FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
More about the Birkenhead Small Business Loans
Tell me about the Birkenhead Small Business Loans
Birkenhead unsecured loans offers amounts between $5,000 and $100,000 with terms between 3 and 24 months. They also offer cash flow friendly repayments, which are either daily or weekly.
What makes what makes the Unsecured Loan different from the traditional business loan?
Apply to get the Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes online or on the phone. You’ll receive an answer within the same day and have the funds in your account within 24 hours. Traditional company loans refer to an interest rate per annum plus other fees and charges. The company loan is a loan that is priced upfront which means you know ahead of time the total amount to be paid, including any interest, fees or charges. Then, it is broken down into weekly or daily installment amount.
What could be the Small Business Loan be used for?
The Small Business Loan can be used for almost any business need, such as cash flow management, company remodeling, marketing for purchasing inventory or new equipment, to fund general working capital and so much more. The loan cannot be used to fund personal expenses.
About Larger Birkenhead Business Loans
What is the Larger Birkenhead Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger amount of loan to help company expansion opportunities. Loans range between $100,000 and $500,000 with a term fixed for up to 36 months. Repayments are scheduled weekly or fortnightly in order to accommodate your cash flow.
How is the Origination Fee calculated?
The Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee which is calculated at 2.5% of the amount of the loan.
Am I eligible for the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a loan in this amount the company needs to be trading for at least 3 years and generate an annual revenue of at least $700K. It is necessary to be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) at least 18 years old as well as own a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able demonstrate at minimum 12 months of business.
What can I use the funding for?
A large business loan can be used to fund almost every company use, including business renovations, to purchase inventory or new equipment, as general working capital and so much more. The loan cannot be used to fund personal expenses.
Is the Larger Business Loan one that is secured?
Asset security is required to access funding over $150,000. This can be done in the form of a charge on assets, which could also include registering this on the PPSR or making a caveat.
A director’s or personal guarantee is a guarantee to repay credit that is general in nature, rather than stating security over a particular asset. The person who signs the guarantee is personally liable in the event that the company creditor is unable to make the repayment.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online central register operated by the New Zealand Government. It contains security interests that are registered for personal property (including items or assets). The PPSR permits priority over personal property to be assigned according to the date a security interest was registered.
A caveat is a legal document that is filed to offer the public notice of a legal claim to a property.
What is a pre-approval without Credit Check?
When you’re applying for the Larger Business Loan that exceeds $250,000 we may be able to provide an initial pre-approval that will help smooth out the process. We may be able to get this done without a credit check, and within 6 hours of the initial application. This pre-approval is made based on an initial assessment that includes answering a couple of financial health checks. This is neither an offer nor a guarantee of financing. Acceptance without condition is subject to an extensive credit evaluation and any offer that you might receive could be based on different conditions.
Application process
Do I qualify for funds?
You can apply for an business loan if you:
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are 18 years or older, have a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- can demonstrate at least 6 months’ worth of transactions (for you to qualify for unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or three years of trade (for the Larger Business Loan $100K - $500K)
How do I apply?
The process for applying is fast and simple. Just complete the online application in just a few minutes, and a dedicated company loan specialist will call you to help you.
For a loan of up to $100,000 you’ll require the right identification documents (valid Driver’s License) and an NZBN/IRD that is valid and at least six months of bank statements.
If you’re looking for loans with larger sizes, you’ll need:
$100K – $250K: Information about the application including credit consent, 6-12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if credit is over $150K).
$250K to $500K: Application details including credit consent as well as 12 months of bank records, IRD statement Last 2 years’ finalised financial statements, as well as interim financial statements for the current year such as age-related payables and aged Receivables summary.
How quickly will I receive a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K up to $100,000) we usually provide a response in one hour – as long as you submit your request within standard company timings and let us use the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you decide to send us copies of your bank statements , we will be able to provide an answer in just 1 business day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K up to $500,000) we may be likely to offer you with pre-approval conditional to your application within about six hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is between 2 and 3 days for the final approval. However, this can be quicker based on the particular circumstances of each application. Certain deals have been approved in the space of 24 hours.
The quickest method can be make sure you apply during normal company hours. Also, let us use the advanced bank verification system to confirm your bank details online. If you opt to send us copies of your bank statement, it takes a bit longer.
What is the time frame to receive the funds?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K up to $100,000) We can usually provide an answer within one hour – provided you make your application in normal business time and allow us to use the bank verification system to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you want to send us copies of your bank statement, we’ll offer the decision in as little as 1 business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K up to $500,000) We may be capable of provide you with conditional pre-approval in around 6 hours. Once you have signed the pre-approval form, it will take between 2 and 3 days for the final approval, however this can be faster depending upon the circumstances for each application. Certain agreements have been approved in 24 hours.
The quickest method would be to ensure you apply during normal business hours. You can also allow us to use the advanced bank verification system link to verify your bank information online. If you opt to send us documents from your account statements it can take a bit longer.
What is the maximum amount I can borrow?
We offer the loan amount between $5,000 and $500,000. If you apply for a certain amount we take into consideration a range of elements that determine what is the health that is your company and the extent of repayments that your business can support. The total amount of your loan will depend on the particular circumstances the business.
When you make an application for a set amount, we consider a variety of variables to assess how much we can lend you such as well-being for your company and the extent of repayments that your company can afford. The amount you receive from your loan will be determined by the particulars of your business.
Fees & repayments
How do you charge for an company loan?
When you apply for the business loans, we will assess the risk assessment the business and offer you with a customised offer that includes the amount of loan, the term and interest rates. It is a company loan is a loan that is priced upfront therefore you will know the exact amount due, which includes any interest rates, fees or charges.
What determines the amount I’m charged?
The interest rates on company loans rates vary due to factors like the amount of money that is borrowed, what business assets the funds are used to purchase, the industry the business operates in, how long the company has been operating for, whether the company has sufficient cash flow to pay for the loan, and the overall well-being and creditworthiness of the company.
What are the cost?
There are no hidden fees for our business loans, and you’ll know precisely what it is that you need to pay, and when, right from day one. There’s no compounding interest and the loan comes with no additional fees (as long as you make your payments in time).
We do not charge an application fee. You can get a cash loan with no cost upfront or obligation to proceed.
The Origination Fee includes the expenses associated with the setting up and management of the loan. The only way to pay this cost if you take out the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5 percentage of the loan amount.
Can I pay out the loan earlier?
You can decide to repay the entire amount of the loan early at any time.
If you decide to take this route, please talk to one of our helpful company credit experts. We will provide you with details for repayment as well as an early payout amount. This will be calculated as the total of the principal amount remaining plus any accrued interest as of the time of the early payout in addition to 1.5% of the principal balance and any fees that remain unpaid.
What are the repayment methods?
To help you avoid missing payments and to work your cash flow cycle we provide payments that are either weekly or daily. These are automatically withdrawn from your nominated business account.
Security & privacy
Will my data be secure?
The security of your personal information, as well as knowing how we collect information, use it, and exchange it, as well as ensure the security of your information is of paramount importance and is an essential aspect of our relationship with you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We employ industry-recognised encryption techniques to protect your sensitive, personal and financial data and our funders are ISO 27001 certified for our commitment to security for our customers and privacy. We make use of an advanced banking verification system to immediately verify the bank account details online, allowing us to provide a fast response.
About business loans
How do you define asset-based lending (a secured loan)?
The term "asset-based" refers to borrowing where a business owner utilises the assets they have to obtain a loan. The asset can be an asset belonging to the personal, like the family home or an business property like a truck or other piece of machinery.
The majority of the lenders including the major banks, prefer to secure loans against an asset. If you are having difficulty paying back the loan, the asset could be transferred to the lender. In essence it’s means of securing additional financing using the worth of the asset you already have.
Should I need security to get a company loan?
For loans of up to $150,000, the requirement for asset security is not required prior to the loan’s access, however we do need a personal guarantee. As long as you follow the loan terms (as detailed in your loan contract) Asset security is not required. For loans that exceed $150,000, generally, there is the option of a personal ensure and security in the form charges on assets.