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Optimise review

Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

Optimise is a UK broker for homeowner loans, so it suits people who already own a home and want cash secured against the property rather than on credit alone. You can borrow £10,000 to £500,000 for renovation or remortgaging, and the rate is held fixed early in the loan.

Key facts

Best for
Homeowners with a weaker credit history who need money secured on a property for home improvement or remortgaging.
APR
9.49% to 12.6%↗
Loan amount
£10,000 to £500,000↗
Term
36 to 360 months↗
Arrangement fee
No upfront fees; broker fee added on completion (up to 12.5% of secured loan)↗
Credit check
Soft prequal↗
Funding time
Funds typically released within two weeks↗
Representative example
Borrow 30,000 over 180 months at 9.25% fixed for 5 years then 9.75% variable; 12.6% APRC, total payable 64,878.60 incl. broker fee 3,750 and lender fee 600↗
Rate type
Variable↗
Lender type
Broker↗
Eligibility
Homeowners (mortgaged or own outright); employed, self-employed, retired or benefits-based incomes; all credit scores considered↗
Origination fee (%)
0% to 12.5%↗
Loan types
Secured, Personal, Debt-consolidation, Business, Bridging↗
Credit needed
Poor↗
Use cases
Home-improvement↗
Legal entity
Optimise Finance↗
Headquarters
United Kingdom↗
Founded
2009↗
Support channels
Email, Phone↗
Pricing model
Fixed rate
Official website
optimisefinance.co.uk

Mortgages

Initial rate
6.59% to 26.3%↗
APRC
12.6%↗
Fixed period
5 years↗
Product fee
£3,750↗
Purpose
Purchase, Remortgage, First-time-buyer, Buy-to-let, Equity-release↗

Facts checked September 26, 2026, 4 sources

Pros and cons

Pros

  • All credit scores are considered, from poor credit upwards, and the check is soft prequal.
  • You can borrow £10,000 to £500,000 with terms of 36 to 360, which suits renovation and consolidation.
  • The rate is held fixed for 5, which keeps early payments predictable.

Cons

  • A broker fee of 0% to 12.5% of the secured loan is added on completion, alongside a separate lender fee.
  • Funding is slow rather than instant: Funds typically released within two weeks.
  • The rate is variable after the fixed period, so the monthly figure can move later in the term.
Optimise

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Scored 9.1 / 10 by SumCue.

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Who it suits

  • Homeowners with a mortgage or who own outright, in work, self-employed, retired or on benefits income.
  • People with a thin credit history, since every score is considered.
  • Home improvement planners who want to check eligibility through a soft prequal check.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Cashspace, which lends in Philippine pesos at PHP 12 to PHP 36, serves a different market from UK property lending.
  • Creduma ES lends in euro, so it suits euro-area borrowers rather than people borrowing against a UK home.
  • Sofkredit quotes 10.74% to 18.06%, a higher rate band in a different market, so it does not fit UK secured lending.

Safety of your money

Optimise works as a broker, so it introduces you to a lender rather than lending the money itself. The representative example sets out a fixed rate first, then a variable rate, and the total payable includes both a broker fee and a lender fee. The broker is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority under 724841 and with the Information Commissioner's Office under Z1952834.

Who runs it

The trading name is Optimise Finance, based in the United Kingdom and trading since 2009. Support runs on email and phone, so a call or an email reaches the same team, and the same channels handle application questions. The legal pages list a Financial Conduct Authority registration 724841 and an Information Commissioner's Office registration Z1952834, which you can check yourself before you hand over any personal details.

How Optimise compares

Where Optimise is available

Available
United Kingdom
Licence in United Kingdom
Financial Conduct Authority (724841), checked September 26, 2026
Licence in United Kingdom
Information Commissioner's Office (Z1952834), checked September 26, 2026

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

How much can I borrow with Optimise?+

You can borrow £10,000 to £500,000 for a secured loan, with terms of 36 to 360 available. The amount is driven by the value of the home rather than a credit score alone, which is why homeowners with thinner files can still qualify. Long repayment windows suit a full renovation.

What rate will I pay?+

Headline rates run at 9.49% to 12.6% for secured borrowing, and the representative example is quoted at 12.6% APRC. The rate is held fixed for 5 and variable afterwards, so the annual percentage rate is a fairer guide than the opening rate.

What fees will I pay?+

A broker fee of 0% to 12.5% of the secured loan is added when the case completes, and the lender charges a fee of its own on top. On the homeowner loan the fee shown is £3,750. Both charges land at completion, so ask for the total repayable before you sign.

How long does it take to get the money?+

Funds typically released within two weeks on a secured homeowner loan, so this is not a same-day product. Build the works schedule around the completion date rather than the application date, and have your paperwork ready early. If a contractor wants cash now, the timeline matters as much as the rate.

Is Optimise regulated in the UK?+

Yes. The broker is registered with the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK under 724841, and with the Information Commissioner's Office under Z1952834. Both numbers are published in the legal information, so you can check them before you hand over any details.

What credit score do I need to apply?+

Every credit score is considered, and files with poor credit are accepted alongside stronger ones. The check is soft prequal, a softer look than a full credit search. Employed, self-employed, retired and benefits-based incomes all count, and owning your home outright is enough.

What can I use the money for?+

The main use is home improvement, so the money is aimed at work on the home. The mortgage side covers purchase, remortgage and first time buyer, and the wider range includes secured, personal, debt consolidation, business and bridging lending. If you want cash for something unrelated to your property, the homeowner product is the wrong fit.

Sources

  • optimisefinance.co.uk checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: APR, Credit check, Headquarters, Initial rate, Legal entity, Lender type, Loan types, Pricing model, Arrangement fee, Origination fee (%), Rate type, Representative example, Support channels

    “Low Rate Loan ... overall cost of 9.49% APRC; Representative Example ... overall cost of 12.6% APRC”

  • optimisefinance.co.uk/about checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Credit needed, Founded

    “Loans available for good, average, and poor credit profiles”

  • optimisefinance.co.uk/legal-information checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Licences

  • optimisefinance.co.uk/services/homeowner-loans checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Loan amount, APRC, Eligibility, Fixed period, Funding time, Product fee, Term, Use cases

    “Exclusive Homeowner Loans From 10,000-500,000”

  • optimisefinance.co.uk/services/mortgages-and-remortgages checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Purpose

    “Tailored mortgage solutions to reduce your current rate, consolidate debt, carry out home improvements, or help your children onto the property ladder”

Compiled from 5 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Optimise

Optimise

Homeowners with a weaker credit history who need money secured on a property for home improvement or remortgaging.

9.1/10See alternatives