FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
Information About The Seatoun Small Business Loans
Let me know about the Seatoun Small Business Loans
Seatoun unsecured loans offers the range of $5,000 to $100,000. The terms range between 3 and 24 month and cash flow-friendly repayments that are either per day or weekly.
What is what makes the Unsecured Loan different from the traditional business loan?
The application for your Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes on the internet or over the phone. You’ll get a same day response and the money could be on your account within 24 hours. Traditional company loans refer to an interest rate per annum plus other fees and charges. This business loan is a cash-based loan therefore you’ll know in advance the total amount payable including any fees, interest or charges. This is then broken down into weekly or daily installment amount.
What could be the Small Business Loan be used for?
A Small Business Loan can be used for nearly every company need, such as control of cash flow business remodeling, marketing to purchase inventory or new equipment, to fund general working capital, and much more. The loan is not available for personal purposes.
About the Larger Seatoun Business Loans
What is the Larger Seatoun Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger size of loan that can be used to fund business growth opportunities. The loan ranges from $100,000 to $500,000 with a term fixed that can last up to 36 months. Repayments are scheduled weekly or fortnightly in order to accommodate your situation.
How is the Origination Fee calculated?
A Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee, determined at 2.5 percentage of the amount of the loan.
Am I eligible for the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a credit of this size, your company needs to have been in operation for at least 3 years, and have an annual income of $700K. You must be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) who is over the age of 18, own a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able to prove at the least 12 months of operating.
What can I use the funds for?
A large company loan is a great option for almost every company need, including company improvements, purchasing inventory or new equipment for general working capital, and much more. The loan cannot be used for personal reasons.
Is the Larger Business Loan a secured loan?
Asset security is required to access funding over $150,000. It’s in the form of a charge on assets and can include the registration of this with the PPSR or the registration of a caveat.
A personal or director’s guarantee is a promise to pay off a credit line that is general in nature rather than stating the security of a specific asset. The person who signs the guarantee is personally liable in the event that the business lender is not able to re-pay the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is a central, national online register run by the New Zealand Government. It lists security interests that are registered in respect of personal property (including objects or assets). The PPSR allows the priority of personal property granted according to the date the registration of a security interest.
Caveats are legal document that is filed 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 $250K or more it is possible to offer an initial pre-approval in order to make the process. We could be able to get this done without a credit check, and within six hours of your initial application. This pre-approval is based on a preliminary assessment which includes you answering some financial well-being checks. It is neither an offer nor a guarantee of credit. A conditional approval is subject an assessment of your creditworthiness and any offer that you may receive may be subject to different conditions.
Application process
Can I be eligible for funding?
You are eligible to 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)
- must show at least six months of trading (for you to qualify for unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or 3 years of continuous trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K - $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is fast and easy. Just fill out the online application in just a few minutes, and an experienced business credit specialist will contact you to help you.
To apply for up to $100,000, you’ll need identification details (valid Driver’s Licence) as well as a valid NZBN/IRD and at least six months worth of bank statements.
If you’re looking for loans with larger sizes, you’ll need:
$100K to $250K: Information about the application including credit consent, 6-12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if loan above $150K).
$250K-$500K: Application details including credit consent and 12 month bank accounts, the IRD statement as well as the two most recent years’ financial statements, in addition to interim financials for the current financial year such as age-related payables and aged Receivables summary.
How soon will I hear a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K up to $100,000) we typically provide an answer within an hour if you make your application during quality business time and let us utilise the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you opt to upload copies of your banking statements we can provide an answer in just one company day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K to $500K) we might be in a position to offer you with pre-approval conditional to your application within about 6 hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is about 2-3 days for final approval. However, this could be shorter based on the specifics of each application. Some agreements have been approved within 24 hours.
The quickest way to apply is to make sure you apply during standard company hours. You can also allow us to use our modern bank verification link to verify your bank information online. If you choose to upload copies of your bank statements , it takes a bit longer.
How quickly will I receive the cash?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K or more) we typically provide a response in one hour – provided you make your application during standard business hours and let us use the bank verification system to instantly verify your bank information online. If you choose to upload copies of your bank statement, we’ll offer an answer in just an business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K up to $500,000) we could be in a position to provide you with conditional pre-approval in around 6 hours. Once you have signed the pre-approval document, you will require to wait between 2 and 3 days for the final approval. However, this can be faster depending on the specifics of each application. Certain agreements have been approved within less than 24 hours.
The fastest method would be to ensure you apply during normal business hours, and allow us to use our advance bank verification to instantly verify your bank account information online. If you decide to send us duplicates of your banking statements it can 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 will consider a number of factors to determine your health of the company and the amount of payments your business can afford. The total amount of the loan will be determined by the specific circumstances the company.
When you make an application for a specific amount we take into consideration a variety of variables to assess how much we can lend you such as well-being for your business and the amount of repayments that your business can support. The total amount of your loan will be contingent on the specific circumstances that are unique to your business.
Fees & repayments
How do you charge for a business loan?
When you request business loans with us company credit, we’ll assess the risk profile the company and provide you with a tailored offer, including the loan amount, the terms and the interest rates. This company loan is an upfront-priced loan therefore you will know in advance the total amount you will have to pay, including interest rates, fees or charges.
What determines the rate that I pay?
The interest rates on business loans rates depend on a variety of factors including the amount of money borrowed, the company assets the money will be used for in addition to the industry that the business is in, how long the company is in operation as well as how long the company has sufficient cash flow to cover the loan, as well as the general well-being and creditworthiness of the company.
What are the costs?
There aren’t any hidden charges with our company loans. You’ll be aware of the amount you’ll need to pay and when, starting from the first day. There’s no compounding 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 apply for a loan with absolutely no upfront cost and no commitment to apply.
The Origination Fee is the cost associated with setting up and managing the loan. It is only charged for this fee if you proceed with the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5% of the amount of the loan.
Do I have the option of paying off the loan in advance?
You can decide to repay the entire amount of your advance loan at any time.
If you decide to take this route, please contact our helpful business loan specialists. They’ll offer you with the details of your repayment as well as an early payout amount. The figure will be calculated as the sum of the principal amount remaining and any accrued interest at the time of early payment plus 1.5 percent of the principal remaining as well as any outstanding fees.
How do you make repayments work?
To make sure you do not miss payment dates and to align your cash flow cycle we provide repayments either weekly or daily. They will be automatically deducted from your business account.
Security & privacy
Will my data be protected?
Protecting your information, and being transparent about how we collect, use, exchange and secure your information, is of paramount importance and is an essential part of our relationship you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We employ industry-recognised encryption protocols to safeguard your personal, sensitive and financial data and our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our commitment to the security of our clients as well as their privacy. We employ a highly sophisticated banking verification system to instantly verify your bank account details online, allowing us to offer quick responses.
About business loans
How do you define asset-based lending (a secured loan)?
The term "asset-based" refers to borrowing where the business owner utilises an asset that they own to obtain the funding. The asset could be a personal asset like the family home, or an business asset such as a vehicle as well as a piece of machine.
The majority of banks, not just the major banks, prefer to secure loans against an asset. If you are having difficulty paying back the loan, then your asset may be sold by the lender. In essence it is means of securing new financing by using the value of what you already own.
Should I require security to secure a business loan?
For loans up to $150K the requirement for asset security is not required upfront to access the money However, we do require a personal guarantee. In the event that you fulfill the terms of your loan (as stipulated in your loan contract document), asset security will never be required. If you take out loans in excess of $150,000 generally there is an individual guarantee and security in the form an asset charge.