One of the most useful things to understand about borrowing from us is that your history matters. We are not only looking at a snapshot; we are building a picture of how your company manages credit. Repaying on time is the strongest signal in that picture.
Why a track record helps
When a company borrows a sensible amount and repays on schedule, it demonstrates — with evidence rather than promises — that it can comfortably carry that level of credit. That demonstrated affordability is exactly what our assessment is built to recognise, so over time a larger amount can become available to a business with a strong record.
What it does not mean
A good history does not unlock a fixed "next tier" automatically, and it never overrides affordability. If your company's cash-flow picture tightens, the amount available can go down as well as up. We are always lending up to what the business can comfortably afford at the time — see what an affordability assessment looks at.
How to build a strong record
- Borrow what you need rather than the maximum, and keep to the schedule.
- If a payment is going to be tight, tell us early — agreeing an arrangement in advance is far better than a missed payment.
- Keep your business bank connection or statements up to date so we can see the current picture.
This is also why a returning customer can get a different outcome from last time. Nothing here is a guarantee, and every offer is shown in full before you commit. Because this is lending to a company for business purposes, it sits outside FCA consumer-credit regulation under Article 60B FSMA RAO 2001 and is not covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service or the FSCS.
See also: Can I ask a person to review an automated decision?, Can I find out why I was declined?, Can I reapply after a decline?.