Our guides are researched and drafted with digital tools, then written and approved by Justin, Principal, from his own experience.

A low valuation is not the end of the deal. Sometimes the valuer has simply been cautious, and the figure can move.

The email lands. You agreed £450,000. The valuer says £400,000. You have a completion date, and a seller who wants it kept.

Before you ring the seller, read this.

A loan on a home you or your family live in is regulated lending, and it belongs with an FCA-authorised mortgage adviser.

The 30-second version

What happens: you fund the gap unless the valuation moves. Lenders often size the loan against the lower of the purchase price and the current value.
The surprise: a low figure is not always a true reading of the market. Sometimes the valuer has simply been cautious.
What is commonly done first: present other comparables and evidence for the valuer to consider.
If that does not work: sometimes an extra form of security, or another way to plug the gap.
How long: completion is typically 5 to 7 working days; some deals take longer, up to around 14, with the valuation usually the slowest step.

One that moved: £3.3m to past £5m

Land with planning, bought with a bridging loan. The valuation came in at £3.3m, which was the purchase price. It was later revised to past £5m after evidence was presented.

What changed was the approach. We put a different method of valuing the land to the lender, who accepted it. The comparables were ones the valuer already had. The valuer reached their own opinion on the evidence.

That is the point I would like you to take from this. A low valuation is one valuer's opinion on the evidence in front of them. It does not always tell you what the property or the land is worth, and the way the valuation is approached can sometimes matter.

The lender works from the lower number

Illustration only, not an offer or a rate; maximum loan-to-value varies by lender and deal. Say a lender would lend up to 70% of value.

Measure	At the agreed price	At the valuation
Value the lender uses	£450,000	£400,000
70% of that value	£315,000	£280,000

The lender uses the lower figure, so the loan is £280,000. That is £35,000 less than at the agreed price, and the gap comes from you unless the valuation moves.

Our bridging loan costs guide covers the valuation fee and every other cost.

The lender instructs the valuer, because the report is for the lender. You pay for it, either directly to the valuer or through the lender, who takes the fee upfront.

Step one: ask why

When a figure comes in lower than I expected, I ask the valuer why. Then I put other evidence in front of them. In my experience, that often gets some movement, because good comparables and a clear case give a valuer something to reassess.

Gather yours before you tell us: sales you know of nearby, and anything that may have been missed in the property or the works. Note the date and price of each comparable. We can put the evidence to the lender, and the valuer decides whether it changes their opinion.

Movement is not guaranteed. If the evidence does not change the valuer's opinion, the lender sizes the loan on the lower figure.

Step two: if it still falls short

Say the valuer holds firm and the loan is now outside the lender's loan-to-value limit. I then look at two options: asking for an additional form of security, or finding another way to plug the gap.

Any extra security would be for business or investment purposes and never a home you or your family live in.

What is commonly done next

Situation	What it means	What is commonly done next
The valuer is a little below the price	A small gap	Evidence can be presented for the valuer to consider
The valuation is still below the loan you need	The loan now exceeds the lender's maximum loan-to-value	Sometimes an extra form of security, or another way to plug the gap, depending on the lender
Completion is close	The loan will be sized on the new figure	Raise it with us as soon as you see it

Keeping the timetable

In my experience, one thing that helps a bridge move quickly is a borrower with a decent solicitor who is on the ball and ready.

Before you exchange: three questions

What did the valuer say it was worth today, in its current condition?
If the figure is lower, can you close the gap with cash, security or price?
Is there a minimum interest period on the loan? Where there is an early repayment charge, it is usually three months' interest; very occasionally six; some loans have none.

Start here

Tell us the property, the price, the valuation and how you intend to repay. We will say whether we can place it and set out the options. It is a confidential, no-obligation chat.

The Valuer Says £400k, You Agreed £450k: What Happens Next