startuploans.co.uk

4
4 Based on 165 reviews

The Start Up Loans Company was established in September 2012, with a mission to help new and early-stage UK businesses access affordable finance and mentoring support....

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Average Rating

4

/
5

165 Reviews

5 Star
74%
4 Star
1%
3 Star
1%
2 Star
1%
1 Star
24%

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SrHardcore22
Please do not waste your time paying…

Please do not waste your time paying there fees it’s a waste of time and money then the staff at hello@startup are rude and unprofessional they have not provided no service at all I still had to pay £100 to have my business plan written and still no help or guidance just appointments being cancelled and disgusting attitude when you go to the bank to get your money back I will be taking this further as there conduct as a company is unprofessional and beyond RUDE Please Please Please don’t deal with this company they are not a professional legitimate company they are like worries and pass threats when you are not happy with what they are doing if you see the emails you would be SHOCKED

1
Date of experience: Nov 30, 2024
DL11
Satisfied customer!

My business manager helped me through the process. I would recommend Jane to anyone that needs to secure a start up loan.

5
Date of experience: Nov 21, 2024
Obmar1319
Great service

This Company provided excellent service to me, and I would be very happy to recommend them to anyone. The people are great, friendly, and very helpful. They made it their priority to understand your needs and meet with you.

5
Date of experience: Nov 18, 2024
Reba
Really ,dealing of staff,adviser and…

Really ,dealing of staff,adviser and loan department are very appreciable thanks for

5
Date of experience: Nov 12, 2024
Megan Butler
Waste of time

Waste of time! Credit check gets done before anything, then the un-realistic questions start and hidden criteria. I am a business owner and this would have stopped me from even considering starting in business if I had started here. All of the reviews referring to people not wanting to put the effort in at the start is simply un-true, this application process is set-out in a back to front approach and should be changed. Just a few points to consider - They ask for a borrowing start date that cannot be reached by them, due to the length of time they take to process applications, - The process asks for information that not even fully established businesses will hold, but if you make your 'predictions' correctly you have a chance. Sad to think that this application process alone will stop some good businesses starting!

1
Date of experience: Nov 08, 2024
Agatha Ross
A Disheartening and Mismanaged Process That Fails to Support Entrepreneurs

I am writing this review not out of frustration, but to help other entrepreneurs avoid wasting valuable time on a process that is fundamentally flawed and counterproductive to supporting startup businesses.Starting a business is already an incredibly challenging endeavor, and the loan application process I experienced only made it harder. At first, everything seemed promising—you’re told you’ve been “pre-approved,” and the process appears straightforward. Then comes the long list of requirements: financial documents, cash flow forecasts, revised business plans, even irrelevant personal financial details that seem excessive and invasive.Once everything is submitted, the waiting game begins. Weeks pass, and you find yourself chasing updates repeatedly. Emails go unanswered, and any sense of progress stalls. The process is neither transparent nor efficient. It feels more like an exercise in box-ticking than genuine business support.One of the most concerning aspects is the insistence on structuring the loan over the maximum term, clearly designed to increase interest payments rather than help businesses in the way that government-backed loans are intended. Despite providing clear evidence of affordability, profitability forecasts, and future revenue pipelines, my application was still pushed into a longer-term repayment structure that did not align with my business strategy.The entire experience felt like being stuck in a bureaucratic loop where decisions are made to suit internal criteria rather than genuine business support. The amount of time I spent reworking business plans and providing additional documentation could have been better spent driving sales and growing my business—ironically, the very reason I applied for the loan in the first place.I will be escalating this experience to my local MP because I believe this process fails to fulfill its intended purpose. Government-backed startup loans should support entrepreneurs with viable business plans—not create additional barriers with a system that feels outdated and mismanaged.For anyone considering this route, be prepared for an arduous, time-consuming process that may leave you feeling more defeated than supported. The framework desperately needs modernisation to truly help entrepreneurs build businesses and contribute to the economy.Update After Reply 19/12/2024 After leaving my initial 2-star review, I received a response from The Start-Up Loans Company. While I appreciate the effort to address my feedback, the reply only reinforced my concerns. It was clear that the response had been generated using AI or a templated approach. The Americanised language, overly generic tone, and lack of genuine personalisation stood out immediately.This impersonal communication highlights exactly why I felt compelled to leave my initial review. As a business owner seeking financial support, I value transparency, efficiency, and a personalised approach—qualities that seem to be lacking in this process.Receiving a copied-and-pasted response, even if it’s polished, does not address the real issues I faced, including delays, lack of communication, and a frustratingly opaque process. Entrepreneurs like myself need real engagement, not generic reassurances, especially when navigating the complexities of starting or growing a business.This experience has left me even more convinced that there’s a fundamental need for improvement, not just in the loan process but in how customer concerns are handled.I hope this feedback encourages meaningful changes because templated responses are not the way to support entrepreneurs.

2
Date of experience: Nov 01, 2024
Rosalyn J.
I have spoken to the rudest woman, vile.

I have spoken to the rudest woman named Michelle I've ever spoke to doing a customer services job. She should not be dealing with the public and especially new business owners. She lacks manners and talks over you which has happened on several occasions with a very patronising voice. I please ask your company to do random spot checks on your staff especially if they are the first point of contact. There behaviour is appalling. Test it for yourself. Please put someone more polite and less patronising in that position. She's horrible. I payed my full subscription and sent in my business plan. I then paid another £100 for help with my financial forecast. I followed it up and was told I would hear by the 23rd October 2024. I have left a voice mail 2 x a day since. Finally this rude, obnoxious, doesn't listen lady responds with 1000% attitude and sarcasim till the point I ring back ask her name and who is above her. I think she's the rudest lady I've ever spoke to in 49 years of my life genuinely. I'm in shock how she has that position. This must be a joke. She needs reviewing by checking her customer service attitude and pretending to be the public when calling. In total shock. Vile, disgusting behaviour. Your company seriously needs to check her out.

1
Date of experience: Oct 28, 2024
NM41
Straightforward, friendly advisor

The whole process was clear and straightforward. My appointed advisor, Suzy Lowe, was friendly, insightful, and great to work with!

5
Date of experience: Oct 24, 2024
Kian Rogers
Stress free process

Very easy steps to follow with excellent support people taking the stress out of the process. Highly recommended.

5
Date of experience: Oct 23, 2024
Davy Turner
Great support and help throughout the…

Great support and help throughout the process.

5
Date of experience: Oct 17, 2024

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Business Details

  • The Start Up Loans Company was established in September 2012, with a mission to help new and early-stage UK businesses access affordable finance and mentoring support.

  • language https://www.startuploans.co.uk

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