Lender Profile
Masthaven Secured Loans
UK specialist secured lender with a granular product ladder covering clean credit to minor adverse — the panel's most differentiated tiered fee structure and mid-market Optimal Zero rate leadership.
Starting rate
7.61% APR
Initial fixed period
Up to 60 months
Max LTV
85%
Loan range
£3,000 (Optimal 1) / £10,000 (Optimal Zero)–£250,000 standard (£150,000 on HLTV variant)
About Masthaven
Masthaven is a UK specialist secured loan lender with a product structure explicitly built around clean-credit and minor-adverse borrowers. Their two core product families — Optimal Zero (clean credit) and Optimal 1 (minor adverse) — cover the credit-tier spectrum from prime through minor missed-payment and satisfied-default cases. The Optimal 1 HLTV variant extends higher into the LTV curve at 85% combined for minor-adverse cases.
Rate leadership sits with Selina Finance at the sub-65% LTV clean credit segment, but Masthaven's Optimal Zero 5-year fix at 7.61% APR is competitive across the broader 65-80% LTV range where many borrowers actually sit. For clean credit cases where LTV is above Selina's rate-leadership sweet spot, Masthaven is often the more competitive placement.
Masthaven's pricing structure is genuinely differentiated: arrangement fees range from £695 for smaller loans through £995 mid-tier to £1,495 for larger cases — one of the most granular fee ladders on the UK secured loan panel. This means total cost stays competitive across the typical £15,000-£75,000 UK borrowing range rather than being distorted by a single flat fee that penalises smaller loans.
Masthaven lend up to £250,000 across most products, with the HLTV variant capped at £150,000. Underwriting is human-reviewed with consistent service standards, and cases complete in the typical 2-4 week UK second charge cycle. Self-employed borrowers are assessed on standard SA302s and accountant-prepared accounts; limited company directors on salary plus dividends.
Product range: Optimal Zero (clean credit, ≤80% LTV, from 7.61% APR 5yr fix) and Optimal 1 (minor adverse, ≤80% LTV, from 8.51% APR 5yr fix) product ranges. Optimal 1 HLTV variant extends LTV to 85% combined for minor-adverse cases. Granular tiered fee structure (£695-£1,495).
Best for
- Clean-credit borrowers at 65-80% LTV where Masthaven's Optimal Zero beats Selina's rate-tier limits
- Minor-adverse credit cases (small missed payments, older satisfied defaults) below 80% combined LTV
- Borrowers requiring higher LTV (up to 85%) with minor adverse via HLTV variant
- Smaller loans where the granular tiered fee (£695 at £15k range) beats flat-fee competitors
- Standard self-employed cases with two years of SA302s
- Limited company directors on salary + dividends with accountant-prepared accounts
- Cases wanting product-family choice between 2-year and 5-year fixes
- Mid-market UK loan sizes £15,000-£75,000 where fee tiering makes the biggest total-cost difference
Key facts
- Min Loan
- £3,000 (Optimal 1) / £10,000 (Optimal Zero)
- Max Loan
- £250,000 standard (£150,000 on HLTV variant)
- Max Term
- 30 years
- Max Ltv
- 85% combined (HLTV variant); 80% combined (standard Optimal Zero / Optimal 1)
- Fee
- £695–£1,495 tiered by loan size — one of the most granular fee ladders on the UK panel
- Credit Tier
- Clean credit (Optimal Zero) through minor adverse (Optimal 1)
- Rate Structure
- 2-year and 5-year fixed, then variable revert
- Completion
- Typically 2–4 weeks
- Property Eligibility
- Standard UK residential property with current first charge mortgage. Most construction types accepted including ex-local authority. Combined LTV capped at 80% on standard Optimal Zero / Optimal 1 products or 85% on the HLTV variant. A property valuation is required.
Pros
- +Granular tiered fee structure — genuinely competitive on smaller loans where flat-fee lenders penalise
- +Both clean-credit and minor-adverse products with consistent service
- +Up to 85% combined LTV via HLTV product for minor-adverse cases
- +Low minimum loan of £3,000 on Optimal 1 — accessible for smaller consolidation
- +Both 2-year and 5-year fixed products — genuine choice of rate stability window
- +Established UK specialist with predictable underwriting process
- +Clean-credit Optimal Zero at 7.61% APR is competitive in the 65-80% LTV range
Cons
- −Maximum loan £250,000 — limits scope on larger consolidation cases (Selina, Pepper, UTB go to £500,000)
- −Adverse credit appetite limited to 'minor' tier — not for recent CCJs, defaults, or discharged bankruptcy
- −Headline rates not the lowest at sub-65% LTV — Selina wins that segment
- −HLTV variant capped at £150,000, below the standard product £250,000
Masthaven FAQs
What rates does Masthaven offer on secured loans?
Masthaven Optimal Zero (clean credit, ≤80% LTV) starts at 7.61% APR on a 5-year fix or 7.90% on a 2-year fix. Optimal 1 (minor adverse) starts at 8.51% on a 5-year fix or 8.83% on a 2-year fix. The HLTV variant for higher LTV cases prices from 8.96%. The maximum combined LTV is 85% via the HLTV product.
What is a representative example for a Masthaven secured loan?
Representative example for a £30,000 Optimal Zero secured loan over 120 months at 7.61% APR fixed for 5 years (8.20% variable thereafter): monthly repayment £357.61, total loan repayments £42,913.20, Masthaven arrangement fee £995, Charles Frank Finance broker fee £2,495. Total amount payable £46,403.20. Total charge for credit (interest plus fees) £16,403.20. Representative APRC 9.0%. Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage or any other debt secured on it.
What property eligibility does Masthaven require?
Standard UK residential property in the applicant's name with a current first charge mortgage. Most construction types accepted. Combined LTV capped at 80% on Optimal Zero / Optimal 1, or 85% on the HLTV variant. A property valuation is required.
What's the difference between Masthaven's Optimal Zero and Optimal 1 products?
Optimal Zero is for clean credit (no missed payments, no CCJs/defaults) up to 80% combined LTV. Optimal 1 accepts minor adverse credit (a small number of missed payments or older satisfied defaults). Optimal 1 HLTV extends LTV to 85%.
What loan sizes does Masthaven offer?
Optimal 1 starts from £3,000; Optimal Zero from £10,000. Maximum is £250,000 on standard products and £150,000 on the HLTV variant.
Does Masthaven accept self-employed applicants?
Yes — Masthaven assess self-employed income on the latest two years of SA302s and tax year overviews. Limited company directors are assessed on salary plus dividends with accountant-prepared accounts. Sole traders with two years of trading history typically qualify at standard rates; one-year-trading cases may fit Optimal 1 at higher rate tiers subject to affordability.
How does Masthaven compare to Selina Finance for secured loans?
Selina wins on rate at sub-65% LTV for clean credit — Selina's 5-year fix from 6.34% initial rate (7.0% APRC) undercuts Masthaven's Optimal Zero 7.61% for the smallest, cleanest, lowest-LTV cases. Masthaven wins across the broader 65-80% LTV range where clean-credit cases actually sit for most UK borrowers — Selina's rate leadership tightens above 50% LTV, whereas Masthaven's Optimal Zero pricing stays consistent. Masthaven also has a genuine minor-adverse product (Optimal 1) that Selina doesn't materially compete on. For sub-50% clean prime, Selina. For 65-80% clean or any minor adverse, Masthaven.
Apply for a Masthaven secured loan
We'll match your case against Masthaven's criteria first — and the rest of our panel — to find the cheapest fit.