Lender Comparison
Spring Finance vs Central Trust Limited
Spring Finance and Central Trust are the two mid-market specialist lenders on our panel with overlapping clean credit appetite. They are direct competitors for typical UK secured loan cases between £10,000 and £250,000 — borrowers choose between Spring's Optimal Zero rate leadership and Central Trust's plan variety up to 90% LTV.
At a glance
| Spring Finance | Central Trust Limited | |
|---|---|---|
| Min loan | £3,000 (Optimal 1) / £10,000 (Optimal Zero) | £10,000 (Plan 2/5) / £20,000 (Plan 1) |
| Max loan | £250,000 | £250,000 (Plan 1) / £150,000 (Plan 2) / £50,000 (Plan 5) |
| Max term | 30 years | 25 years |
| Max LTV | 85% combined (HLTV variant) | 90% combined (Plan 5 only) |
| Credit tier | Clean to minor adverse | Clean (Plans 1 and 5) and minor adverse (Plan 2) |
| Rate structure | 2-year and 5-year fixed, then variable revert | 2-year and 5-year fixed, then variable revert |
| Arrangement fee | £695–£1,495 tiered by loan size | £499–£999 tiered (Plan 2) / £999 flat (Plan 1) / £499–£999 tiered (Plan 5) |
| Completion | Typically 3–4 weeks | Typically 3–4 weeks |
| Property eligibility | Standard UK residential property. Most construction types accepted. Combined LTV capped at 80% on standard products or 85% on the HLTV variant. | Standard UK residential property. Combined LTV capped at 75% (Plan 1), 80% (Plan 2), or 90% (Plan 5). Plan 5 is the only product offering 90% LTV in the UK secured loan market. |
Which should you pick?
Pick Spring Finance for low-LTV competitive rates
Spring Finance's Optimal Zero product leads on rate for clean credit at sub-80% LTV — 5-year fix from 7.61% APR. Best for typical clean credit borrowers with a comfortable equity position who want a competitive 5-year fix from a streamlined specialist lender.
Read full Spring Finance profile →Pick Central Trust for higher LTV cases up to 90%
Central Trust's Plan 5 extends to 90% combined LTV for clean credit cases up to £50,000 — useful when the borrower has limited equity but a clean credit record. Their Plan 2 also accepts minor adverse credit up to 80% LTV. Best for high-LTV cases that Spring's 80% cap would exclude.
Read full Central Trust Limited profile →Pros and cons
Spring Finance
Pros
- • Granular tiered fee structure — competitive on smaller loans
- • Both clean-credit and minor-adverse products with consistent service
- • Up to 85% combined LTV via HLTV product
- • Low minimum loan of £3,000 on Optimal 1
Cons
- • Maximum loan £250,000 — limits scope on larger consolidation cases
- • Adverse credit appetite limited to 'minor' tier — not for recent CCJs/defaults
- • Headline rates not the lowest at sub-65% LTV
Central Trust Limited
Pros
- • One of the highest LTV products in the UK market (Plan 5 to 90%)
- • Flat £999 fee on Plan 1 — competitive at higher loan sizes
- • Long market tenure — established processes and underwriting
- • Broad product range covers clean and minor adverse
Cons
- • Maximum loan £250,000 — caps below specialist large-loan lenders
- • Plan 5 (90% LTV) is rate-priced at the higher end of the market
- • Doesn't accept moderate or heavy adverse credit
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between Spring Finance and Central Trust secured loans?
Spring Finance leads on competitive rates for clean credit at sub-80% LTV — Optimal Zero 5-year fix from 7.61% APR. Central Trust offers a wider plan range including Plan 5 up to 90% combined LTV for clean credit cases up to £50,000, with Plan 2 accepting minor adverse credit up to 80% LTV. Spring wins on rate; Central Trust wins on LTV flexibility.
Is Spring Finance cheaper than Central Trust?
Yes — on clean credit cases at sub-80% LTV, Spring's Optimal Zero from 7.61% APR is more competitive than Central Trust's Plan 1 from 9.01% APR. The Central Trust plans become more relevant when the case sits above 80% LTV or in the minor adverse credit tier where Spring's appetite is more limited.
Should I pick Spring or Central Trust for a secured loan?
Pick Spring if you have clean credit at a comfortable LTV (sub-80%) and want the most competitive rate on a standard 5-year fix. Pick Central Trust if you need a higher LTV (up to 90%) for a smaller clean credit loan, or if the case has minor adverse credit where their Plan 2 product specifically caters.
Get quotes from both lenders
Our advisers quote Spring Finance and Central Trust Limited side by side against your specific criteria — loan size, LTV, property type, credit profile.