Commercial Finance Brokers Losing Two Days Weekly to Failed Cases, multifi Research Reveals

UK SME lender multifi has launched BrokerScope, a tool designed to combat the fragmented lending landscape that costs brokers up to two working days per week. By automating initial eligibility checks against Companies House data, the platform aims to reduce the time spent on the 63% of SME loan applications that currently fail to reach completion.

What was announced

multifi released a new analysis titled Broker Your Time Back, highlighting the operational strain on intermediaries in a market where 68% of SME lending now occurs outside the "big-five" banks. According to the NACFB, brokers arranged approximately £50 billion in SME finance in 2025, yet the complexity of lender criteria means many cases fall away before funding. multifi’s data suggests that SME loan applications succeed only 37% of the time, and a quarter of funded clients have already been rejected by at least one other lender.

To address this, multifi introduced BrokerScope. This support tool allows advisers to perform a rapid assessment of a business’s viability before committing significant resources to a case. The system integrates with Companies House records to cross-reference a firm’s profile against multifi’s specific lending criteria. If a business is ineligible, BrokerScope provides the reasoning and suggests alternative finance types, such as invoice or asset finance. This is intended to save between six and ten hours of packaging time on submissions that would ultimately be declined.

Key features include the ability to check multiple companies simultaneously, download one-page summaries for clients, and set alerts to monitor when a young company reaches milestones like its first year of trading. The tool also includes a live chat function for direct queries and will collect data on case outcomes to further refine multifi’s market assumptions against real-world broker experiences. If a record shows no immediate barriers, the tool directs the broker to the multifi platform to begin a formal application.

"Losing two days a week to deals that never complete is a huge opportunity – if we can fix that, brokers get time back to go out and support more businesses and drive more lending into the firms that are the lifeblood of the UK economy. If the industry wants to serve more businesses well, it needs to cut the repeated work that holds brokers back and give them a clearer early view of which cases are likely to move forward."

Rob Keown-Boyd, CEO at multifi.

The companies involved

multifi is a specialist lender focused on providing flexible cashflow solutions specifically for the UK small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector. Operating in a market increasingly dominated by non-traditional lenders, the company positions itself as an alternative to the major clearing banks, which have seen their share of SME lending decline as specialized providers take up the mantle. The firm’s leadership includes Rob Keown-Boyd, who serves as CEO.

multifi’s market presence is defined by its focus on transparency and speed, particularly in the provision of revolving credit and flexible funding lines. By targeting the funding gap left by traditional institutions, multifi has established itself as a key player in the UK’s alternative finance ecosystem. The company’s strategy revolves around simplifying the borrowing process for businesses that may not meet the rigid requirements of high-street banks but remain creditworthy. This latest move with BrokerScope reinforces its position as a tech-enabled lender that prioritizes the broker-lender relationship as a primary channel for reaching the UK's diverse SME population.

What FF News has reported before

FF News has tracked multifi’s steady expansion within the UK lending market through several key milestones. In 2024, the lender significantly increased its capacity to support growing firms by increasing credit limits to £250,000. This was followed by a strategic move to expand financial support to smaller businesses, broadening its reach across the SME spectrum.

To improve the operational side of its lending, multifi partnered with GoCardless in 2025 to streamline payment processes. More recently, the firm has focused on long-term stability for its clients, as seen when multifi extended flexi credit terms to 12 months. This sequence of updates reflects a consistent focus on enhancing cashflow transparency and accessibility for UK businesses.

What this means

The launch of BrokerScope highlights a growing tension in the SME lending market: the paradox of choice. While the proliferation of non-bank lenders has increased the availability of capital, it has simultaneously created a massive administrative burden for brokers who must navigate a labyrinth of disparate credit appetites. This announcement suggests that the competitive frontier in fintech is shifting away from just who has the capital toward who is easiest to work with. Lenders that fail to provide high-velocity feedback are likely to see their deal flow dry up as brokers gravitate toward platforms that respect their capacity. The industry is moving toward a model where pre-qualification is as critical as the funding itself.