FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
More about the Epuni Small Business Loans
Tell me how you are able to avail the Epuni Small Business Loans
Epuni 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 which can be made daily or weekly.
What makes this Unsecured Loan different from an ordinary business loan?
You can apply to the Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes over the phone. You’ll get an immediate response, and the money could be in your account in 24 hours. Traditional company loans are based on an interest rate per annum along with other charges and fees. Our business loan is a pre-paid loan which means you know in advance the amount you will have to pay, including any fees, interest or charges. This is then broken down into either weekly or daily payment amount.
What could be the Small Business Loan be used for?
It is a Small Business Loan can be used to fulfill almost any company reason, such as the management of cash flow, company renovations, marketing, to purchase inventory or new equipment, for general working capital and so much more. The loan is not available for personal reasons.
About larger Epuni Business Loans
What is the Larger Epuni Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger size of loan that can be used to fund company growth opportunities. Loans are between $100,000 and $500,000 over a fixed term with a maximum of 36 months. Repayments are weekly or fortnightly in order to accommodate your cash flow.
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% of the loan amount.
Am I eligible for the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a credit that is this large the company needs to have been operating for at least three years and have an annual turnover of $700K. You must be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) over 18 years, own a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able demonstrate at least 12 months of trading.
How can the funds be utilised?
A Business Loan of a larger size can be used to fund almost any company use, including business renovations, purchase of new equipment or inventory for general working capital, and much more. The loan cannot be used for personal use.
Is the Larger Business Loan a secured loan?
Asset security is needed to obtain funding above $150,000. It is usually in the form of a charge over assets and can include registration in the PPSR or the registration of a caveat.
A personal or director’s guarantee is a guarantee to repay credit that is generally based rather than stating security over an asset. The person who signs the ensure is personally responsible if the business borrower is unable to re-pay 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 that are registered for personal property (including goods or assets). The PPSR grants preference over private property assigned according to the date a security interest that is registered.
A caveat is a legal form of document to provide the public notice of a legal claim against a property.
What is a pre-approval without Credit Check?
If you’re seeking an enterprise loan that is greater than $250,000 we may be able to provide a preliminary pre-approval to help smooth out the process. We may be able to apply for this without a credit check and within six hours of your initial application. The pre-approval process is based on an initial evaluation that involves you answering a few financial health checks. This is in no way an offer, nor is it a guarantee of finance. Unconditional approval is subject to an exhaustive credit evaluation, and any offer you receive could have different conditions.
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 at least 18 years old, own a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- can demonstrate at least 6 months’ worth of transactions (for the 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 simple and easy. Just complete the online application within a couple minutes, and an experienced business loan specialist will contact you to help you.
To be eligible for up to $100,000, you’ll need proof of identity (valid Driver’s License), a valid NZBN/IRD and at least six months of bank statements.
If you’re looking for loans with larger sizes, you’ll need:
$100K to $250K: Application details including credit approval, 6-12 months of bank statements, IRD statement (if the loan is greater than $150K).
$250K to $500K: Information on the application including credit consent and 12 months of bank records, IRD statement, last 2 years finalised financial statements, plus interim financials from the current financial year as well as Aged Payables and Receivables reports.
What speed will I be able to get a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K to $100K) we typically offer an answer within an hour, provided you apply at standard business time and allow us to utilise the advanced bank verification system to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you opt to submit copies of your bank statement, we’ll provide the decision in as little as the span of one business day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K up to $500,000) we may be likely to provide you with conditional pre-approval in about 6 hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval, turnaround times are between 2 and 3 days for the final approval. However, this could be shorter based upon the circumstances for each application. Some offers have been approved in less than 24 hours.
The quickest method is to make sure you apply during standard company hours, and allow us to use our advance bank verification to verify your bank information online. If you opt to send us copies of your bank statements it may take a bit longer.
How soon will I receive the funds?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K up to $100,000) we usually offer an answer within one hour, provided you make your application within standard business times and you allow us to use the advanced bank verification system to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you want to submit copies of your bank statements, we are able to provide a decision in just one business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K and up) we could be likely to offer you with pre-approval conditional to your application within about six hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval form, it will take about 2-3 days for final approval, however this could be shorter based upon the circumstances for each application. Some offers have been approved within less than 24 hours.
The quickest method is to make sure you apply during standard business hours, and permit us to use the modern bank verification link to verify your bank information online. If you upload the copies of bank statements, it may take a bit longer.
How much can I borrow?
We offer the loan amount between $5,000 to $500,000. When you make an application for a specific amount we look at a variety of aspects in order to assess what is the well-being that is your business as well as the amount of the repayments your company can afford. The total amount of your loan will depend on the particular circumstances for your business.
When you apply for a set amount, we will consider a number of factors to assess your well-being of your company as well as the amount of repayments your company will be able to support. The total amount of the loan will be determined by the specific circumstances that are unique to your business.
Fees & repayments
What is the cost for an business loan?
If you decide to request the company financing, we’ll assess the risk profile that you have for your company and provide you with a customised offer, including the amount of the loan, the duration and interest rates. This company loan is an upfront-priced loan and you’ll be aware in advance of the total amount you will have to pay, including charges, interest rates or fees.
What determines the amount I’m charged?
Business loan interest rates depend on several factors like the amount of money of money borrowed, the company assets the funds will be used for, the industry the business operates in, how long the company has been running and what percentage of the company has sufficient cash flow to pay for the loan, and the overall well-being and creditworthiness of the company.
What are the costs?
There aren’t any hidden charges for our company loans, and you’ll be aware of the amount you’ll be required to pay, and when, from the first day. There’s no compounding interest, and there are no additional charges (as long as you are able to make your payments on time).
We do not charge an application fee. You are able to get a cash loan with absolutely no upfront cost and no commitment to apply.
The Origination Fee is the cost associated with the setting up and management of the loan. It is only charged for this fee if you choose to proceed with the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5 percent of the amount of the loan.
Can I pay off the loan early?
You can choose to repay the total amount of your loan early at any time.
If you choose to do this please talk to one of our helpful company credit professionals. The professionals will offer you with details for repayment along with an early payout estimate. It will be calculated using the sum of the principal remaining and accrued interest to the time of early payout and 1.5 percent of the principal remaining and any outstanding fees.
How do you make repayments work?
In order to help you avoid missing payment dates and to align with your cash flow standard, we offer repayments that are either daily or weekly. They will be automatically deducted from your nominated company account.
Security & privacy
Will my data be protected?
Protecting your information, and knowing how we collect, use, exchange and ensure the security of your information is of paramount importance and is a crucial aspect of our relationship with you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We utilise industry-recognised encryption standards to protect your sensitive, personal financial information and our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our dedication to security for our clients and security. We use an advanced bank verification system link to instantly confirm your bank account information online so we can provide quick responses.
About business loans
What exactly is an asset-based loan (a secured loan)?
The term "asset-based" refers to borrowing where a company owner utilises an asset they own to secure the funding. The asset can be an asset belonging to the personal, like the family home, or it could be a company asset such as a vehicle as well as a piece of machine.
The majority of lenders, even the major banks, prefer to guarantee loans against an asset. If you’re struggling to pay back the loan, then your asset may be sold by the lender. In essence, it’s an opportunity to secure new funding making use of the value of what you already own.
Should I require security for a company loan?
For loans that exceed $150,000, there is no requirement for asset security upfront to access the money However, we do require a personal guarantee. As long as you follow your loan obligations (as stated in your loan contract), asset security will never be needed. If you take out loans in excess of $150,000 generally, there is the option of a personal guarantee and security is provided in the form of the charge of assets.