Why IFAs Use Specialist SIPP Property Brokers
Most IFAs encounter SIPP commercial property enquiries periodically — from business owner clients considering buying their own premises through the pension, or from property investors looking to shelter a commercial acquisition from tax. These transactions are specialised, involve lenders that do not operate in the retail financial services market, and require coordination between the pension scheme, a commercial mortgage lender, and commercial property solicitors.
Specialist commercial mortgage brokers with SIPP expertise — like us — add value that is distinct from what an IFA provides. We know which lenders will fund which property types, at what LTV, at what rate, and with what documentation requirements. We manage the financing process from initial heads of terms through to completion. This frees the IFA to focus on the pension suitability and financial planning work where their regulated expertise is essential, without needing to navigate an unfamiliar commercial lending market.
What We Handle in a Referred Case
When an IFA refers a SIPP property finance case to us, we take responsibility for the entire financing element of the transaction. This includes: assessing the case and identifying appropriate lenders from our specialist panel; obtaining indicative terms and presenting them clearly to the client and adviser; managing the lender application and due diligence process; liaising with the SIPP provider's legal team on mortgage documentation; and working with the client's commercial solicitor through to completion.
We do not provide regulated financial advice, and we do not interfere with the IFA's advice relationship. Our engagement is clearly limited to arranging the commercial mortgage for the SIPP. The IFA retains the client relationship, the financial planning mandate, and the regulated advice responsibility throughout. We are a specialist service provider, not a competitor for the client relationship. Contact us to discuss a specific case or to establish a referral arrangement.
The Referral Process: How It Works in Practice
Referring a case is straightforward. An IFA contacts us with the outline of a proposed transaction — property type, approximate value, SIPP size, client profile — and we provide an initial view on whether the case is financeable and on what indicative terms. This initial assessment is without obligation and typically takes 24–48 hours.
If the case is viable, we will request a brief case summary and introduction to the client for a direct conversation about the financing. From that point, we handle all lender communications and progress updates directly with the client, keeping the IFA informed at key milestones. The IFA remains the primary point of contact for all pension strategy, suitability, and planning questions.
We maintain a consistent approach to referred cases: we will not cross-sell other financial products to the client, will not seek to displace the IFA's relationship, and will not provide regulated financial advice. Our scope is strictly commercial mortgage broking for the SIPP transaction.
What Makes a Referrable SIPP Property Case
Not every SIPP property enquiry is immediately financeable, and understanding what makes a strong referral helps IFAs triage cases before spending time on transactions that will not proceed. The strongest cases have the following characteristics: a SIPP or SSAS with sufficient assets to fund a 30–50% deposit plus transaction costs and maintain a liquidity buffer; a commercial property (not residential) that is compliant with HMRC's SIPP rules; a tenant or proposed tenant with a credible covenant (ideally the client's own established business, or an independent commercial tenant); and a client with a clear business or retirement case for the investment.
Cases that are more challenging — and where early specialist input is particularly valuable — include: SIPPs that are close to the minimum viable size; properties with short leases or weak tenants; specialist or unusual property types (healthcare, licensed premises, marinas); and transactions where the client is close to retirement and liquidity planning is critical. We are happy to give an early indicative view on borderline cases to help the IFA decide whether to invest time in the advice process. For more on identifying suitable clients, see our article on when is SIPP property a bad idea.
Building an Ongoing Working Relationship
Many of our most productive referral relationships have developed with IFAs who have a consistent client base of business owners, medical or dental professionals, or property investors — client profiles where SIPP commercial property appears regularly. Rather than handling each case as a one-off introduction, we prefer to establish a working relationship where the IFA knows our process, our panel, and what to expect from us — and vice versa.
We are also happy to support IFAs with technical content and client-facing materials about SIPP property finance. If you are developing a proposition for business owner clients that includes pension property, we can contribute specialist input on the financing element. Contact us to introduce yourself and discuss how we might work together. We value long-term professional relationships and approach every referred client as an opportunity to demonstrate why the IFA was right to trust us with their client.