Bridging founders launch peer-to-peer platform

The founders of a specialist bridging lender have launched a new peer-to-peer lending platform, allowing investors to back new loans and creating an online market place for completed loans.

Christian Faes and Ian Thomas, both Directors at Montello Bridging Finance, have announced the soft launch of a revolutionary online trading platform called LendInvest.

LendInvest’s users are encouraged to invest varying amounts of capital into a number of managed loans, while also offering them the opportunity to take over the recovery of completed loans.

Though the platform has only recently soft-launched, there have already been a number of deals completed through LendInvest, with funds lent in excess of £3.5 million.

Together with recently-recruited Managing Director David Serafini, Faes and Thomas have set up the platform after working with a team of programmers for almost a year on developing the online loan trading system.

Faes is from a legal background, having practised as a lawyer in the City with Clifford Chance and then in-house with Deutsche Bank, while Thomas is a qualified chartered surveyor, who prior to Montello held senior positions with SEGRO and Ballymore Property Group.

Serafini himself has held a number of positions in financial institutions, recently serving as an IT analyst with the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Speaking about the launch, David Serafini said: “In an environment where investors get next to zero return for cash in the bank, it is understandable that sophisticated investors are looking at sound alternative investments. LendInvest allows investors to invest in loans that are secured against real estate, and to obtain superior returns.

He added: “There are a number of peer-to-peer platforms that are out there, but this is the only platform in the UK that is for originating and funding new residential and commercial loans, and acts as an after-market for trading completed loans.

“The LendInvest platform really is a revolutionary step for the UK real estate mortgage market.”