Portman Asset Finance Review 2026: Same-Day Decisions on Plant and Yellow Machinery

About Portman Asset Finance Ltd

Portman Asset Finance Ltd (FCA FRN 614061) is an independent specialist broker-lender founded in 2007 and focused on hard asset classes including yellow plant, agricultural machinery, commercial vehicles and construction equipment. Unlike bank-owned lenders, Portman operates as both a principal lender and a broker to a wider panel of funders, giving it flexibility to match borrowers to the most appropriate facility structure and funder combination.

The minimum loan size of £5,000 is significantly lower than bank lenders such as Shawbrook or Close Brothers, making Portman accessible to smaller construction firms, sole-trader plant operators, and agricultural businesses that cannot meet the minimum thresholds of mainstream lenders. Maximum loan size of £2,000,000 covers most single-asset transactions in the SME market, though very large fleet or multi-asset facilities may require referral to a bank lender.

Products available include hire purchase, finance lease, refinance of existing assets, and sale and leaseback. Sale and leaseback is a structure that allows businesses to release capital from assets they already own by selling them to the lender and leasing them back under a finance agreement. Sale and leaseback can be useful for businesses that have purchased assets outright and want to free up working capital without disposing of the asset.

Speed of decision is a competitive differentiator for Portman. Same-day credit decisions are available for applications under £100,000 with standard documentation. This is significantly faster than the 24 to 72 hour turnaround typical at bank lenders and makes Portman particularly suited to businesses that need to move quickly on auction purchases, time-sensitive equipment acquisitions or urgent plant replacement.

Because Portman operates as a broker-lender, rates may vary depending on which funder is matched to the application. Borrowers should request the identity of the funder and the full cost of credit before accepting any facility. The FCA requires that all regulated credit agreements disclose the annual percentage rate (APR) and total amount payable.

Portman is registered at Companies House (No. 06267560) and holds FCA authorisation for credit broking and consumer hire. FOS complaint volumes are low, consistent with a specialist B2B lender operating primarily with commercial borrowers.

Eligibility criteria

• UK-registered business or sole trader
• Trading minimum 12 months for most products
• Start-up consideration available case by case
• Minimum loan £5,000, maximum £2,000,000
• Hard assets preferred: plant, vehicles, agricultural machinery
• Used and auction-purchased assets accepted

Who is Portman Asset Finance Ltd best suited to?

Portman Asset Finance is best suited to UK businesses and sole traders in construction, plant hire, agriculture and haulage that need fast decisions on hard asset finance from £5,000 upwards. It is particularly competitive for auction purchases, used plant and second-hand equipment where speed of approval is critical. Start-ups and businesses with less than 12 months trading may be considered on a case-by-case basis, which is unusual among specialist lenders.

Who should look elsewhere?

Portman is not the strongest option for businesses needing soft asset finance such as IT, medical or catering equipment, or for facilities above £2,000,000. Businesses that require a direct bank lender relationship or a lender with a retail deposit base and PRA authorisation should consider Shawbrook or Aldermore instead.

How Portman Asset Finance Ltd compares to alternatives

Versus Shawbrook, Portman has a much lower minimum loan (£5,000 vs £25,000) and faster decisions, but a lower maximum and less certainty on pricing since it routes through a funder panel. Against Close Brothers, Portman is more accessible to smaller businesses and faster on decisions, but Close Brothers brings deeper sector expertise in agriculture and print. Compared to Time Finance, Portman specialises more narrowly in hard plant and vehicle assets.

Frequently asked questions

Is Portman Asset Finance FCA authorised?

Yes. Portman Asset Finance Ltd is FCA authorised under FRN 614061. The firm holds permissions for credit broking and consumer hire. Authorisation status can be verified on the FCA register at register.fca.org.uk.

What is the minimum loan for Portman Asset Finance?

Portman Asset Finance offers facilities from £5,000, which is one of the lower minimums among UK specialist asset finance lenders. The maximum facility is £2,000,000 per transaction. This range makes Portman accessible to smaller construction, plant hire and agricultural businesses.

Can Portman finance used or second-hand equipment?

Yes. Portman Asset Finance regularly finances used and second-hand plant, machinery and commercial vehicles including equipment purchased at auction. The lender assesses the asset value and condition as part of the underwriting process. Age and condition limits apply and vary by asset type.

How quickly does Portman make a credit decision?

Portman can issue same-day credit decisions for applications under £100,000 with complete documentation. For larger facilities or more complex structures, decisions typically take 24 to 48 hours. This is faster than most bank lenders and makes Portman competitive for time-sensitive purchases including auction acquisitions.

What is sale and leaseback and does Portman offer it?

Sale and leaseback is a finance structure where a business sells an asset it already owns to a lender, which then leases the asset back to the business under a finance agreement. The business retains use of the asset while releasing the capital tied up in it. Portman Asset Finance offers sale and leaseback on qualifying hard assets.