbishment bridge, with money released in stages as the build is certified. The exit is the sale or refinance of the new flats once each one has its own title.
Only a minority of lenders will look at airspace schemes. Tell us how the building is constructed, where the planning stands and who owns the roof, and we will tell you straight whether it is fundable.
Illustrative example: splitting a freehold block
An investor buys a freehold building of six flats held on a single title for £600,000. Valued as six separately saleable leasehold flats, the split value is £900,000. A lender working to 75% of split value can fund close to the full purchase price.
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Purchase price, single title | £600,000 |
| Split value, six leasehold flats | £900,000 |
| Gross loan at 75% of split value | £675,000 |
| Retained interest, 0.85% a month for 12 months | £68,850 |
| Arrangement fee at 2% | £13,500 |
| Net advance on completion | £592,650 |
| Investor’s cash towards the price | £7,350, plus stamp duty, legal fees and the split costs |
| Exit | Sell two flats and refinance the other four onto buy to let finance, repaying the bridge |
These figures are illustrative only. They are not a quote and do not reflect the terms of any particular lender. Actual terms depend on the valuation, the legal position, the works and the exit.
Frequently asked questions
What is title split bridging finance?
Title split bridging finance is a short-term loan used to buy a property or site that will be divided into separate legal titles, such as splitting a freehold block into individual leasehold flats. The lender can assess the loan against the value of the units after the split, and the bridge is repaid by selling or refinancing the new titles, typically within 12 to 18 months.
How much does it cost to split title deeds?
The split itself usually involves solicitor fees to draft each new lease or transfer, compliant plans for each unit, an HM Land Registry fee for each new title based on its value, and a valuation of every unit. Land Registry fees for registering a new lease currently run from £45 to £1,105 per title depending on value. Legal fees are normally the largest item and rise with the number of units.
Can I borrow 100% of the purchase price on a title split?
Sometimes. Where the combined value of the units after the split is high enough, a lender working to 75% of split value can cover the full purchase price. It depends on the valuation, the lender’s appetite and the costs deducted from the advance, such as retained interest and fees, so most investors still need some cash in the deal.
How long does a title split take?
A straightforward split of an existing building can take a few months once the plans and leases are agreed, and longer where consents, planning or works are involved. That is why title split bridges are usually arranged over 12 to 18 months, leaving time to complete the split and then sell or refinance the units without pressure.
Can you arrange finance for airspace development?
Yes, where the scheme is fundable. Lenders want prior approval under the permitted development rules or full planning permission, a structural report showing the building can take the extra storeys, and a clear legal right to build in the airspace. The build is usually funded in stages, and the new flats are then given their own titles for sale or refinance.
Can I use title split bridging on a property I will live in?
No. We arrange title split bridging for investment and business purposes only. If you or a close family member will live in 40 per cent or more of the property, the finance is a regulated contract and falls outside our remit.
Related guides
- Bridging loans, how bridging works and what it costs
- Multi unit buy to let mortgages, term finance for freehold blocks
- Refurbishment bridging, funding works on investment property
- Land bridging, buying plots and sites with or without planning
- Development exit finance, refinancing a finished scheme while units sell
- Islamic bridging finance, Sharia compliant bridging for property investors
- Bridging loan cost calculator, work out the total cost of a bridge
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We will search the market for you and arrange a funding offer, guiding you through the process start to finish.
About the author
Marcus Wright is the owner and founder of Bolton Business Finance Ltd. He has worked in financial services since 2008, beginning his career at Santander, and has been a commercial finance broker since March 2019.
He founded Bolton Business Finance in 2020 to give businesses access to the whole lending market rather than one bank’s own product range. The firm is a member of the National Association of Commercial Finance Brokers and works with a panel of 135+ lenders.
Marcus arranges commercial mortgages, bridging, development finance, business loans, asset finance, invoice finance and merchant cash advances. Call 0161 546 9128.
Bolton Business Finance Ltd is an independent commercial finance brokerage, not a lender. We are not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and can only complete non-regulated introductions. All lending is for business purposes only. We do not advise on or arrange residential mortgages, consumer buy to let or consumer credit. Where you or a close family member will live in 40 per cent or more of a property, the finance is a regulated contract and outside our remit. Rates and costs on this page are typical ranges, not quotes, and all finance is subject to status, valuation and lender criteria. Registered address: Westgate House, 1 Westgate Avenue, Bolton, Greater Manchester, BL1 4RF. Company number 12495909.