Business loan review: how a bank will read your company and how much you could borrow
For established owner-managed companies applying for a loan, an overdraft, or asset or invoice finance. I read up to five years of your accounts the way a lender does, test the profit, cash and balance sheet, and build a 36-month business cash flow forecast on what I find. You get your borrowing capacity, the questions a lender will ask, and a summary your bank or broker can read.
Independent. I do not arrange loans and take no commission from lenders or brokers. Built from your filed accounts and management figures. It is not an audit, and not a promise that a lender will say yes.
When you need one
- Before you apply for a business loan, overdraft, asset finance or invoice finance, including under the Growth Guarantee Scheme.
- When a broker or bank asks for more than the filed accounts: management figures, a forecast and an explanation of the numbers.
- After a decline, to see what the lender saw and what to fix before you try again.
- Before you refinance or take on new borrowing for a site, equipment or an acquisition.
What's in the report
- Up to five years of your accounts reviewed: trends, margins, cash, borrowing and returns
- The earnings, cash flow and balance sheet quality review: is the profit real, is it backed by cash, and do the balances stand up?
- A 36-month business cash flow forecast with a 13-week view, a downside case and facility headroom
- Your borrowing capacity and debt service cover, worked out the way a lender does
- The lender's view: character, capacity, capital, collateral and conditions
- Your borrowing schedule and tax position, set out the way a lender asks for them
- A two-page summary your bank or broker can read
- Proprietary business intelligence analysis, built by a Chartered Accountant, included
Don't have all of this? Most owners don't.
You need nothing to get a quote. Once you agree it, send what you have. The first draft is due 5 working days after I have your answers to the brief and your figures.
Essential
- Your last two or three years of filed accounts
- Management accounts for this year to date, and the last 12 months month by month
- Bank statements for the last three to six months
- Aged debtors and creditors
- A list of your loans and finance: lender, balance, repayments, end date and security
- How much you want to borrow, and what for
Helpful
- Your last four VAT returns, if you are VAT-registered
- Your top ten customers and their share of sales
- Your order book or sales pipeline
- A payroll summary: headcount and monthly cost
- Leases: property, vehicles and equipment
No management accounts? You can still start. I work from your filed accounts and your last three months of bank statements, and the report says clearly what that limits.
What it costs
The fee depends on your size:
| Annual turnover | Fixed fee | Charities and CICs |
|---|---|---|
| Under £1m | £1,449 | £719 |
| £1m to £5m, or 10 to 24 staff | £2,549 | £1,269 |
| £5m to £15m, or 25 to 49 staff | £3,249 | £1,619 |
Find your band from your latest annual turnover, or your average number of employees if that puts you in a higher band. Over £15m turnover or 50 or more staff: a fixed quote on request. Groups: each extra trading company at half its band price, plus £649 for the group view.
Every quote is fixed in writing before I start. You pay nothing up front. When the report is ready I invoice, payable within 7 days, and send the final PDF once it's paid.
Proprietary business intelligence analysis, built by a Chartered Accountant.
Peer benchmarking against comparable UK businesses by sector, size and region, sector and regional risk context, industry search-trend analysis (demand trends for your sector) and, where it is relevant, the local market and competitor picture, all interpreted in plain English by a Chartered Accountant, with a short methodology note in the report. Included in the fee above. What is included
How it works
A free 10-minute call if you want one, or straight to the brief by email. You send your accounts and management figures, I send a fixed quote within 24 hours, then the first draft within 5 working days of receiving everything. After delivery you can send one follow-up email with your questions.
Who can see it
The report is prepared for you. Your bank, broker or investor can see it once they have signed my standard release letter.
Only need a forecast for an overdraft? See the business cash flow forecast → Planning a sale as well? See the 5 in 1 →
About the business loan review
Do you arrange loans?
No. I do not arrange loans and take no commission from lenders, brokers or anyone else. You get the analysis, the forecast and the reasoning, and you or your broker choose the lender.
How much could my company borrow?
The review works it out the way a lender does: from the cash the business generates after tax and essential spending, the debt service cover a lender will want, the security available and what the forecast can carry in a weak year. It gives a range, with the reasons, rather than one number.
Why are SME loan applications declined?
Mostly for current performance, credit history, a lack of security, or no reason given. In the SME Finance Monitor for Q2 2025, only 37% of SME loan applications and 53% of overdraft applications succeeded. The review shows you what a lender will see before you apply, so you can fix what can be fixed and explain the rest.
What do you need from me?
Your last two to five years of filed accounts, your latest management accounts, aged debtors and creditors, a list of existing loans, leases and overdrafts, and what you want to borrow and why. Most of it comes from your bookkeeper or accountant.
Can my broker or bank see it?
Yes. The report is prepared for you, and a lender, broker or investor can see it once they have signed my standard release letter. Anyone who wants to rely on it must first agree separate terms with me in writing, including a limit on my liability.
How is this different from a business cash flow forecast?
A forecast looks forward only. The loan review reads up to five years of your accounts first, checks the quality of the profit, the cash and the balance sheet, and then builds the forecast on what it finds, with the lender's view and your borrowing capacity on top. If you only need a forecast for an overdraft, the business cash flow forecast from £649 is enough.
Do you offer a charity rate?
Yes. Registered charities (including CIOs) and community interest companies pay half my standard fee or less, so from £719 for this service. The work is exactly the same.
More questions, including fees, confidentiality and timing, in the main FAQ.