Arc & Co., a leading real estate advisory firm, has successfully completed three buy-to-let transactions with GB Bank over the past three months, totalling £19.5 million.
Led by Nikita Nigai, Head of International at Arc & Co., the deals cover a diverse portfolio of residential properties across the UK. The collaboration highlights Arc & Co.’s expertise in structuring tailored funding solutions for complex borrower profiles and GB Bank’s increasing appetite for specialist residential and buy-to-let finance.
This partnership reinforces both firms’ positions as key players in the UK property finance and investment market, supporting the growing demand for flexible and strategic funding options within the buy-to-let sector.
Transaction 1: £13.5m Primrose Hill Refinance
Arc & Co. arranged a £13.5 million facility to refinance a prime residential property in Primrose Hill, London, valued at £20 million.
The client sought to refinance an existing private bank debt of approximately £10 million while releasing additional equity to further enhance their property portfolio. The property was held as a buy-to-let investment by a foreign UHNW client which, created additional complexity in the underwriting process.
Key terms:
- Loan Amount: £13,500,000
- LTV: 67%
- Term: 60 months
The client’s request was to have a hybrid fixed and variable rate over the 5 years. GB Bank’s flexible approach, combined with Arc & Co.’s structuring expertise, enabled the transaction to complete successfully.
Transaction 2: £3.5m for a Multi-Unit BTL in Kent
This £3.5 million BTL facility was for 19 apartments in a newly completed development in Kent, with all units have been leased to the local council on a fixed annual premium basis.
Key terms:
- Loan amount: £3,500,000
- LTV: 70%
- Term: 5 years
The deal highlights GB Bank’s willingness to finance larger multi-unit portfolios with secure local authority tenancies.
Transaction 3: £2.5m loan for a Wembley New Build
The third transaction involved a £2.5 million facility for seven apartments, occupying one full floor in a new-build Wembley development.
Key terms:
- Loan amount: £2,500,000
- LTV:
- Term: 3 years
The transaction faced multiple challenges, including an overseas borrower, a property valuation down by more than 10%, reduced expected rental income, and a tight deadline from the developer.
Nikita Nigai commented:
“Each of these deals presented significant hurdles — cross-border complexities, absent tenancy documentation, valuation challenges, and extreme time pressure, and yet completing £19.5 million across the three transactions in as many months demonstrates Arc & Co.’s ability to structure and execute complex residential finance where conventional lending parameters simply don’t apply.
“The £13.5m Primrose Hill refinance required 18 months of engagement, including identifying the right lender and navigating intricate underwriting processes to achieve Private Bank rates at high LTV without AUM requirements. The Wembley transaction involved managing a down-valuation, postponed completions, and imminent default risk while securing terms for a Russian client in the current environment.
“Our expertise lies in understanding which lenders can accommodate specific complexity and how to structure transactions to align borrower needs with lender appetite. GB Bank’s flexibility as a relatively new entrant has been instrumental, and these completions reflect our ability to deliver solutions for clients that high street lenders and traditional private banks cannot serve.”
The three transactions bring Arc & Co.’s total loan volume with GB Bank to £19.5 million and reinforce the firm’s capability in structuring residential finance solutions where conventional lending parameters do not apply.
