Masthaven Bank to withdraw from UK banking market

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Following a comprehensive strategic review, Masthaven Bank will be withdrawing from the UK banking market over the next two years.
 
Masthaven, which was founded as a non-bank lender in 2004 and acquired a banking licence in 2016, is today (Tuesday 1st February) communicating the news of its strategic withdrawal from the market to employees, customers, intermediaries, and other stakeholders.
 
Masthaven will reduce and ultimately sell its long-term and short-term loan books and return all savings deposits to customers. The bank is well-funded and has sufficient capital and liquidity to repay savings customers in an orderly fashion by the end of 2023, on or before contractual maturity dates.
 
Leigh Bartlett, chief executive of Masthaven Bank, said: “We have conducted a comprehensive strategic review of the business, with the support of specialist advisers, to consider how we could achieve our ambitions to grow the bank.
 
“We assessed a range of options, but all of them required a significant commitment of long-term capital and we have not been able to secure the level of investment necessary to grow the bank while serving our customers efficiently and effectively.
 
“I’m very proud of what the team has achieved in what is a very competitive UK banking market and I recognise this news will come as a shock and disappointment to colleagues, customers, intermediaries, and others. We will do everything we can to answer their questions and address their concerns over the coming weeks. 
 
“I must stress that this was a strategic decision, and we are working to a detailed plan which will be implemented carefully over the next two years.” 
 
Masthaven is working closely with the UK banking regulators, the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Both organisations are aware of the bank’s plans and the measures it has put in place to ensure that the interests of all stakeholders are carefully considered and protected during the two-year process.  

FAQs for savers here.
FAQs for borrowers here.
FAQs for brokers here.
 
-ENDS-

Notes to editors:
 
The key actions Masthaven will take to withdraw from the market by the end of 2023 include:
 
  1. Stopping the origination of new loan applications this week. The bank will continue to process current applications through to completion.
 
  1. Reducing the range of fixed-term deposit products available to customers. A maximum term of six months will be applied to new or retained deposits.
 
  1. Selling the mortgage book, which is of high quality and long duration, through a competitive tender process which is anticipated to conclude during 2022.
 
  1. Allowing the short-term lending (bridging loans) book to run-off naturally as loans are repaid. Masthaven will consider a sale of the remaining book once a buyer is secured for the mortgage book.
 
  1. Returning all savings customers’ deposits over the next two years, either on or before maturity dates.

Further information:
David Gaffney, Charlotte Street Partners
Tel. 07854 609 998
[email protected]

Notes to editors:
Masthaven was founded in 2004 to provide a flexible and personalised approach to bridging loans and secured lending. It acquired a banking licence in 2016 and expanded into the retail banking market, offering a range of flexible and fixed-term savings accounts, bridging loans, development finance and mortgages. It employs around 180 people in offices in London and Reading.