So, you have a brilliant new healthcare concept which if you only had the funds to bring it to market is sure to be a runaway success. But the banks dont want to loan you any money, even though you have a good credit rating and security behind you Its an all-too-common story in post-credit crunch Britain, and a problem which has stifled many a good business project.
However, the banks reluctance to lend on the one hand and on the other their slashing of the rates of interest they are prepared to pay to investors has led to an elegant solution to both problems what is called peer-to-peer lending, the putting together of people who wish to borrow money with those who want to lend. And as youd expect in the internet age, this meeting of minds happens in the cloud.
Lending in the clouds
Freedman and Partners is at the forefront of the cloud-lending industry, putting to good use its 30 years of experience in the world of business and property development loans to sponsor loan propositions on behalf of the needy entrepreneur.
Freedman and Partners is an accredited sponsor on the ThinCats Business Loan Network; its job is to assess each loan proposition and to act on behalf of the borrower in submitting the loan to an online auction process via ThinCats. The firm acts rather like a good old-fashioned bank manager, preparing the documentation on which potential lenders will base their decision, agreeing the loan and its term, and monitoring the progress of the auction.
The companys mission does not end with the successful flotation of a loan, however. The progress of each loan and its repayment is monitored throughout its lifetime, and Freedman and Partners prides itself on its mentoring services, offering assistance with business development and of course future funding issues.
From plans to business reality
Its a mission which has proved successful and profitable for dozens of borrowers and thousands of lenders. So far this year Freedman and Partners has helped arrange business loans worth in excess of 20 million, and that has permitted many business people to turn their on-paper plans into profitable reality.
Where to start? If you are interested in investigating raising funds via peer-to-peer lending, you can find valuable further information, as well as a simple to complete loan enquiry form, at the Freedman and Partners website. If you are interested in lending, check out the ThinCats website.
There is useful information too available from the Peer-to-Peer Finance Association, in particular about the risks involved in this new form of finance.
Peer-to-peer lending and why it could be just what the doctor ordered
in Special Feature 23 July 2015