Professional practice finance

Finance for professional practices

Solicitors, accountants, dental and medical practices, and other professional partnerships have a funding profile built around recurring client relationships and partner capital rather than physical stock, which changes how lenders assess affordability. We work with lenders who understand practice valuations and partnership structures rather than treating them like a standard SME.

Category: Sectors & audiences

Product: Business Loans

Loan size: £30k – £5m
Premises LTV: Typically up to 70-75%
Goodwill lending: Often via multiple of adjusted profit
Term: 5-20 years

Buying into a partnership

Incoming partners in law, accountancy and medical practices commonly need finance to buy their equity share, secured personally rather than against the practice itself. Lenders assess the individual's earning capacity within the practice and the practice's own financial stability, and terms are usually unsecured or lightly secured given the absence of hard collateral.

Practice acquisition and goodwill

Buying an entire practice — a GP list, dental practice or accountancy client bank — is financed partly against tangible assets and partly against goodwill, typically valued as a multiple of recurring, adjusted profit. Specialist healthcare and professional services lenders price goodwill more confidently than generalist business lenders, who tend to discount it heavily or exclude it entirely.

Premises purchase for owner-occupied practices

Many practices eventually look to buy their premises rather than lease, particularly where specialist fit-out (dental surgeries, consulting rooms, secure records storage) makes relocation costly. Commercial mortgages for owner-occupied professional premises are generally well-served by mainstream and specialist lenders alike, assessed on practice profitability and premises value.

Equipment finance for clinical and technical practices

Dental, medical and veterinary practices in particular rely on specialist equipment (imaging, surgical, laboratory) that dates and depreciates; asset finance spreads this cost against the equipment's productive life rather than requiring upfront capital outlay from partners.

Regulatory and professional body considerations

Lenders financing regulated practices (SRA-regulated firms, CQC-registered clinics, FCA-regulated advisers) will factor in regulatory standing and any historic compliance issues as part of the risk assessment, alongside the standard financial metrics.

Frequently asked

Can I get finance to buy into a partnership?

Yes, partner capital loans are a recognised product, generally unsecured and assessed against your role, drawings history and the practice's financial position.

How is goodwill valued when buying a practice?

Usually as a multiple of adjusted, recurring profit, with the multiple varying by sector, client concentration and how transferable the relationships are to a new owner.

Can I finance specialist equipment like dental or imaging equipment?

Yes, asset finance is widely available for clinical and technical equipment, with specialist lenders understanding resale values and depreciation curves for this equipment type.

Do lenders treat regulated practices differently?

Yes, regulatory standing (SRA, CQC, FCA registration where relevant) forms part of the assessment, and any compliance history will be considered alongside financial metrics.

Is it better to buy or lease practice premises?

It depends on cash position, fit-out specificity and how long you intend to remain in the location — owning removes rent uncertainty but ties up capital and reduces flexibility to relocate.

Discuss finance for your practice

Call 0345 2690628 — partner capital, acquisition or premises, we know the specialist lenders.

Call 0345 2690628 Send your deal details