Funding for vets buying into or acquiring a practice, and for established practices investing in premises and equipment.
What we arrange for veterinary practices
- Practice purchase funding, including goodwill
- Commercial mortgages on practice premises
- Clinical equipment finance: imaging, surgical, laboratory and dental
- Partnership buy-in and buy-out funding
- Working capital and refinancing
How lenders assess veterinary practices
Vets sit alongside GPs, dentists and pharmacists in most lenders’ healthcare categories, and are generally viewed as a stable, professional sector. Unlike primary care, though, there is no NHS contract underpinning income. A veterinary practice is assessed purely on its trading performance and the strength of its client base.
Goodwill is a significant part of what you buy, and lenders will lend against goodwill and equipment rather than requiring residential security in many cases. Consolidation across the sector has also made lenders familiar with group and portfolio structures.
What lenders will actually do
- Practice purchase: goodwill and equipment lending is available without a charge over your home, assessed on the practice’s trading performance since there is no contract income underpinning it.
- Unsecured alternative: professions lending covering veterinary practices runs £30,000 to £500,000 with growth facilities to £2m.
- Equipment: imaging, surgical and in-house laboratory equipment funded through hire purchase or lease, with refinance available on kit already owned outright.
- Buy-in: incoming partner funding can often be secured against the share being acquired.
Equipment-heavy by nature
Diagnostic imaging, surgical equipment and in-house laboratory kit represent a substantial ongoing investment. Funding these through asset finance keeps the cost aligned to the revenue they generate and leaves your wider facilities free for premises and growth.
Common questions
Is veterinary lending treated like human healthcare?
Broadly yes in terms of lender appetite and the willingness to lend against goodwill, but without contract income the serviceability assessment rests entirely on trading performance.
Can I buy into an existing practice?
Yes. Buy-in funding for an incoming partner is well understood, and can often be secured against your share of the practice rather than your home.
All figures are indicative and subject to lender assessment, your circumstances, valuation and prevailing market conditions. Commercial mortgages and unregulated bridging loans are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Property offered as security may be at risk if you do not keep up repayments.
This page was last reviewed in September 2026 and is next scheduled for review in March 2027. Lending criteria change frequently, so contact us for current terms rather than relying on published figures.