What is an unsecured business loan?

It commonly means a loan without a fixed charge over a specified property or asset. The lender assesses the ability to repay, but may still require a director’s personal guarantee or a debenture over company assets. These arrangements carry different risks. Ask exactly what security, if any, is proposed and compare the total cost and terms of the actual offer.

Unsecured Business Loans

Unsecured business loans: options without property security

Name: Sorbus Finance
Address: Sunny Bank, 12 Albion Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S40 1LJ, GB
Telephone: +441246383500

Some business loans are available without a fixed charge over property or equipment. A lender may still ask for a personal guarantee or a debenture over company assets, so check the actual security terms. Sorbus Finance can consider options from its panel of 150+ lenders.

Panel of 150+ UK lendersNo upfront broker feesIndependent adviceDecisions from 24 hrs

01246 383500

Indicative figures

£5k – £5M

Loan range

24–72 hours

Decision time

3 – 60 months

Typical term

From 7.9% APR

Rates from

No upfront fees · No credit check to enquire

Speak with Graham or Arran

What makes unsecured business loans different?

A lender will assess the business's ability to repay using its trading history, turnover, profitability and cash flow. An option without property security may avoid property valuation and legal-charge steps, but its pricing, speed and security terms depend on the provider and case. Some lenders require a personal guarantee; others may seek a debenture over company assets even without a property charge. Review the proposed documents rather than relying on the product name alone.

See all business loan options

Eligibility checklist

UK limited company, LLP, or sole trader
Minimum 12 months' trading (some lenders 6 months)
Annual turnover typically £50,000+
No unsatisfied CCJs or outstanding insolvency proceedings
Business bank account with regular inflows
Director(s) prepared to provide personal guarantee if required

Common reasons businesses apply

Every business is different. Here are the scenarios where this type of loan delivers the most value.

Growth without property security

Some options do not require a fixed property charge. Check for debentures, existing lender consent requirements and personal guarantees before assuming other assets are unaffected.

Cashflow and working capital

Managing the gap between paying suppliers and receiving customer payments, especially for businesses with long invoice cycles or seasonal demand patterns.

Speed-critical situations

Unsecured loans can be approved in 24–72 hours. If you need capital quickly for an opportunity, a tax bill, or a gap, unsecured is almost always faster than secured.

Why Sorbus Finance for unsecured business loans

Check the proposed security

A facility without property security may still involve a debenture over business assets or a personal guarantee. Ask what would be registered and how it affects other borrowing.

Faster than secured lending

Without a valuation, legal charge, and property legal process, unsecured loans complete significantly faster, often within days rather than weeks.

Personal guarantee: explained honestly

Many unsecured lenders require a personal guarantee from directors. We explain exactly what this means, and when it's required, before you commit. Some lenders on our panel waive this for strong businesses.

Broker fees explained

In almost all circumstances we do not charge a broker fee. Should a broker fee be chargeable you will be made aware clearly in advance and it will be agreed in writing before you proceed. Read our Initial Disclosure.

Three steps to funded

Tell us what you need

Complete our short enquiry form: your business, the loan amount, and the purpose. Takes under 2 minutes.

An extensive panel of 150+ lenders

Your dedicated adviser identifies lenders from our panel that may suit your profile and presents relevant options.

Funds in your account

On acceptance, we manage paperwork and liaise with the lender. Many clients receive funds within 24–72 hours of approval.

Who you could speak to

Graham Nash

Commercial Finance Director

Business loans, cash flow and wider commercial funding

Profile

Arran Turner

Managing Director

General commercial finance and how Sorbus works

Profile

STEP 1
A conversation with a broker
You talk to a real Sorbus broker about the business, the purpose and what is affordable. No application at this stage.
STEP 2
Credit placement
If you choose to go further, we prepare the case and decide which lenders on our panel of 150+ are worth approaching.
STEP 3
Lender assessment
The lender, not Sorbus, underwrites and makes the credit decision. Approval is never guaranteed.
STEP 4
Documentation
If a lender offers terms and you accept, we help coordinate agreements and payout paperwork with you.

Every step after the first is optional. You can stop after the conversation. Sorbus is a broker, not a lender.

Client journey

Explore real client journeys

Read how real businesses approached a funding goal, what Sorbus arranged and what happened next.

Browse anonymised case studies

Enquire about Unsecured Business Loans

Start with a conversation

Tell us a little about what you need and who you would like to speak to. No obligation, no credit check at this stage. We aim to respond within one business day, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm.

Your name *

Phone number *

Company name (optional)

New start-up (no company name yet)

Email address *

Who would you like to speak to? (optional)

Best time to talk (optional)

A preference, not an appointment. We pass it on where we can. We aim to respond within one business day, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5:30pm. This is an aim, not a guaranteed callback time.

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We will use your details to respond to your enquiry. We may share information with our principal, lenders and service providers where necessary, or where required by law, as explained in our Privacy Policy. Marketing emails are optional and depend on your separate choice.

Prefer to call?

Speak directly to an adviser Monday–Friday, 9am–5:30pm.

01246 383500

Free call. No obligation.

Unique to Sorbus Finance

Optional: Business Finance Health Check

Before applying for a unsecured business loans, run your free Business Finance Health Check. It shows your lending readiness score in under 5 minutes.

Take the short Health Check

Free · No credit check · Not required before you talk

Want the full picture? The full fact-find is longer and also optional.

Email us anytime

hello@sorbusfinance.co.uk

Questions answered

Everything you need to know about unsecured business loans

Unsecured business loans typically range from £5,000 to £500,000. Secured business loans can go considerably higher — up to £5,000,000+. The upper limit depends on your business's annual turnover, profitability, credit profile, and whether you can provide security. Most unsecured lenders cap exposure at a percentage of annual revenue, commonly 10–25%. For loans above £250,000, some lenders require a debenture (a floating charge over the business) even if no fixed charge over property is required.

Many unsecured lenders require a personal guarantee (PG) from company directors, particularly for loans to limited companies. A PG makes you personally liable if the company fails to repay. This is different from securing the loan against personal assets. A PG is a promise to pay, not a charge. Some lenders on our panel do not require personal guarantees for established businesses with strong financials. We will always highlight which lenders require them.

They can be, but not always significantly so. The rate premium for unsecured lending depends on your credit profile. A strong business with clean credit and substantial turnover may access unsecured rates that are very close to secured. The key advantage of unsecured is speed and simplicity, not necessarily cost. We present total cost of credit for all options, secured and unsecured, so you can make a fully informed comparison.

Unsecured business loans are among the fastest forms of commercial finance. For straightforward applications, such as an established business with clean credit and a loan up to £150,000, decisions can be made within 24 hours and funds transferred the same or next working day. For larger loans or more complex profiles, decisions typically take 24–72 hours with payout following a few days after documents are signed.

Some lenders will consider businesses as young as 6 months, particularly if the director has a strong personal credit profile and the business is showing clear positive cashflow. Start-up lenders and government-backed schemes (such as the British Business Bank's Start Up Loans programme) also serve early-stage businesses. We will identify the most appropriate options for your trading age and profile.

Looking for an unsecured business loan? Let's find your best option.

Compare security and guarantee requirements with independent guidance from a broker with a panel of 150+ lenders. In almost all circumstances there is no upfront broker fee; any exception is disclosed and agreed in advance.

01246 383500