Rivers Finance Group Plc

01/06/2026

Deal of the month: Helping a new dog-grooming business find funding ​

In March, a woman in her mid-twenties came to us looking for to borrow £24,120 over three years to support her growing kennels and dog-grooming business by financing a new grooming station. ​

Having been trading for less than 12 months (the business was incorporated in May 2025), she didn't have any financial accounts at the time of the request, and she wasn't a homeowner, which is one of our minimum criteria.​

That said, the business was doing well, she had an exceptional business plan and could clearly show what the money was for. She was also able to provide a personal guarantor, who is a homeowner, which meant we were able to approve the application. ​

The broker had initially assumed that because of her homeowner status, it wouldn't be something Rivers could help with, but it's a great example of where we are solution-focused, and why we believe it's important to have human conversations rather than relying on box-checking algorithms alone.​

We look forward to seeing what she achieves over the next 12 months!​​

18/05/2026

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟​

"We have been referring business to Rivers for a number of years and have always found them helpful and understanding. They look for reasons to help a client as opposed to declining a client. There is always somebody in the office that will help if our main point of contact, Rishi, is busy. A refreshing lender. Thank you." - Richard on Trustpilot​

11/05/2026

Asset finance is, in many ways, the quiet cornerstone of business funding - often overlooked but dependable, sensible, and practical for businesses seeking to grow and thrive sustainably.

Having predicted a rise in asset finance funding this year (according to The Financial Reporter), brokers have been on the money, so to speak, recognising that asset finance offers SME businesses a funding solution that is less restrictive than traditional loans, and often more aligned with how small businesses actually operate - especially against a tricky economic backdrop.

Here's what we know about the value of asset finance for SMEs.

https://www.riversleasing.com/news/asset-finance-the-growth-engine-smes-need-in-2026.aspx

Having predicted a rise in asset finance funding this year brokers have been on the money so to speak recognising that asset finance offers SME businesses a funding solution that is less restrictive than traditional loans and often more aligned with how small businesses actually operate - especially...

05/05/2026

Deal of the month: Six leases and counting ​

10+ years of repeat finance to help one business achieve their goals ⚽​

One of the reasons we believe it's so important to build a good relationship with clients and brokers is because we know how instrumental good funding lines are for growing a successful business.​

Many of our clients at Rivers have borrowed from us on multiple occasions as they continue to develop their product and service lines, using asset finance and business loans strategically to help their business thrive.​

One example is a football business who offer training for men, women, and children training to be professional players. They have been working with us since 2015, have had seven lease agreements in that time totaling £383,600, with an average deal size £38,600. ​

Six of their leases are fully paid up and they have never missed a payment, while their latest agreement was written in March to finance all their hardware to track and analyse player performance.​

It's fantastic to watch them and their clients develop over the years, and a pleasure to be part of their progress.​

13/04/2026

A record-breaking start to the year 🚀​

As we enter a new financial year, the team at Rivers records a record-breaking 12 months to March 2026 across all our funding options. ​

We're thrilled to report:​

🥊 A record year of lending to SMEs​
🥊 A record number of leases and loans helping SME businesses thrive​
🥊 A record book size allowing for continuous growth and stronger future lending​

As an SME ourselves, we are delighted to see the UK's businesses and entrepreneurs striving for growth, and, with the help of brokers and our team of business finance experts, taking full advantage of our portfolio of funding options. ​

Our funding solutions include: ​

Asset Finance: Concentrating on transaction values between £5,000 and £100,000, asset finance is at the heart of what we do. We're non-sector-specific and include small ticket soft asset leasing. ​

Business Loans: Our business loans are for companies seeking to borrow between £5,000 and £100,000. Repayment terms are set between three and 60 months, interest is fixed over the term, and both capital and interest are paid monthly. Rivers is known for its quick decision making, giving businesses access to funds efficiently when they require it. ​

Block Discounting: Our incubator block discounting is a unique offering, providing funding for independent brokers, who want to build a book from their own deal flow and build real future value in their book. Giving independent lenders, across all lending sectors, access to funding lines commencing at £250,000, it can be used to accelerate from an existing small base or as a top-up facility for larger funders or as a top-up facility for existing funders who require more flexibility. ​
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Rivers Finance Group Chairman, Ratan Daryani, says: "As a business we strive to enable SMEs to find the funding solutions they need to thrive. As an SME ourselves, we recognise that isn't just about the funding itself, but the mechanisms around it - the application process, the response times, the repayment schedules, the interest rates, and having trust in our team. We work extremely hard to deliver meaningfully against all those elements, and it's wonderful to see so many businesses benefitting from access to crucial capital." ​

07/04/2026

When businesses start looking for funding, the process can sometimes feel impersonal. Applications are often reduced to spreadsheets, credit scores, and automated decisions. However, businesses are rarely that simple. Behind every funding request is a strategy, an opportunity, and a story about where the company wants to go next. That’s why personalisation matters in business lending. Here's our take on the power of personalisation.

https://www.riversleasing.com/news/the-power-of-personalisation-when-it-comes-to-getting-a-business-loan.aspx

Behind every funding request is a strategy an opportunity and a story about where the company wants to go next Thats why personalisation matters in business lending

30/03/2026

Deal of the month: Structured funding built around our client’s business ambitions​

Six years ago, a client approached us with the opportunity to purchase their first care home, which was a major milestone in their business journey.​

They had secured an 85% mortgage but needed to demonstrate a 15% cash contribution to complete the purchase.​

We stepped in with a structured loan facility secured against a buy-to-let property they owned outright. The facility was arranged over a five-year term, with the first 12 months on an interest-only basis, providing breathing space during the crucial first year of ownership.​

After year one, the client had the flexibility to redeem the loan (plus an agreed interest fee) or allow it to convert automatically to a fully amortising facility over the remaining four years.​

Fast forward to today, that original loan has now matured. Throughout the term, the client maintained the security to allow for future funding, positioning themselves to continue expanding their care home portfolio.​

We’re now supporting them once again with the same flexible structure, helping to fuel the next phase of their growth.​

If you’re looking for tailored funding solutions to support your client's business growth, let’s talk - contact us on 0208 424 8262.​

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20/03/2026

Scaling new heights⛰️ ​

With spring just around the corner, our very own Business Operations Director, Rishi Shah, has set himself not only professional challenges this year, but personal ones as well. ​​

This May, he is putting his best foot forward and doing the Three Peaks Challenge, along with friends at Charles Edwardson LTD, including Jonny Kempsey , James Avery and Julie Thickpenny. ​

The team of four will be raising funds for the The Knights Foundation, which is driven by CEO Nicky Banger. The charity does amazing work providing support, sensory experiences, holidays and equipment to disabled children, seriously ill children and their families. In particular, they have an accessible holiday home on the South coast - The Knights Foundation Lodge - where they offer stress free family holidays and use of the facilities free of charge. ​

The team has been putting the winter months to good use with training in full force and aching limbs already proving testament to their hard work. ​

We will be sharing more about their progress going forward and invite you to help them support the wonderful work of The Knights Foundation in any way you can, including sponsoring their walk via the link below. ​

https://www.justgiving.com/page/charlesedwardson-1

Help Jonny Kempsey raise money to support The Anthony Knights Foundation

09/03/2026

Rivers Finance Group began its life more than 16 years ago as Rivers Leasing - a company dedicated to asset finance, and with a specialist understanding about its value to the UK's small and medium-sized enterprises.

We grew our business in asset finance, not least thanks to our ongoing ability to offer small ticket soft asset leasing as well as our non-sector-specific outlook. While we have expanded our portfolio of funding services to also include business loans and block discounting, asset finance and leasing remain at the heart of our business, and our commitment to helping SMEs thrive.

Here, we wanted to reflect on where we started, what makes us different, and to take a moment to revisit the reasons asset finance is one of those quietly powerful tools that many small businesses benefit from.

https://www.riversleasing.com/news/why-we-started-in-asset-finance-and-its-still-at-the-core-of-what-we-do.aspx

Here we reflect on where we started what makes us different and to take a moment to revisit the reasons asset finance is one of those quietly powerful tools that many small businesses benefit from

02/03/2026

Deal of the month: Asset finance for a casino in London ​

A broker we've worked with for many years came to us a year ago, with a client in the gambling sector who was looking to borrow £30,000 in asset finance over a three-year period to finance new slots machines at a casino in London. ​

Gambling is a sector that many lenders avoid, but at Rivers we are non-sector specific and always look at the business case for finance, rather than limiting our outlook based on industry.​

The client's credit score meant that part of the agreement was for them to pay a 10% deposit, alongside which they were able to provide two homeowner guarantors. As a result, we were able to offer them £27,000 over the three-year term they wanted. ​

Initially, the client decided not to take up the offer, but returned a year later to revisit it. In that time, nothing had changed except that our rates had come down while broker commission remained the same. The client was delighted that they were able to proceed with the funding at a reduced cost, while the broker was still recompensed for their hard work.​