FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
More about the Brown Owl Small Business Loans
Tell me what you think of the Brown Owl Small Business Loans
Brown Owl unsecured loans provides amounts of between $5,000 and $100,000 with terms between 3 and 24 months and cash flow-friendly repayments, which are either daily or weekly.
How is the Unsecured Loan different from a traditional business loan?
It is possible to apply to this Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes on the internet or by phone. You will receive an instant response and funds may be on your account within 24 hours. Traditional business loans reference an annual interest rate together with additional fees and charges. We offer a business loan is a loan that is priced upfront therefore you’ll be aware in advance of the total amount payable including the interest, fees and charges. Then, it is broken down into either weekly or daily installment amount.
What can the Small Business Loan be used for?
It is a Small Business Loan can be used to fulfill almost every company use, including the management of cash flow, company improvements, advertising for purchasing inventory or new equipment, for general working capital and so much more. The loan is not available for personal reasons.
About larger Brown Owl Business Loans
What is the Larger Brown Owl Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger amount of loan to help company expansion opportunities. The loan ranges from $100,000 to $500,000 with a fixed-term for up to 36 months. Repayments are either weekly or fortnightly depending on your situation.
How is the Origination Fee calculated?
This Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee, which is determined at 2.5% of the loan amount.
Can I get the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a loan in this amount the company needs to be 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) over 18 years or have a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able to prove at least 12 months of trading.
How can the funds be utilised?
A large business loan can be used to fund almost every company use, including business improvements, purchasing new equipment or inventory for general working capital and much more. The loan is not available for personal reasons.
Is the Larger Business Loan a secured loan?
Asset security is needed to access funding over $150,000. It is usually by taking a charge on assets, which could also be registered in the PPSR or making a caveat.
A personal or director’s guarantee is a commitment to repay a loan which is generally in nature rather than specifying the security of a specific asset. The person who signs the guarantee is personally liable if the company lender is not able to pay back the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is a central, national online register run by the New Zealand Government. It contains security interests registered in respect of personal property (including objects or assets). The PPSR gives prioritisation over property that is personal to be granted in accordance with the date on which a security interest was registered.
An affidavit is an official form of document to provide the public notice of a legal claim to property.
What is a pre-approval that does not require Credit Check?
If you’re seeking an enterprise loan of more than $250,000 we may be able to provide an initial pre-approval in order to smooth out the process. We could be able to get this done without a credit check, and within 6 hours of your initial application. This pre-approval is based on an initial assessment, which involves you answering a few financial well-being questions. This is in no way an offer, nor is it a guarantee of finance. A conditional approval is subject an assessment of your creditworthiness and any offer you may receive may be on different terms.
The application process
Are I eligible for funding?
You may apply for an business 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 prove at least 6 months of trading (for a unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or three years of trade (for the Larger Business Loan $100K - $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is simple and simple. Simply complete the online form within a few minutes and an experienced business loan specialist will be in touch to guide you through the process.
To be eligible for up to $100,000, you’ll require identification details (valid Driver’s License), an NZBN/IRD that is valid and at least six months worth of bank statements.
Otherwise, for larger loan sizes, you’ll require:
$100K-$250K: Details of application, including credit consent, 6-12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if you have a loan of more than $150K).
$250K – $500K: Application details including credit consent and 12 month bank accounts, the IRD statements, last 2 years finalised financial statements, and interim financials for the current financial year, Aged Payables and Aged Receivables summaries.
How quickly will I receive an answer?
For an unsecured loan ($5K or more) we typically offer an answer within one hour – as long as you make your application in standard business time and permit us to use the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank information online. If you want to upload copies of your banking statements , we will be able to provide an answer within 1 company day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K up to $500,000) we may be likely to provide you with pre-approval conditional to your application in around 6 hours. After you’ve signed your pre-approval, turnaround times are about 2-3 days for final approval, however this can be quicker based on the specifics of each application. Certain offers have been approved in just 24 hours.
The most effective method for you to apply is ensure you apply during standard business hours and allow us to use our advance bank verification link to verify your bank account information online. If you opt to send us duplicates of your banking statements it may take a bit longer.
How soon will I receive the funds?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K and up) we typically offer a response in one hour – as long as you submit your request at standard business timings and let us use the advanced bank verification system link to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you want to submit copies of your bank statement, we’ll provide an answer within the span of one business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K up to $500,000) we may be in a position to offer you with a conditional pre-approval in around six hours. Once you’ve signed your pre-approval, turnaround times are about 2-3 days for final approval. However, this may be quicker depending upon the circumstances for each application. Certain offers have been approved within just 24 hours.
The fastest method is to ensure you apply during standard business hours and permit us to use the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank information online. If you upload copies of your bank statements, it can take a bit longer.
What is the maximum amount I can borrow?
We provide loan amounts between $5,000 and $500,000. When you make an application for a certain amount we consider a variety of elements to determine your health of your company as well as the amount of the repayments your business can afford. The amount you receive from the loan will be determined by the specifics that are unique to your company.
If you apply for a particular amount, we take into consideration a variety of aspects to determine the health for your company and the extent of repayments your company can support. The amount you receive from your loan will depend on the particulars of your company.
Fees & repayments
How much do you charge for a company loan?
If you decide to apply for our company loan, we’ll assess the risk assessment for your company and provide you with a customised offer including loan amount, term and interest rates. The business loan is a loan that is priced upfront and you’ll be aware of the total amount to be paid, including any charges or interest.
What determines the amount I’m charged?
The interest rates on business loans rates depend on a variety of factors like the amount of money borrowed, the business assets the funds are used to purchase as well as the field the company is in, how long the company has been operating and how long the business has sufficient cash flow to fund the loan, and general health or financial standing of the business.
What are the cost?
There are no hidden fees for our company loans, and you’ll know exactly how much you need to pay, and when, starting from the first day. There’s not any compounding interest and no extra fees (as long as you are able to make your payments on time).
We don’t charge an Application Fee. You are able to request a credit loan with no cost upfront or the obligation to take action.
The Origination Fee is the cost associated in establishing and managing the loan. You are only charged this cost if you take out the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5 percent of the amount of loan.
Can I pay off the loan early?
You can choose to repay the total amount of your advance loan at any time.
If you are deciding to take this route, please contact our helpful company lending experts. We will offer you with details on repayment as well as an early payout amount. This is calculated as the total of the principal balance and the accrued interest up to the time of early payment, plus 1.5 percent of the principal balance and any outstanding fees.
How do you make repayments work?
To make sure that you don’t miss payments and to work with your cash flow cycle we offer repayments that are either weekly or daily. These are automatically deducted from your business account.
Security & privacy
Will my data be protected?
The security of your personal information, as well as knowing the ways we gather data, process, exchange and protect your information, is vital and is an essential element of our relationship with you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We use industry recognised encryption standards to secure your sensitive, personal financial information and our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our dedication to protecting the security of customers and privacy. We use an advanced banking verification system to instantly verify your bank account information online to offer rapid response.
About business loans
What’s an asset-based borrow (a secured loan)?
An asset-based loan is when the company owner makes use of an asset that they own to secure the funding. The asset may be a personal asset like the family home, or a business asset such as a vehicle or piece or equipment.
The majority of the lenders including the banks with the biggest size, prefer to secure loans against assets. If you’re having trouble paying back the loan, your assets could be transferred to the lender. In essence, it is the process of securing additional financing using the worth of the asset you already have.
What do I require security to get a company loan?
For loans of up to $150,000, it is not necessary to secure assets before you are able to access the money but we do require a personal guarantee. So long as you comply with the terms of your loan (as specified in the loan contract) Asset security will never be required. For loans of over $150K generally there is the option of a personal guarantee and security is provided in the form of charges on assets.