Refinancing a Distressed Development: Options When Things Go Wrong

A distressed development is a project that has encountered problems significant enough to threaten the repayment of the existing finance facility. The distress may be financial (cost overruns have exhausted the budget and contingency), operational (the contractor has become insolvent or the programme has fallen significantly behind schedule), market-related (sales values have dropped below the levels needed to repay the loan), or a combination of all three. The common thread is that the existing lender has lost confidence in the borrower's ability to repay the facility within the agreed terms.

In the UK development finance market, distressed developments are more common than many developers realise. Our panel of specialist lenders estimates that ten to fifteen percent of all development finance facilities experience some form of distress during their term. The majority are resolved through negotiation, term extensions, or additional equity injection. However, a significant minority require refinancing with a new lender — either because the existing lender is unwilling to extend or amend the facility, or because the relationship between borrower and lender has broken down irretrievably.

Recognising that your development is distressed — and acting on that recognition quickly — is the most important step towards a positive outcome. Developers who acknowledge the problem early and seek professional advice have significantly more options than those who delay until enforcement proceedings have begun. If your development facility is under stress, contact our deal room immediately for a confidential assessment of your refinancing options.

The UK market includes a small but active group of specialist lenders who focus specifically on distressed and turnaround development finance. These lenders understand that distressed developments often have significant underlying value — the site, the partially completed building, and the planning permission all represent tangible assets — and that the distress is frequently caused by manageable problems rather than fundamental flaws in the project. Rescue finance is structured to address the specific circumstances of the distressed project and provide a platform for the developer to complete and exit the scheme.

The most common form of rescue finance is a replacement development facility — a new development finance facility that repays the existing lender in full and provides additional funds to complete the construction. This type of facility is typically provided at a higher cost than mainstream development finance (interest rates of twelve to eighteen percent per annum and arrangement fees of two to three percent are typical), reflecting the higher risk and the specialist nature of the lending. However, the total cost of rescue finance is almost always less than the cost of receivership and enforcement.

For developments that are complete or substantially complete but struggling with the exit, development exit finance provides an alternative. This repays the development facility and gives the developer a structured period to sell or let the completed units at a pace that maximises value. Development exit facilities for distressed completions are available at rates from 0.75% to 1.25% per month, with terms of six to twenty-four months.

In some cases, mezzanine finance can be arranged to sit behind the existing senior facility, providing additional funds to complete the build without requiring the senior lender to increase its exposure. This approach works where the senior lender is willing to permit additional subordinated debt and where the development has sufficient projected value to support the additional leverage. Mezzanine rescue finance is typically provided at fifteen to twenty percent per annum, reflecting the subordinated risk position.

Specialist rescue lenders approach distressed developments differently from mainstream development finance lenders. The primary focus is on the residual value proposition: what is the development worth today (in its current state), what will it be worth when completed, and what will it cost to get from here to completion? If the numbers work — meaning the completed value significantly exceeds the total of the existing debt, the rescue finance, and the cost to complete — the lender will consider the proposition.

The assessment typically begins with an independent valuation of the development in its current state. This is not the same as the original development appraisal — it is a realistic assessment of what the site and partially completed building would sell for today in an arm's-length transaction. For a development that is fifty percent complete, this figure is often significantly less than the amount already spent, because a partially completed building has limited utility and appeals only to a narrow market of developers willing to take on someone else's project. A typical rule of thumb is that a half-built development is worth forty to sixty percent of the completed GDV, minus the cost to complete.

The rescue lender will also commission a detailed assessment of the cost to complete the development, usually from an independent quantity surveyor who is not connected with the original project team. This provides a fresh and objective view of the remaining budget, which is essential for underwriting the rescue facility. If the original QS reports are available, these will be reviewed but not relied upon — the rescue lender needs to form its own view of the remaining costs.

The developer's track record and personal financial position are assessed, but with a more nuanced perspective than mainstream lenders apply. A developer whose project is distressed due to contractor insolvency or market conditions beyond their control will be viewed more favourably than one whose project has failed due to poor management decisions. Similarly, a developer who has engaged proactively with the problem and has a credible plan for completion will be assessed more positively than one who has buried their head in the sand. The developer's willingness to inject additional equity is also a key factor — rescue lenders want to see that the developer has meaningful financial commitment to the project's completion.

Refinancing a distressed development is more complex and time-sensitive than a standard development finance application. The process typically unfolds over three to six weeks, although urgent cases can be completed in ten to fifteen working days. Speed is important because the existing lender may be on the verge of enforcement, and every day of delay increases the default interest accruing on the existing facility.

The first step is a comprehensive assessment of the current position. This involves reviewing the existing facility documentation (to understand the debt quantum, the security structure, and any impediments to refinancing), obtaining a current valuation, commissioning a cost-to-complete assessment, and preparing a revised development appraisal that demonstrates the project's viability post-refinancing. We prepare this package on behalf of our clients and present it to the most appropriate lenders on our panel.

The second step is engaging with the existing lender to agree the terms of the exit. The existing lender must consent to the redemption of the facility and the release of its security, and it must confirm the exact amount required to redeem the facility in full (including any accrued interest, default interest, and enforcement costs). This is known as a redemption statement, and obtaining it can sometimes be complicated by disputes about the amounts owed or the validity of default interest charges. Your solicitor should review the redemption statement carefully before it is accepted.

The third step is completing the rescue facility with the new lender. This involves the standard loan completion process — execution of facility documentation, satisfaction of conditions precedent, and drawdown of funds — but compressed into a much shorter timeframe than normal. The new lender's solicitors and the borrower's solicitors must work in parallel to meet the deadline, which is usually dictated by the existing lender's enforcement timeline. We coordinate this process closely and have a network of solicitors experienced in urgent development finance completions who can meet tight deadlines. The typical total cost of refinancing a distressed development (including new lender arrangement fees, legal fees, and valuation) ranges from £30,000 to £100,000, depending on the facility size and complexity.

Rescue finance is more expensive than mainstream development finance, reflecting the higher risk and the specialist nature of the lending. Interest rates typically range from twelve to eighteen percent per annum, compared to seven to ten percent for standard development finance. Arrangement fees are two to three percent, compared to one to two percent for mainstream facilities. Some rescue lenders also charge a drawdown fee for each tranche of construction funding released, and an exit fee of one to two percent of the loan amount on redemption.

On a £2,500,000 rescue facility over twelve months, the total cost of finance might be: interest of £300,000 to £450,000 (at twelve to eighteen percent per annum, rolled up), arrangement fee of £50,000 to £75,000, and legal and valuation costs of approximately £20,000 — a total of £370,000 to £545,000. This is a significant cost, but it must be compared with the alternative. A receivership on the same facility would typically cost £100,000 to £300,000 in receiver's fees alone, plus additional construction costs of fifteen to twenty-five percent above the developer's budget, plus the loss of any remaining equity in the project.

In most cases, rescue finance is significantly cheaper than enforcement for all parties — the developer retains control and equity, the existing lender is repaid in full without the cost and delay of receivership, and the rescue lender earns a premium return on a facility secured against a tangible asset with a clear completion and exit path. This is why rescue finance exists as a viable market segment — it creates value for all parties when the alternative is destruction of value through enforcement.

We always model the full cost of rescue finance against the alternative scenarios before recommending this route to our clients. In some cases, negotiating a term extension with the existing lender is more cost-effective than refinancing. In other cases, the relationship with the existing lender has deteriorated to the point where refinancing is the only viable option. The analysis depends on the specific circumstances of each case, and we provide bespoke advice tailored to the developer's situation. Submit your project through our deal room for a confidential cost comparison.

The most common obstacle to refinancing a distressed development is insufficient residual value. If the current value of the development (in its current state) does not provide adequate security for the rescue facility, no lender will advance the funds. This situation arises most commonly where the existing debt is high relative to the value of the partially completed development, or where the cost to complete has escalated to the point where the total investment exceeds the projected GDV. In these cases, the developer may need to inject significant additional equity, find a JV partner to contribute capital, or accept that the project cannot be refinanced and must be restructured or disposed of.

Another common obstacle is the existing lender's refusal to cooperate. While most lenders prefer to be repaid through refinancing rather than enforcement, some lenders (particularly those in formal workout or special situations management) may impose unreasonable conditions on the redemption — for example, demanding default interest that the borrower disputes, or refusing to provide a redemption statement in a timely manner. In these situations, legal intervention may be necessary, and the rescue timeline may be extended.

Title and planning issues can also obstruct refinancing. If the development has been partially completed in a way that does not comply with the planning permission or building regulations, the rescue lender will require these issues to be resolved before completion. Similarly, if there are unresolved boundary disputes, restrictive covenants, or access rights that were not identified in the original due diligence, these must be addressed. The rescue lender's solicitors will conduct full title diligence, and any issues discovered will need to be resolved before the facility can complete.

Finally, the developer's personal financial position may be an obstacle. If the developer's personal guarantee on the existing facility has been called or is threatened, the developer's creditworthiness is impaired, which affects their ability to provide a personal guarantee to the rescue lender. In these situations, we explore options such as bringing in a co-guarantor, providing additional property security in lieu of a personal guarantee, or structuring the rescue facility on a non-recourse or limited-recourse basis. Every distressed situation is different, and creative structuring is often required to overcome the specific obstacles presented by each case.

If your development is in distress, take these steps immediately. First, gather all relevant documentation: your facility agreement, the current monitoring surveyor report, the latest cost report from your QS, the original and revised development appraisal, all correspondence with the lender, and your personal financial statement. Having this information ready will accelerate the advisory and refinancing process significantly.

Second, contact a specialist development finance broker — not your original mortgage broker or a generalist IFA. Distressed development refinancing is a specialist skill that requires deep knowledge of the rescue lending market, established relationships with distressed debt lenders, and experience in managing time-critical transactions under pressure. We have completed dozens of rescue refinancings and understand the process, the pitfalls, and the solutions.

Third, engage a specialist solicitor who has experience in development finance defaults and refinancings. Your conveyancing solicitor or general commercial lawyer is unlikely to have the specific expertise required to manage a distressed refinancing effectively. A specialist solicitor will cost more (expect £10,000 to £25,000 in legal fees for a distressed refinancing), but they will identify issues early, negotiate effectively with the existing lender's solicitors, and ensure the rescue facility completes on time.

Fourth, do not stop managing the development. Even if you are in dispute with your lender or facing enforcement action, continue to protect the site, maintain insurance, and manage the contractor and consultants. A development that deteriorates during a dispute — through weather damage, vandalism, or neglect — will be worth less and harder to refinance than one that has been properly maintained. Your duty to the lender (and to yourself) is to preserve the value of the asset until the situation is resolved. Contact our deal room today for a confidential assessment — every day of delay reduces your options.