La Trobe Financial
Non-bank lenderMelbourne
- Website
- latrobefinancial.com.au
- In a sentence
- Large non-bank lender with commercial property and specialist lending.
Quick answer
La Trobe Financial is a Melbourne non-bank lender. As at October 2026 its Commercial Full Doc and Lite Doc loans start at $100k and fund the purchase or refinance of commercial property, with a maximum LVR of 75%. The ceiling depends on LVR: up to $50m at 65%, $25m at 70% and $3m at 75%. Terms run to 30 years, with interest-only available for up to five years.
Key points
- Commercial Full Doc and Lite Doc loans for buying or refinancing shops, offices, light industrial sites and warehouses, as at October 2026
- Minimum loan of $100k; the more you borrow against the property, the lower the maximum loan size
- Full Doc uses two years of financials for the self-employed; Lite Doc uses an accountant's letter and a borrower declaration
- Terms up to 30 years, with interest-only for up to five years, and no lenders mortgage insurance
- Also lists bridging, construction, development, residual stock, rural and SMSF lending
- Lender type
- Non-bank lender
- Based
- Melbourne
- Core commercial product
- Property-secured Full Doc and Lite Doc loans
- Minimum loan
- $100k (commercial loans)
Most lender profiles start with a brand. This one starts with a number: $100k. That is the floor for La Trobe Financial’s commercial loans, and it tells you most of what you need to know. This is a lender built around property-secured borrowing at a meaningful size, not around a quick top-up for the cash register.
Below is what La Trobe publishes about its commercial lending as at October 2026, who it tends to suit, the questions worth asking before you commit, and where to look if the answer is no. Products and criteria change, so confirm the details with the lender before you apply.
What does La Trobe Financial lend to businesses?
La Trobe is a Melbourne-based non-bank lender. Its website lists a range of commercial and specialist products. The ones most relevant to business owners are:
| Product | What it does |
|---|---|
| Commercial Full Doc | Buy or refinance commercial property with full income verification |
| Commercial Lite Doc | The same purpose, for self-employed borrowers using lighter paperwork |
| Lease Doc | Lending serviced from the lease income on a commercial property |
| Development loan | Funding for property development projects |
| Residual stock loan | Finishing-stage funding for completed development stock |
| Rural loan | Lending secured by rural property |
| Bridging and construction loans | Short-term and build-stage funding (listed under its residential range) |
| Commercial property (SMSF) | Self-managed super fund purchases of commercial property |
La Trobe’s site did not publish amounts or LVR tiers for every one of these, so this profile goes into detail only on the two commercial loans where the published figures are clear.
How big can a La Trobe commercial loan be?
The commercial Full Doc and Lite Doc pages share the same sizing logic. The minimum is $100k, and the maximum steps down as the loan-to-value ratio rises:
| Loan-to-value ratio | Published maximum loan |
|---|---|
| Up to 65% | $50m |
| Up to 70% | $25m |
| Up to 75% | $3m |
Seventy-five per cent is the top LVR, and La Trobe says limits may vary with the security offered. The practical lesson is that borrowing a lot against a property you own outright is a very different proposition from borrowing close to the maximum against one you are buying with a thin deposit. Our LVR calculator shows where your numbers fall, and the glossary entry on loan-to-value ratio explains the idea in plain English.
Other published features include terms up to 30 years, principal-and-interest or interest-only repayments (interest-only for up to five years), a variable rate, no lenders mortgage insurance and redraw subject to conditions. An application fee applies and is a percentage of the loan, so ask for the full fee schedule in dollars before you proceed.
Full Doc or Lite Doc: which one fits?
Both loans suit people buying or refinancing retail shops, offices, light industrial units and warehouses, whether for their own business or as an investment. The difference is how you prove you can repay.
- Full Doc asks self-employed borrowers for two years of financials. If your accountant has your returns lodged and the numbers show steady profit, this is the cleaner route.
- Lite Doc relies on an accountant’s letter and a borrower declaration. That suits a business whose financials are late, uneven or hard to package, and it is the sort of thing our low doc business loans guide covers in more depth.
Lite Doc is not a shortcut around the maths. The property still has to stack up, and the lender still needs to be satisfied you can service the loan.
Who is La Trobe a good fit for?
From its published criteria, the profile looks like this:
- Owner-occupiers moving their business out of a lease and into premises they own.
- Property investors buying or refinancing a commercial asset, including through a company.
- Self-employed borrowers who are bankable on the property but find a major bank’s paperwork demands slow.
- Borrowers who can bring equity, because the largest loan sizes are tied to the lower LVR bands.
It is a weaker match if you need under $100k, want working capital with no property security, or need money this week. A property loan involves a valuation, legal work and security documents. For urgent timing, a short bridging loan is generally the better-built tool.
A mid-page note: if you are not sure whether a non-bank commercial loan or a bank is the right starting point, tell us the property and the purpose and we will say which direction looks sensible.
Questions to ask before you sign
- What is the total cost in dollars? Add the application fee, valuation, legal costs and ongoing charges across the term.
- How does valuation affect the amount? A lower valuation than expected changes the LVR and can change the offer.
- What happens at the end of an interest-only period? Repayments typically rise when principal starts.
- Are additional repayments or early exit penalised? La Trobe’s commercial pages say additional repayments are not permitted, so ask how redraw works instead.
- Who gives guarantees? Directors are commonly asked to guarantee a company borrower.
A solid cross-check is to compare with a bank. Banks are often the cheapest money for property, and if yours is willing to lend on your numbers, take that offer seriously. A non-bank earns its place when the bank’s timing, documents or policy do not fit.
If La Trobe says no, what are the alternatives?
Start with the reason, because it points to a fix:
- LVR too high. Add security, such as other property, or look at a second mortgage over a property you already own.
- Servicing not strong enough. A lease doc style loan or a smaller amount may work.
- Timing. If a settlement date is close, a bridging loan can cover the gap while a longer facility is arranged.
- Declined elsewhere first. Our guide to being declined by the bank explains how to read the decision.
- Wrong lender type altogether. Read about non-bank business loans to see how criteria differ.
Comparable lenders with their own profiles here include Pepper Money and Liberty Financial. There is also a direct head-to-head in La Trobe Financial versus Pepper Money for business.
Want a second pair of eyes on the deal?
Property lending turns on detail: the valuation, the entity borrowing, the paperwork you actually hold and the date you need to settle. A two-line summary rarely does it justice, and a decline from one lender does not mean the deal is dead.
Our form takes about a minute, and nothing touches your credit file when you send it. We keep your details with us instead of firing them across the market, and a real person reads what you wrote before calling. Accurate answers on the property, the amount and the timing mean the first option we suggest has a fair chance of fitting.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum loan from La Trobe Financial for commercial property?
As at October 2026, La Trobe's Commercial Full Doc and Lite Doc loans start at $100k. The maximum depends on how much of the property's value you are borrowing, so the right question is usually how much equity or deposit you can bring.
How does the LVR affect how much I can borrow from La Trobe?
La Trobe's published ceilings fall as LVR rises: up to $50m at 65% LVR, $25m at 70% and $3m at 75%, which is the top LVR. It also says maximums can vary with the security offered, so treat the tiers as a guide rather than a promise.
What is the difference between La Trobe's Full Doc and Lite Doc loans?
Both fund commercial property purchases and refinances. Full Doc asks self-employed borrowers for two years of financials. Lite Doc replaces that with an accountant's letter and a borrower declaration, which suits owners whose paperwork is behind or hard to package.
Can I apply to La Trobe Financial directly?
According to its website, you can use its enquiry form and wait for a lending consultant to call, ask a broker to contact La Trobe, or phone 1800 777 000. Its commercial pages describe all three routes.
Is La Trobe Financial a bank?
No. It is a non-bank lender, so it sets its own lending criteria and is not covered by the same deposit-taking framework as a bank. For many commercial property borrowers that means a different, sometimes more flexible, assessment.
What if La Trobe declines my application?
Find out whether the issue was the property, the LVR, the paperwork or the servicing. A different non-bank, a second mortgage over other property or a short bridging loan may fit. You can also ask us to look at it, with no credit check to enquire.