How we work
Stop paying rent. Own the freehold. Or refinance the one you’ve got.
For most UK dentists, the building you practise in is the biggest single asset decision you’ll make outside the practice itself. The rent cheque you’ve been writing every month for years could be paying down a mortgage instead – and at the end of the term, you own the building rather than the landlord.
We arrange the commercial mortgage. Property finance sits inside Samera’s wider finance brokerage service – an independent commercial finance broker authorised by the FCA (FRN 757431) and a member of the NACFB. We’re not tied to any lender. When we take a property finance deal to market, we take it to every healthcare lender in the UK and bring back the strongest available terms.
Three things tend to drive the property finance conversation:
- You’re renting and want to buy the freehold – the landlord is selling, the lease is expiring, or you’ve simply decided that paying down your own asset is better than paying someone else’s. We can arrange commercial mortgages up to 100% LTV on strong freehold deals.
- You’re buying a practice with the freehold included – the deal needs structuring across goodwill and freehold, often through a PropCo. We’ve placed hundreds of these.
- You’re refinancing an existing commercial mortgage – your loan is two or three years old, rates have moved, or you want to release equity for the next site. (For pure loan refinance work, see our Refinancing sub-page.)
How we charge – and how we don’t
Property finance brokerage is free to you on freehold purchase and refinance. We’re paid commission by the lender on completion. We tell you upfront what we’re being paid and confirm it in writing before you sign anything.
Who we work with
Three property finance audiences we know inside out
Practice owners buying their freehold
You’ve been renting. The freehold is now available – either because your landlord is selling or because you’ve negotiated a buy-out. We arrange the commercial mortgage, structure the ownership through a PropCo where appropriate, and coordinate the legal completion. Most of these deals close at 70-80% LTV against the building value; some go to 100% with additional security.
Practice buyers with freehold included
You’re acquiring a practice and the freehold comes with it. We split the funding across the goodwill (commercial loan to HoldCo) and the freehold (commercial mortgage to a PropCo). Clean separation, tax efficient, and a stronger security position for the lender on each side. See Buy a dental practice for the broader acquisition workstream.
Owners refinancing or releasing equity
The PropCo facility you took out five years ago is no longer competitive. Or the building has appreciated and you want to release capital for a second site, equipment, or partnership buy-out. We model the saving against your existing facility and the equity available against current valuation. See Refinancing for the pure refinance workstream.
PropCo
Why most UK dentists own their freehold through a separate company
When you own a dental practice and the freehold of the building, putting the building into a separate limited company – a property company, or PropCo – is usually the most tax-efficient way to hold it. The trading company (HoldCo) pays the PropCo rent. The rent is a deductible expense for the HoldCo and rental income for the PropCo. Done properly, the structure can reduce your overall tax bill while giving you cleaner separation between the trading business and the property asset.
Four reasons to use a PropCo structure
- Cleaner exit when you sell the practice – if you ever sell the practice goodwill, the freehold doesn’t have to be part of the sale. You can keep the building, charge rent to the new owner, and retain a long-term income asset.
- Better protection against business risk – the freehold sits outside the trading company. If anything ever goes wrong with the practice, the building is protected.
- Tax-efficient inheritance planning – PropCo shares can be held by a wider group of family members, supporting inheritance planning that would be harder with the property inside the trading entity.
- Stronger borrowing position – lenders generally prefer to lend to a PropCo against a single clean asset rather than a trading company with mixed cash flows. PropCo deals often price tighter than equivalent HoldCo borrowing.
PropCo isn’t always the right answer
For very small practices, single-surgery operations or where the freehold value is low relative to the trading business, the legal and accounting costs of running a separate PropCo can outweigh the tax benefit. We work through this with you – and with your accountant – before recommending the structure. Sometimes the answer is “keep it simple and own through the trading company”.
Process
From enquiry to drawdown – in five steps
- 1. Free initial review – A no-obligation call to understand the property, the price, your existing structure (rent or owned, sole trader or limited company), and your trading position. We tell you the rate range and LTV we’d expect to achieve before you commit to anything.
- 2. Structure recommendation – We work with you and your accountant on whether to use a PropCo, where the equity sits, and how the security would be structured. The recommendation is property-deal-specific, not a templated answer.
- 3. Whole-of-market application – We approach lenders best matched to the deal – high street banks, specialist healthcare lenders and challenger banks alike. We come back with the strongest indicative offers.
- 4. Valuation and legal – The lender’s RICS-registered surveyor values the building. Our team coordinates with solicitors on both sides – existing landlord (if a buy-out), new freeholder (if an acquisition), and the lender’s panel solicitor.
- 5. Drawdown and completion – Funds drawn down, freehold acquired, security registered. We stay involved through to completion so the legal handover is clean.
Repayment calculator
Model your commercial mortgage repayment
Adjust the sliders to see indicative monthly repayments on a commercial mortgage. The calculator uses standard compound amortisation.
Interactive calculator: developer to embed (preserves live page JS logic). Sliders for property value, LTV (50-100%), rate (4-9%) and term (10-25 years). Result blocks: loan amount, monthly repayment, total cost over term. Standard compound amortisation formula.
Indicative only. Assumes a fixed rate over the full term. Real pricing depends on the specific property, your trading position, the lender’s surveyor valuation, and current lender pricing at the time of application. Book a free review for a market-based estimate.
Recent deals
What we’ve placed for dentists this year
We sourced – property finance snapshot
A quick look at recent property finance deals. Numbers and structures are accurate; client identities withheld.
We Sourced
£1,475,000
For the purchase of a first practice and freehold in the Midlands.
We Sourced
£1,050,000
For the purchase of a first Dental Practice, including the goodwill and freehold, in Somerset.
We Sourced
£580,000
Commercial property purchase structured around a blend of borrowing and family funds, with the loan revised through the process to fit the client’s wider financial position.
Tombstones reflect anonymised completed deals. Numbers and structures are accurate; client identities withheld.
Detailed case studies
Commercial loan
£1,050,000
LTV
100%
Lender
Lloyds
Time to completion
6 months
The Situation
A first-time buyer wanted to acquire their first dental practice – goodwill and freehold combined, totalling approximately £1,050,000. The client had no prior acquisition experience and needed finance, negotiation support and professional guidance through every stage of a complex transaction.
What We Did
We took the deal to the whole market and presented the client with a range of competitive offers so they could compare terms rather than take the first option available. Lloyds Banking Group came out on top with the strongest rates and 100% LTV – meaning the client needed no personal deposit. Once the finance was agreed, the real work began. The freehold valuation came back approximately £100,000 under the asking price – a shortfall that would normally fall on the buyer to cover. We supported the negotiation and the seller agreed to reduce the price, eliminating that gap entirely. On the goodwill side, Arun Mehra FCA’s deep experience in the dental market helped the client push the price down further. The directors’ loan accounts in the SPA became a protracted negotiation, with Natasha Gnanapragasam in our accountancy team working closely with the solicitors to get it resolved and the transaction over the line.
The Result
Transaction completed in six months. The client acquired their first dental practice – goodwill and freehold – at 100% LTV with no deposit required, a freehold price reduction of approximately £100,000, and a further reduction on goodwill through negotiation. A first-time buyer who backed themselves through a complex process now owns the practice they wanted.
Commercial loan
£235,000
Asset finance
£98,000
Total funding
£333,000
Time to completion
3 months
The Situation
A dentist in the Thames Valley was launching a 2-surgery private practice and needed to fund both the commercial facility and the clinical equipment. The challenge was keeping the upfront cash contribution manageable – a single loan facility wasn’t the right fit for the structure of the deal.
What We Did
We produced lender-ready financial projections and packaged the bank application with a clear narrative around the practice’s viability. Rather than pursuing a single facility, we structured the funding as a blend: a commercial loan for the premises and a separate asset finance facility for the equipment. This approach reduced the upfront cash requirement and gave the lender a cleaner security position on each element.
The Result
Blended funding package approved and the practice launched. Commercial loan of £235,000 plus asset finance of £98,000 agreed, with completion in 3 months.
Freehold (SPV)
£500,000
Goodwill (asset purchase)
£1,200,000
Total funding
£1,700,000
Time to completion
12 months
The Situation
A dentist acquiring a 3-surgery mixed NHS/private practice in Gloucestershire needed to fund both the freehold property and the practice goodwill. The structure required two aligned facilities – one for a property SPV and one for the trading entity purchasing the goodwill via an asset purchase – while keeping the overall approach lender-friendly.
What We Did
We managed the commercial loan strategy across both facilities, prepared and submitted the bank applications, and coordinated the split-funding approach so that the property and goodwill could complete under the correct legal entities. The narrative presented to lenders clearly separated the security and rationale for each facility.
The Result
Freehold and goodwill funding approved under a clean two-loan structure: approximately £500,000 for the property SPV and £1,200,000 for the goodwill acquisition. Transaction completed in 12 months.
Goodwill (HoldCo)
£800,000
Freehold (PropCo)
£400,000
Total funding
£1,200,000
Time to completion
9 months
The Situation
A dentist purchasing a 4-surgery mixed NHS/private practice in Somerset needed a structure that clearly separated the operating business from the property. The goodwill was to be funded through a new holding company via a share purchase, while the freehold sat in a separate property company – a structure that needed to be packaged carefully to satisfy lender requirements.
What We Did
We packaged the commercial loan applications for both entities, aligned the narrative and structure for the HoldCo and PropCo facilities, and coordinated the process through to completion. Presenting the two facilities together as a coherent, lender-friendly package was key to getting both approved without delays.
The Result
Funding approved across both facilities: approximately £800,000 for the goodwill purchase through the HoldCo and £400,000 for the freehold through the PropCo. Transaction completed in 9 months.
Freehold Purchase
Refinancing
Tax Structure Improvement
Better Deal Secured
The Situation
A practice owner approached us while in active negotiations to buy the freehold of their existing premises. Their current bank had already made an offer and they wanted to know if it was the best available. Most borrowers in this position don’t realise that their existing lender has no incentive to tell them a better deal exists elsewhere – and in most cases, won’t know that it does.
What We Did
We collected the key information on the practice – goodwill value, EBITDA and trading history – and took the deal to market. We also flagged to the client that they should speak to their accountant about how to hold the property before committing. That conversation led them to place the freehold into a separate limited company, which was more tax-efficient for their situation.
The Result
We came back with two offers that were better than the bank’s original proposal. The client placed the loan with a different lender and restructured the purchase through a property company – a better financial outcome on both the borrowing terms and the longer-term tax position.
Loan Renewal
Commitment Period
2 Surgery Practice
Full 20-year Term Secured
The Situation
A client we had placed finance for five years earlier came back when their initial commitment period was coming to an end. Some lenders only commit for a fixed number of years rather than the full loan term – which means borrowers face a renegotiation at exactly the point they are busiest running their practice. This client needed clarity on their options before that window closed.
What We Did
We reviewed how the practice had performed since the original loan was placed and took the renewal to market alongside their existing lender. Going through a broker signals to lenders that the deal is competitive – which often produces better rates and terms than a direct renewal conversation would. Several lenders were interested, but the existing lender came back with the strongest offer, which also avoided the costs and disruption of moving security.
The Result
The client’s existing lender agreed a new deal for the full remaining 20-year term at improved terms. No security transfer needed, no disruption to the practice – and the client had independent confirmation they were getting a competitive deal.
2-Practice Owner
Refinancing Review
Buying Group
Cost Savings Identified
The Situation
The owner of two practices approached us about refinancing their existing loans. Their current deals were performing well, so we were upfront that switching lenders might not be economical once the moving costs were factored in – but we agreed to review the market and provide a clear comparison so the client could judge for themselves.
What We Did
While collecting the business information for the finance review, we asked whether the client was aware of the Samera buying group. They weren’t. We explained that membership is free and covers savings on consumables, solicitors, dental builders, CQC support and utility comparisons – areas where group buying power makes a material difference for multi-site owners.
The Result
The client joined the buying group and is already identifying cost savings across both sites. The finance review continues – and if moving the loans doesn’t stack up once the numbers are in, the client will have gained real value from the engagement regardless.
Who you’ll work with
Speak to the dental finance broker team
Book a free, no-obligation property finance review directly with the team member whose work matches what you need.
Business Development – Finance and Accountancy Services
- Commercial mortgages on dental practice freeholds
- PropCo structures and ownership setup
- Freehold acquisition (rent-to-own)
- Property finance refinancing
- Samera Alliance – Dental Buying Group
CEO
- Strategic property advice for dental groups and DSOs
- PropCo structuring across multi-site portfolios
- Tax-efficient freehold ownership advice
- Capital strategy and group-level property finance
What clients say
Reviews
We have a great relationship with advisors at Samera. We are in middle of a purchase. Samera advisors are doing an amazing and thorough job, from assessing practices, obtaining loan to providing accounting services … very patient, understanding and considerate. Overall, very happy with the service and would highly recommend.
Anonymous – 5 Stars
I can’t recommend Samera enough to anybody looking to secure finance for acquisition of a dental practice. I speak from personal experience. It took only days to get the finance and the whole process was smooth and stress-free.
Skinnergate Dental – 5 Stars
After attending the Samera Bootcamp last November, I set about starting up my own practice. … very helpful in setting up finance and giving good all round advice about the process.
Mat Lowis – 5 Stars
… helped secure the finance we needed when my husband and I were buying our first dental practice … advice was invaluable and we definitely couldn’t have done it without his help … always on the end of the phone or email reassuring us and supporting us through the application process with the bank and the solicitors.
Lucy Jones- 5 Stars
… originally recommended by a close friend for commercial finance but ended up helping with all aspects of my first practice purchase – from sifting through prospectuses, business plans through to commercial finance arrangements.
Mayoor Patel – 5 Stars
Brilliant Team – Both my wife and I were new to the Dental Market, the support we received … was simply amazing. He understands your needs based on a consultative approach, crafting the deal in a way that delivers the right outcome.
Joey Desai – 5 Stars
Or send us a message
If you’d prefer to send us your details rather than book a call, fill in the form below.
- Phone: (+44) 20 7100 8788
- WhatsApp: Message us on WhatsApp
Other products
Auction, bridging and development finance
Commercial mortgages are the vast majority of the property finance work we do for dentists. We also arrange three less commonly requested products, depending on the deal:
Auction finance
When a property is bought at auction, the purchase typically completes within 28 days. Standard commercial mortgages can’t move that fast. Auction finance is a short-term, higher-rate product that gets the purchase across the line; most owners refinance onto a standard commercial mortgage within 6-12 months. Useful but specialist – speak to us if you’re considering an auction purchase.
Bridging finance
Short-term finance covering the gap between purchase and longer-term mortgage availability. Typically 3-24 months, interest charged monthly. Used where development work is needed before the property can support a standard commercial mortgage, or where the timing of sale-and-purchase doesn’t align. See our bridging loan finance guide in the Learning Centre for the full picture.
Development finance
Covers land purchase and build costs for new-build dental practices or substantial refurbishments. The lender finances a percentage of both, repaid from sale proceeds or refinanced onto a standard commercial mortgage on completion. The Gross Development Value (GDV) drives the lender’s appetite.
Residential mortgages are not a service we offer directly – we focus on commercial. Where a deal needs a residential mortgage element to release funds for a commercial transaction, we coordinate with a residential mortgage broker partner. Same applies to buy-to-let.
Related reading
Guides to dental practice property finance
A Guide to Commercial Mortgages for Dentists
The complete article on how commercial mortgages work for UK dental practices – LTVs, rates, structures and timing.
How to Finance a Dental Practice
The wider guide to dental finance options – acquisition, refinance, equipment, working capital, property.
Bridging Loan Finance
When bridging finance makes sense in a property transaction – short-term, higher-rate, useful in specific scenarios.
Related services
Other ways Samera supports practice owners
OVERVIEW – Dental practice finance broker
The full Samera Finance brokerage hub – acquisition, asset, property, tax loans and refinance in one place.
Refinancing
Review your existing commercial mortgage against the market. We only switch you if the saving justifies the move.
Asset finance
Chairs, scanners, CBCT machines and other equipment. Often arranged within days.
Tax and VAT loans
Spread an unexpected tax or VAT bill across monthly instalments to protect practice cash flow.
Buy a dental practice
Our full acquisition workstream – sourcing, valuations, due diligence and the finance package.
Accounts for dental practice owners
The accountancy and tax service that pairs with your PropCo and trading entity structure.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about dental property finance
Can I get a 100% LTV commercial mortgage on a dental practice freehold?
Sometimes, yes – we’ve placed 100% LTV deals before. It usually requires strong trading, additional security (often the goodwill and equipment), and a freehold value that’s well-supported by the surveyor. More commonly, commercial mortgages on dental freeholds sit at 70-80% LTV. We’ll tell you what’s realistic for your specific deal at the initial review.
How long does a commercial mortgage application take?
From application to drawdown typically takes 8 to 12 weeks for a clean deal. The slowest steps are usually the lender’s RICS valuation (2-3 weeks) and the legal completion (2-4 weeks). Where the deal involves a PropCo setup or splits across multiple facilities, add 2-3 weeks to the front end. We coordinate timing with the solicitors on both sides so the legal work doesn’t drag.
Are there fees for the property finance brokerage?
No fee on freehold purchase or refinance – we’re paid commission by the lender on completion. We tell you what we’re being paid in writing before you sign anything. Squat fit-out finance (where you’re building a new practice from scratch in a leasehold premises) is the only fee-bearing product we offer – that’s covered on the Practice Startup hub, not here.
What’s a PropCo and why would I use one?
A PropCo is a separate limited company that owns the freehold of your practice premises. Your trading company (HoldCo) pays the PropCo rent. The structure usually delivers four benefits: cleaner separation if you ever sell the practice goodwill, protection of the freehold against trading risk, tax-efficient inheritance planning, and stronger borrowing position with lenders. It’s not always right – for very small practices the legal and accounting costs can outweigh the tax benefit – so we work this through with you and your accountant before recommending it.
What rate should I expect on a dental commercial mortgage?
Rates depend on LTV, the property, your trading position and the lender. In the current market, strong dental commercial mortgages are typically placed in the range of base rate + 1.5% to base rate + 3.5%. The strongest deals (lower LTV, established practice, freehold in a desirable area) clear at the lower end; higher LTV or weaker trading pushes the rate up. We model the expected range during the free review.
Can I buy the freehold of my existing practice premises from my landlord?
Yes – this is one of the most common conversations we have. If your landlord is open to selling, we can arrange the commercial mortgage to fund the buy-out. Your existing rent payment converts into a mortgage repayment, and at the end of the term you own the building. We’ve placed dozens of these deals at 70-100% LTV depending on the practice’s trading position and the building’s value.
Can I refinance my existing commercial mortgage to release equity?
Yes, if the property has appreciated in value and your trading supports the higher repayment. Common reasons to release equity at refinance: deposit for a second practice, equipment investment, partnership buy-out, or releasing capital for an unrelated investment. We model the affordability and approach lenders with appetite for capital-release deals. See our Refinancing sub-page for the broader refinance workstream.
Do you handle the legal side of the freehold purchase?
We’re not solicitors and don’t do conveyancing. But we coordinate with your solicitor, the seller’s solicitor and the lender’s panel solicitor so the legal and finance workstreams stay aligned. We’ve seen deals slow down because solicitors and brokers weren’t talking; that’s avoidable.
What’s the difference between commercial mortgages and bridging finance?
Commercial mortgages are long-term (typically 15-25 years), lower rates, slower to arrange (8-12 weeks), and the standard product for buying or holding a freehold. Bridging finance is short-term (3-24 months), higher rates, much faster to arrange (sometimes 1-3 weeks), and used where timing is critical or the property needs development work before it can support a standard mortgage. We arrange both and tell you which fits your situation honestly.
Can you help if I want to buy the freehold of a practice and the goodwill at the same time?
Yes – this is one of our most common transactions. We structure the deal across two aligned facilities: a commercial loan to a HoldCo for the goodwill (the trading business) and a commercial mortgage to a PropCo for the freehold (the building). The two applications are packaged together for the lender. See our Buy a dental practice hub for the broader acquisition workstream including sourcing, valuation and due diligence.
Speak to a dental property finance specialist
Free, no-obligation property finance review. Whether you’re buying your first freehold, refinancing an existing PropCo facility, or trying to figure out whether to stay renting or buy – we’ll give you a straight answer based on the numbers.