FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
About The Lower Hutt Small Business Loans
Let me know what you think of the Lower Hutt Small Business Loans
Lower Hutt unsecured loans offers the range of $5,000 to $100,000. The terms range between 3 and 24 months and cash flow-friendly repayments, which are either daily or weekly.
What is the Unsecured Loan different from the traditional company loan?
Apply to the Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes via the internet or over the phone. You’ll get an instant response and funds may be available in just 24 hours. Traditional company loans refer to an annual interest rate together with additional fees and charges. We offer a company loan is an upfront priced loan so you will know in advance the total amount payable including any fees, interest or charges. This is then broken down into either a daily or weekly repayment figure.
What can be the Small Business Loan be used for?
It is a Small Business Loan can be used for almost any business use, including managing cash flows, business remodeling, marketing, to purchase inventory or new equipment, or as general working capital, and much more. The loan cannot be used to fund personal expenses.
About the Larger Lower Hutt Business Loans
What is the Larger Lower Hutt Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger size of loan that can be used to fund company expansion opportunities. Loans range between $100,000 and $500,000 for a fixed period of for up to 36 months. Repayments are scheduled weekly or fortnightly depending on you cashflow.
How is the Origination Fee calculated?
A Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee that is calculated at 2.5 percentage of the amount of the loan.
Am I eligible for the Larger Business Loan?
In order to be eligible for a loan in this amount the company needs to have been in operation for at least 3 years and generate an annual revenue of $700,000. You must be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) with a minimum age of 18 years old, own a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able to prove at least 12 months of trading.
How can the funds be utilised?
A Larger Business Loan can be used to fund almost any business reason, such as business renovations, to purchase equipment or inventory, as general working capital, and much more. The loan is not available to fund personal expenses.
Is the Larger Business Loan one that requires security?
Asset security is needed to obtain funding above $150,000. It is usually by way of charge against assets, which could also include registering this in the PPSR or filing a caveat.
A director’s or personal guarantee is a guarantee to repay credit that is general in nature rather than specifying the security for a particular asset. The person signing the guarantee is personally accountable if the company creditor is unable to pay back 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 allows priority over personal property to be assigned depending on the date that a security interest was registered.
An affidavit is an official document that is filed to provide the public notice of a legal claim on a property.
What exactly is a preapproval without Credit Check?
If you’re applying for larger business loans of more than $250,000 we can offer a preliminary pre-approval to help smooth out the process. We may be able to make this decision without a credit check, and within 6 hours of the initial application. This pre-approval is made based on an initial evaluation that involves the answer to a series of financial well-being questions. It is not an offer or guarantee of finance. Unconditional approval is subject to an assessment of your creditworthiness and any offer that you may receive may be on different terms.
The application process
Are I eligible for funding?
You may be eligible for an business loan if you
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are over the age of 18 and own a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- you must prove at least 6 months worth of trade (for a unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or three years of trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K to $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is simple and simple. Simply complete the online form within a few minutes and a dedicated business lending specialist will call you to assist you.
To apply for up to $100,000 you’ll need the right identification documents (valid Driver’s Licence) and a valid NZBN/IRD as well as at least 6 months’ worth of bank statements.
Otherwise, for larger loan sizes, you’ll need:
$100K – $250K: Details of application, including credit consent, 6-12 months of bank statements, IRD statement (if loan above $150K).
$250K – $500K: Details for application including credit consent as well as 12 months bank statement, an IRD statements, last 2 years finalised financial statements, plus interim financials from the current financial year such as age-related payables and aged Receivables summaries.
How quickly will I receive a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K up to $100,000) we can often offer a response in one hour, provided you submit your request in standard company time and allow us to utilise the bank verification system link to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you decide to send us copies of your bank statements , we are able to provide a decision in just 1 business day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K to $500K) we may be in a position to provide you with a conditional pre-approval within about 6 hours. After you’ve signed your pre-approval form, it will take between 2 and 3 days for the final approval, however this could be shorter based on the circumstances of each application. Some deals have been approved within 24 hours.
The quickest method for you to apply is ensure you apply during normal company hours, and permit us to use the advance bank verification to instantly confirm your bank details online. If you opt to send us documents from your account accounts, it may take a bit longer.
How soon will I receive the money?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K up to $100,000) We can usually offer an answer in just one hour – provided you submit your request in normal business time and allow us to use the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank details online. If you opt to upload copies of your banking statements we can provide an answer within 1 business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K or more) We may be in a position to provide the conditional pre-approval in about 6 hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is about 2-3 days for final approval. However, it could be faster based on the circumstances of each application. Certain deals have been approved in 24 hours.
The fastest method for you to apply is ensure you apply during normal business hours. You can also let us use the sophisticated bank verification to instantly verify your bank account information online. If you opt to send us the copies of bank statement, it may take a bit longer.
How much can I borrow?
We offer loan amounts between $5,000 and $500,000. If you apply for a particular amount, we look at a variety of factors in order to assess what is the well-being that is your company and the level of the repayments your company is able to afford. The total amount of your loan will be contingent on the specific circumstances of your business.
If you apply for a particular amount, we will consider a number of elements to determine the health that is your company and the amount of the repayments your business can afford. The amount you receive from your loan will be contingent on the specifics that are unique to your company.
Fees & repayments
How much should you charge for a company loan?
When you request business loans with us business credit, we’ll assess the risk profile of your business and offer you with a tailored offer, including the loan amount, the terms and interest rates. This business loan is an upfront-priced loan and you’ll be aware of the total amount payable including any costs, fees, or interest rates.
What is the factor that determines the price I pay?
Business loan interest rates vary due to factors such as the amount that is borrowed, the company assets the funds are used to purchase, the industry the company operates in, how long the company is in operation, what percentage of the company has enough cash flow to support the loan, as well as the general health or financial standing of the business.
What are the charges?
There are no hidden fees with our company loans, and you’ll know precisely what it is that you need to pay, and when, starting from the first day. There’s no compounding and no additional fees (as long as you make your payments on time).
We do not charge an application fee. You can get a cash loan with no upfront cost or obligation to proceed.
The Origination Fee is the cost associated in establishing and managing the loan. You are only charged this fee if you decide to take the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5 percent of the loan amount.
Can I repay the loan in advance?
You may choose to pay back all of your advance loan at any time.
If you decide to take this route, please talk to one of our helpful business loans specialists. They will provide you with details for repayment and an early payment figure. This is calculated as the sum of the principal amount remaining and any accrued interest at the time of early payment plus 1.5% of the remaining principal plus any outstanding fees.
What is the process for repayments?
In order to help you avoid missing payment dates and to align with your cash flow cycle we provide payments that are either daily or weekly. They will be automatically deducted from your nominated company account.
Security & privacy
Will my information be protected?
Protecting your information, and making it clear the ways we gather data, process, exchange and safeguard your data, is crucial and an integral element of our relationship with you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We use industry recognised encryption techniques to protect your personal, sensitive financial information and our funders are ISO 27001 certified for our commitment to customer security and privacy. We utilise a sophisticated banking verification system to immediately verify your bank account information online to offer rapid response.
About business loans
How do you define asset-based lending (a secured loan)?
The term "asset-based" refers to borrowing where an company owner makes use of an asset they own to secure the funding. The asset can be an individual asset, such as the family home or a business asset like a truck or piece or equipment.
The vast majority of lenders, even the banks with the biggest size, prefer to secure loans against an asset. If you are having difficulty paying back the loan, your asset may be taken over by the lender. In essence, it’s an opportunity to secure additional financing making use of the value of what you already have.
Do I need security to get an business loan?
Up to $150,000 in loans it is not necessary to secure assets prior to the loan’s access but we do need a personal guarantee. In the event that you fulfill the loan terms (as stated in your loan contract) the security of assets is not required. For loans that exceed $150,000, generally, you are able to get personal ensure and security in the form of charges on assets.