Former Topland and Orient Bank directors launch lending platform with £100 Million Equity Raised.

July 11, 2023

Launch overview

CoStar News covered the launch of REL Finance on July 11, 2023, reporting that the business had raised £100m from private investors to support short-term financing opportunities across multiple asset classes in its first year.

REL Finance was launched by Tashin Morjaria and Sumeer Bose, bringing together experience from Topland Group, Bank of London and The Middle East and Orient Bank.

The platform was backed by private investor capital and created to support short-term real estate financing opportunities across the UK.

From launch, the business positioned itself as a relationship-led lender for sponsors who need clarity, speed and commercial decision-making rather than a highly standardised lending process.

Funding proposition

REL Finance set out to provide senior loans, mezzanine loans and joint-venture equity, giving the team flexibility to support different points in the capital stack.

The launch proposition included loans from around £2m to £40m, with leverage up to 75% loan-to-value and tenures of up to 24 months depending on the asset, sponsor and exit route.

This range allowed the firm to consider acquisitions, refinances, bridge facilities, planning-led opportunities, sales exits and other event-driven funding needs across UK real estate.

Market positioning

The platform was introduced at a time when borrowers increasingly needed lenders able to make pragmatic decisions around complex assets and changing market conditions.

REL Finance's private-capital model was designed to help answer that need. The company could assess transactions directly and shape facilities around the real risk profile, rather than relying only on broad-brush policy constraints.

The relationship-led approach also gave borrowers and brokers a clear point of contact. That is important when a transaction has tight deadlines, multiple stakeholders or a business plan that requires explanation beyond a simple valuation metric.

Founder experience

The founders' backgrounds across lending, banking and property-backed finance helped define the firm's commercial approach. REL Finance was built to combine institutional underwriting discipline with the agility of private capital.

That experience is particularly relevant in short-term real estate finance, where lenders need to understand asset quality, borrower track record, legal process, exit strategy and timing pressure at the same time.

What the launch meant for borrowers

For borrowers, the launch introduced a new funding partner focused on direct dialogue and bespoke structures. Sponsors could bring forward requirements that sat across senior debt, mezzanine capital or joint-venture style funding.

The core message was straightforward: REL Finance would evaluate each transaction on its own merits and provide reliable capital where the borrower, asset and business plan aligned with the firm's mandate.

This REL Finance article provides an on-site summary of CoStar News coverage and added context for borrowers and advisers looking for flexible UK real estate finance.