Loans Warehouse Calls for Bridging Lenders to Embrace Electronic Signatures

28 July 2026

One of the reasons bridging finance has enjoyed such remarkable growth over the past decade is its ability to deliver when time matters most.

Whether it’s an auction purchase, a chain break, a refurbishment project or a time-critical investment opportunity, bridging lenders have built a reputation for moving quickly when traditional finance simply can’t. The sector has continually evolved, investing in better technology, streamlined underwriting and faster decision-making to improve both broker and customer experiences.

However, one area where there remains an opportunity to move the industry forward is the execution of legal documentation.

Whilst many lenders have transformed the front end of the customer journey, the final stage of a transaction can still involve printing documents, signing them by hand and returning them before funds can be released. In an industry where transactions are often measured in hours rather than days, that process can become an unnecessary bottleneck.

Electronic signatures have become commonplace across financial services, legal services and the wider property market. When implemented through an appropriate, controlled process, they can provide robust security, detailed audit trails and a simple, convenient experience for customers, whilst reducing administrative delays for lenders and solicitors alike.

The second charge market has already demonstrated how effective this approach can be, with electronic signatures now commonplace across the sector. This allows borrowers to complete documentation quickly and helps keep transactions moving. Loans Warehouse believes bridging finance can achieve the same benefits by embracing electronic signatures more widely wherever it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Importantly, this isn’t a leap into the unknown. HM Land Registry already accepts electronically signed deeds in many circumstances where its requirements are met, demonstrating that digital execution can operate safely within the existing legal framework. The technology exists, the legal framework accommodates its use and customer expectations have evolved.

Of course, there will always be occasions where wet-ink signatures remain appropriate. Certain legal documents or transaction structures may require additional formalities, and those safeguards should absolutely remain where necessary.

It is also understandable that bridging lenders, often advancing substantial sums, will want the strongest possible protection against fraud or any subsequent suggestion that a document was not properly executed. However, electronic execution does not have to mean removing professional oversight, independent legal advice or witnessing. When implemented correctly, it can preserve those safeguards whilst providing additional verification and a detailed digital audit trail.

Where electronic signatures can be used securely and compliantly, the bridging industry has a genuine opportunity to embrace them more widely, just as lenders have successfully done across the second charge lending market.

Vikki Edwards, Head of Bridging & Development at Loans Warehouse, commented:

“This isn’t simply about shaving a few hours off completion times. It’s about improving the customer journey, reducing friction for brokers and solicitors, and making the process easier and more accessible for borrowers.

“Bridging has never stood still. The industry has built its reputation by embracing innovation and finding faster, more flexible ways to serve customers. Electronic signatures feel like the next natural evolution.

“For a market built on speed, flexibility and customer service, the time has come for bridging lenders to embrace electronic signatures wherever it is safe and appropriate to do so.”