(Reuters) - Aldermore Group Plc (>> Aldermore Group PLC) said it had seen no change in customer demand since Britain voted to leave the European Union, as it posted higher nine-month lending citing strong demand from small- and medium-sized businesses, homeowners and landlords.

The bank had seen appetite among SMEs hold up strongly despite tempered expectations for growth in the UK economy this year and most businesses were still planning for economic growth next year, founder and chief executive Philip Monks said.

"When I talk to SMEs or intermediaries, there's still a good level of confidence about the UK economy," Monks told Reuters.

"Clearly, as we look at 2017, there's still a bit of uncertainty, but it's not uncertainty as to whether the UK will grow, but it's as to how much it will grow."

Net loans to customers rose 15 percent to 7.1 billion pounds in the nine months ended Sept. 30, while new lending grew 20 percent to 2.3 billion pounds, Aldermore said.

About 14 percent of Aldermore's book was SME loans at half-year end, with the remaining made up of 40 percent buy-to-let mortgages, 22 percent residentials and 24 percent business finance loans, according to brokerage RBC.

Aldermore's stock was up 4.8 percent at 198.5 pence at 0948 GMT.

The bank said on Wednesday its pipeline remained strong.

Aldermore's upbeat view follows similar statements from rivals such as Virgin Money (>> Virgin Money Holdings (UK) PLC), OneSavings Bank (>> OneSavings Bank PLC), Shawbrook Group Plc (>> Shawbrook Group PLC) and Metro Bank Plc (>> Metro Bank PLC).

UK lenders defied predictions that Brexit could trigger higher bad debts and poorer lending volumes at banks already challenged by rock-bottom interest rates.

Aldermore said its net interest margin (NIM) was stable in the third quarter. Common equity tier one capital ratio - a key measure of financial strength - grew by about 40 basis points to 11.5 percent, helping it reach its target of capital self-sufficiency by 2016-end.

Monks said Aldermore's strong cash position put it "in the position" to discuss potential dividends for 2017.

Aldermore said it was the first bank to utilise the Bank of England's Term Funding Scheme (TFS), which will provide banks four-year funding at interest rates close to the Bank Rate.

"We see (Aldermore) as an unequivocal beneficiary of lower-for-longer interest rates which, ...with TFS utilisation should enable it to deliver broadly stable NIM even after assuming some asset spread pressure," Investec analysts wrote.

(Reporting by Esha Vaish and Noor Zainab Hussain in Bengaluru; Editing by Sunil Nair)

By Noor Zainab Hussain and Esha Vaish