Can I buy a warehouse through my pension?

Commercial property including industrial units can be held in a SIPP or SSAS, and the scheme can borrow up to 50% of net scheme assets. We arrange the lending; your pension adviser confirms suitability.

Is owner-occupied cheaper than investment?

Usually the LTV is higher - up to 80% - because the lender can look at trading profits as well as the asset. Rates are broadly comparable; the affordability test is what differs.

What if the EPC is below E?

It can still be bought and funded, but it cannot be let without an exemption. Lenders will want a costed improvement plan, and some will hold a retention until the works are done.

How long does a warehouse mortgage take?

Eight to twelve weeks from application, with valuation and legal enquiries the usual bottleneck. Where a deadline is fixed, a commercial bridge completes in two to four weeks and refinances onto the term facility afterwards.

Can I fund a multi-let industrial estate?

Yes. Multi-let estates are underwritten on the aggregate rent roll, the WAULT and void assumptions, so a schedule of tenancies is the first document a lender will ask for.

Commercial property finance

Warehouse & Industrial Unit Finance

Warehouse finance is a commercial mortgage secured on an industrial unit, warehouse or trade counter, arranged either for an owner-occupier moving out of rented space or for an investor buying a let unit. Lenders advance up to 75% loan to value for investment purchases and up to 80% for owner-occupiers who can evidence trading profits, on terms of 5 to 25 years priced from roughly 6.5%. Two things move the decision more than the rate: the unit's EPC rating, since anything below E cannot legally be let in England and Wales without an exemption, and the strength and unexpired term of the tenant's lease.

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At a glance

Criteria and pricing

What lenders on our panel will typically do on this product today.

Maximum LTV: Up to 75% investment; up to 80% owner-occupied
Term: 5-25 years; interest-only available on investment cases
Rate: From ~6.5%, fixed or over base
Debt service cover: Investment: 125-145% of rent; owner-occupier: 1.25x EBITDA cover
EPC: E or better to let; sub-E cases funded with a costed improvement plan
Unexpired lease term: Ideally 3+ years, or a shorter term with a strong covenant
Arrangement fee: 1.5-2%
Eligible assets: Warehouses, light industrial, trade counter, storage, small industrial estates

Worked example

Worked example - 12,000 sq ft warehouse, owner-occupier

Purchase price: £950,000
Loan at 70% LTV: £665,000
Rate 7.0%, 20-year repayment: ≈ £5,155 pcm
Rent previously paid on leased premises: £6,200 pcm
Monthly cash flow improvement: ≈ £1,045
Deposit and costs required: ≈ £330,000
SDLT at commercial rates: £37,000

Figures are typical UK market ranges as at 2026 and are indicative only - your terms depend on the asset, the income, the exit and the lender we place the case with.

Honest fit

Who this works for — and who it does not

You are likely to qualify if

Deposit of 20-30% plus SDLT and professional fees
Two years of accounts for owner-occupiers, or leases and a tenancy schedule for investment purchases
A valuation supporting both vacant possession and investment value
An EPC of E or better, or a costed plan to reach it

This is the wrong product if

Speculative purchases of vacant units with no occupier or letting evidence and no cash reserves
Contaminated or specialist sites lenders' valuers will not sign off without remediation
Buyers wanting to fund fit-out and racking from the mortgage - use asset finance for equipment
Assets bought purely for a short flip, which are better on a commercial bridge

Timescales

What actually happens, and when

Week 1
Sizing and lender fit
We size against rent or trading profits, review the EPC and lease, and confirm the achievable LTV.
Week 1-2
Terms and valuation
Indicative terms issued; RICS commercial valuation instructed.
Week 2-6
Underwriting
Valuation reviewed, covenant assessed, environmental and title matters raised.
Week 6-12
Legals to completion
Eight to twelve weeks is realistic on a commercial purchase; a bridge can secure the unit first where the deadline is fixed.

Questions

Frequently asked

Commercial property finance Industrial development finance Asset finance Semi-commercial mortgage