FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
More about the Brown Owl Small Business Loans
Tell me how you are able to avail the Brown Owl Small Business Loans
Brown Owl unsecured loans offers the range of $5,000 to $100,000 with terms between 3 and 24 months. They also offer cash flow friendly repayments that are either per day or weekly.
What is the Unsecured Loan different from a traditional company loan?
Apply for the Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes on the internet or over the phone. You’ll get an answer within the same day and have the funds in your account within 24 hours. Traditional business loans have an interest rate per annum as well as other fees and charges. This business loan is a loan that is priced upfront and you’ll know ahead of time the total amount payable including the interest, fees and charges. Then, it is broken down into a daily or weekly amount to be paid back.
What could you use the Small Business Loan be used for?
A Small Business Loan can be used for nearly any business use, including managing cash flows, business remodeling, marketing for purchasing inventory or new equipment, as general working capital, and much more. The loan is not available to fund personal expenses.
About the Larger Brown Owl Business Loans
What is the Larger Brown Owl Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger size of loan that can be used to fund company expansion opportunities. Loans range from $100,000 to $500,000 for a fixed period of for up to 36 months. The repayments are made weekly or fortnightly in order to accommodate you cashflow.
How’s the Origination Fee calculated?
It is important to note that the Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee, which is calculated at 2.5 percent of the loan amount.
Can I get the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a loan of this size the company needs to have been operating for at least three years and have an annual turnover of $700,000. Your company must belong to a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) over 18 years as well as own a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able of proving at the least 12 months of operating.
How can the funding be used for?
A Business Loan of a larger size can be used for nearly all company purpose including business renovations, to purchase equipment or inventory, as general working capital and much more. The loan is not available for personal reasons.
Is the Larger Business Loan one that requires security?
Asset security is needed to obtain funding above $150,000. This can be done as a result of an charge against assets and can include registration with the PPSR or filing a caveat.
A director’s or personal guarantee is a promise to repay credit that is general in nature, rather than stipulating security over a particular asset. The person signing the ensure is personally accountable if the company the borrower fails to repay the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is a central, national online registry run by the New Zealand Government. It lists security interests that are registered in respect of personal property (including goods or assets). The PPSR permits the priority of personal property assigned according to the date a registration of a security interest.
An affidavit is an official form of document to offer the public notice of a legal claim on a property.
What is a pre-approval without Credit Check?
If you’re applying for a Larger Business Loan of more than $250K we can offer an initial pre-approval to smooth out the process. We might be able to make this decision without a credit check, and within 6 hours of the initial application. The pre-approval is based upon an initial assessment that includes answering a couple of financial health checks. It is in no way an offer, nor is it a guarantee of financing. Unconditional approval is subject to a full credit assessment and any offer you are offered could be based on different terms.
Application process
Are I eligible for funding?
You can apply for an company loan if you
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are at least 18 years old, own a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- you must demonstrate at minimum 6 months worth of trade (for you to qualify for unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or 3 years of continuous trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K or $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is quick and simple. Complete the online form in few minutes and an experienced business loan specialist will contact you to assist you.
For a loan of up to $100,000 you’ll need the right identification documents (valid Driver’s License) along with a valid NZBN/IRD and at least six months worth of bank statements.
For larger loan sizes, you’ll need:
$100K-$250K: Application details including credit consent, 6 – 12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if credit is over $150K).
$250K to $500K: Application details including credit consent, 12 months of bank statements, IRD statement as well as the two most recent years’ financial statements, plus interim financials for the current financial year as well as Aged Payables and Receivables summaries.
How quickly will I receive an answer?
For an unsecured loan ($5K and up) we typically provide a response in one hour – as long as you apply at standard company hours and you allow us to make use of the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you decide to submit copies of your bank statements , we are able to offer the decision in as little as an business day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K to $500K) we could be capable of offer you with a conditional pre-approval within about six hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval document, you will need to wait approximately 2-3 days to receive final approval. However, this can be quicker based on the particular circumstances of each application. Certain transactions have received approval within less than 24 hours.
The fastest way would be to make sure you apply during normal company hours, and permit us to use the advance bank verification link to check your bank’s information online. If you send us the copies of bank statement, it may take a bit longer.
How fast will I get the money?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K up to $100,000) we typically provide an answer in just one hour – as long as you make your application at standard business time and allow us to utilise the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank details online. If you choose to upload copies of your bank statement, we’ll provide a decision in just one business day.
For the Larger Business Loans ($100K up to $500,000) We may be capable of offer you with pre-approval conditional to your application in about six hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval, turnaround times are between 2 and 3 days for the final approval, however this can be faster depending on the circumstances of each application. Some offers have been approved in less than 24 hours.
The most effective method is to make sure you apply during normal business hours. Also, allow us to use our sophisticated bank verification link to confirm your bank details online. If you choose to send us documents from your account accounts, it will take a little longer.
What’s the minimum amount I can borrow?
We offer the loan amount between $5,000 and $500,000. When you submit an application for a particular amount, we will consider a number of variables that determine your health that is your business as well as the amount of repayments your company will be able to support. The total amount of your loan will be contingent on the particular circumstances the company.
When you make an application for a set amount, we take into consideration a variety of aspects to assess your health for your business and the extent of repayments your company is able to afford. The amount you receive from your loan will be contingent on the specific circumstances the company.
Fees & repayments
How do you charge for the cost of a company loan?
When you apply for our company loans, we will assess the risk profile that you have for your business and offer you with a tailored offer that includes the amount of loan, the term and interest rates. The company loan is an upfront priced loan therefore you will be aware of the total amount due, which includes any interest rates, fees or charges.
What determines the rate that I will be charged?
Business loan interest rates depend on several variables like the amount to be that is borrowed, what business assets the funds will be used for, the industry the company operates in, how long the company is in operation, in the event that the business has sufficient cash flow to support the loan, as well as the overall well-being as well as creditworthiness company.
What are the costs?
There aren’t any hidden charges for our business loans, and you’ll be aware of the amount you’ll be required to pay and when, right from the first day. There’s no compounding interest, and no additional fees (as long as you make your payments on time).
We do not charge an Application Fee. You can apply for a loan with without any upfront costs or commitment to apply.
The Origination Fee is the cost associated with setting up and managing the loan. The only way to pay this fee if you proceed with the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5 percentage of the loan amount.
Do I have the option of paying off the loan early?
You can choose to repay all of your loan at any point in time.
If you are deciding to take this route, please speak to our friendly business loans experts. They will provide you with details for repayment along with an early payout estimate. This is calculated as the sum of the principal balance and the accrued interest up to the time of early payout and 1.5 percent of the principal amount remaining plus any outstanding fees.
What is the process for repayments?
To help you avoid missing due dates and also to be in line your cash flow cycle we provide repayments either daily or weekly. They are automatically deducted from your designated company account.
Security & privacy
Will my data be protected?
Protecting your information, and knowing how we collect data, process, exchange and safeguard your data, is of paramount importance and is a crucial part of our relationship you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We make use of industry-standard encryption techniques to protect your sensitive, personal financial information and our funders are ISO 27001 certified for our commitment to the security of our customers as well as their security. We use an advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify the bank account details online so we can provide rapid response.
About business loans
What exactly is an asset-based loan (a secured loan)?
Asset-based borrowing occurs when a company owner utilises an asset they own to obtain the loan. The asset can be an individual property, such as the family home, or it could be a company asset like a truck or other piece of machinery.
The vast majority of banks, including the largest banks, are inclined to guarantee loans against assets. If you’re struggling to pay back the loan then the asset could be offered for sale by the lender. In essence it’s an opportunity to secure new funding using the value of what you already own.
Should I need security to secure an business loan?
For loans of up to $150K, no asset security is required prior to the loan’s access but we do require a personal guarantee. In the event that you fulfill your loan obligations (as detailed in the loan contract), asset security is not needed. If you take out loans in excess of $150,000 generally, there is a personal ensure and security in the form a charge over assets.