Atom bank has achieved a new record quarter for commercial mortgage offers, signalling a massive vote of confidence in its value proposition.
The record-breaking performance for the current October to December quarter is significant as it immediately surpasses the previous record set in the preceding quarter (July to September 2025). This momentum highlights a surge in demand for Atom’s commercial mortgage products, with the bank beating its previous quarterly record with a month still remaining in the current quarter. As of Friday, 5th December, the value of offers is already tracking more than 7% higher than the previous quarter's total.
October 2025 also stands as a record-breaking individual month for Atom bank, with the value of offers up by 9% compared to the previous top month.
Operational improvements
These volumes were handled during a period of reduced team capacity as a result of school half-term holidays alongside staff orientation days as Atom bank announced the official opening of its new headquarters in Newcastle. This proves the speed and scalability of the bank's technology stack and service teams.
The record quarter for offers coincided with Atom bank introducing a series of enhancements to its Growth Guarantee Scheme (GGS) criteria. These improvements mean Atom will now consider applications from first-time buyers for all GGS-eligible businesses, as it already did for care home operators, while the bank also reduced the minimum rating required for care home applicants to ‘Requires Improvement’.
These moves have opened up GGS funding from Atom to a wider range of SMEs across the UK.
Business caution
The record performance comes against a challenging backdrop for the commercial sector. In its quarterly SME Pulse research, which surveys brokers on what they are seeing among their business clients, Atom bank found the prospect of the Budget had prompted greater caution. Brokers pointed to speculation about tax hikes for businesses as a key factor in that stalling demand for borrowing.
Award-winning performance
The new internal records also coincide with Atom bank winning a host of trophies at the prestigious NACFB Commercial Lender Awards. Guy Olden, Propositions Analyst, was awarded Rising Star, while Natalie Cockburn, Intermediary Administrator, picked up the Unsung Hero award and Chris Storey, Chief Commercial Officer, was highly commended in the Industry Leader category.
In addition, Atom bank was highly commended in the Underwriting Team of the Year and Commercial Mortgage Lender of the Year categories.
Tom Renwick, Head of Business Lending at Atom bank, commented:
“Breaking our all-time monthly and quarterly records is an exceptional achievement, but it is just the beginning. These results prove that our appetite for commercial mortgage lending is stronger than ever and that our enhanced, streamlined loan processes are delivering real results for brokers.
“While our recent SME Pulse research identified caution amongst borrowers leading up to the Budget, now that clarity has returned, we are ready to unleash that potential. For UK SMEs looking to purchase premises or fund expansion, our message is clear: we have the appetite, the speed, and the desire to support your growth.”
