Nest Business Loans

Nest Business Loans, SME finance brokerage in the UK

Nest Business Loans is a credit brokerage based in the UK operating under the trading name of GDL-1 LIMITED. The firm presents itself as an intermediary, not a lender: its role is to compare the terms offered by more than 200 financial institutions and assist the client in choosing and formalising the transaction. The company states that it is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with reference number 1029975, and that it is part of the NACFB, whose code of practice it applies and whose compliance reviews it passes periodically.

Finance products it brokers

The firm's catalogue covers several types of business finance, each aimed at different needs:

• Unsecured business loans: fast access to cash without putting the company's assets at risk, usable for any purpose.
• Growth Guarantee Scheme: government-backed facilities for UK small businesses, launched in July 2024 to replace the previous RLS Loan scheme, with the aim of improving the terms offered to borrowers.
• Cashflow facility: credit available to draw funds as needed, paying interest only on the amount used.
• Merchant cash advance: quick cash injection of up to 120% of monthly card sales, repaid through a percentage of card turnover.
• Factoring and invoice discounting (invoice finance): advance of up to 90% of the total invoiced amount, using outstanding invoices as security.
• Leasing and asset finance: financing of vehicles, equipment and machinery, or releasing cash from the value of assets already owned, typically up to 90% of the asset value.

Amounts, terms and application process

The company states that it handles loans from £10,000 to £5 million. The process begins with an application that, according to the website, takes about 60 seconds and creates no obligation. Based on basic business information, the firm's technology platform matches the applicant with the most suitable lenders and the best possible terms. Once offers are received, an account manager reviews them with the client, who decides which to accept; from that point, the same manager centralises correspondence with the lender and requests for information until funds are disbursed. The firm states that offers can arrive in less than 24 hours and that the transaction does not affect the applicant's credit score.

Assessment approach and client profile

Nest Business Loans targets small businesses and maintains that its method of presenting applications to its panel of lenders generates more offers than conventional procedures. According to its approach, assessment is based on metrics such as disposable income and expected cash flow, rather than criteria that, in its view, do not reflect business reality. The firm states that it has a team with decades of accumulated experience working with businesses of different sizes and sectors, and that it has developed its multi-lender platform since its founding in 2015, serving businesses across the UK.

Transparency on fees and regulation

The company details that it acts as a credit broker and receives commissions from lenders, with models that may be a fixed fee, a fixed rate or a percentage of the amount borrowed. It states that the specific terms of each model are communicated to the client throughout the process. It also warns that some of the services it offers are regulated by the FCA and others are not, and that for unregulated services the client may not have certain protections, such as the Financial Ombudsman Service or the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

Company and contact details

Nest Business Loans is a trading name of GDL-1 LIMITED, registered in England with number 0396499. Its registered office is at 46-54 High Street, Ingatestone, Essex, CM4 9DW. Telephone support is available on 0203 370 7071 and the contact email is info@nestbusinessloans.co.uk.

46-54 High Street, Ingatestone, Essex, CM4 9DW · Phone: 0203 370 7071 · Email: info@nestbusinessloans.co.uk