Structured Finance is an ‘SME centric’ lender that, as a whole, claims to be the ‘go-to place for UK SME financing’. They offer structured business loans to SMEs that are secured against commercial and residential real estate. 4Syte tailors their loans to fit their clients’ affordability, offering bespoke loans at a competitive price.
Today, we speak to 4Syte Structured Finance Managing Director Paul Fenton about how 4Syte has been helping SMEs over the past year and what they plan to do next.
How has 4Syte been helping SMEs over the past year?
4Syte Structured Finance has been consistent with its lending approach over the past year during this global pandemic. More so than ever, SMEs have required funding and support from lenders, whether that be in terms of providing loans to new applicants or supporting existing borrower portfolios (in regards to forbearance, for example), and at 4Syte, this is exactly what we have done. We enjoy talking to our clients, and by working closely with the borrower, we quickly understand what they may or may not require. By talking, understanding, being responsive, and most of all, being creative, we have been there to support SMEs.
Has 4Syte made any changes to their lending to accommodate the difficulties faced by SMEs?
Not really. We were quick to adapt to certain changes that may have been forced upon us from a transactional perspective, but in the main we have stayed consistent with our lending approach, giving both our introducers and borrowers confidence in what we do at 4Syte. We assisted some clients in deferring interest or re-structuring repayments but as a forward-thinking and flexible lender, we found that easy to do, giving already stressed clients peace of mind.
What makes 4Syte unique as a lender?
We love what we do, as we are dealing with SMEs and real people. I think this comes across really well, and we enjoy helping a borrower on their journey to success. We hear the same from our introducers and clients, that they love being able to pick up the phone and quickly talk to one of our highly experienced staff from one of our offices. Great communication is key to understanding a client’s business needs and figuring out how we can assist in the best way possible. We apply a common-sense underwriting approach to each transaction as we understand SMEs and businesses, resulting in a high approval percentage.
Do you have any advice for SMEs who are hesitant to take out funding?
Don’t leave it too late. Proactive is better than reactive. When it comes to completing a secured loan, allow ample time for legal and valuations to be completed, so think about how fast you actually need that funding.
Find out more about 4Syte Structured Finance here.
To see the full list of our nominees, take a look at the SME Funding Awards homepage here.
Watch this space to stay tuned for the winner of the Secured and Bridging Loan Lender of the Year!
