Business loans or commercial loans are designed for a wide variety of small, medium and startup business needs including the buying, refinance or expansion of a company. Business loans are similar to a commercial mortgage in that money can be borrowed over an extended period of time, usually a maximum of 25 years, and are secured on the building being purchased.

A commercial loan can be secured against most types of freehold or long leasehold properties, such as factories, shops, pubs, residential care homes, hotels, restaurants, offices, industrial units, apartment blocks and more. A business loan can also be secured against a residential building. The procedure is very similar to that of a commercial mortgage except that the general maximum that can be borrowed is 60% of the assessed Market Value. However, a few lenders will advance up to 75% depending upon the deal and the security offered. Interest rates on the loan are variable and depend upon the credit history of the borrower and the length of the term.

These percentages are known as the Loan-to-Value ratio, or LTV. The lower the LTV, the lower the risk is to the lender. The higher the LTV, the more the risk to the lender and it is probable that a higher interest rate would be levied. Lenders will not usually advance above 75% LTV to try to make sure that there would be enough security in the event of a forced sale, often through an auction when it is expected that property will sell at a reduced rate of up to 25% below the regular market value.