FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
About The Waiwhetu Small Business Loans
Let me know what you think of the Waiwhetu Small Business Loans
Waiwhetu unsecured loans offers the range of $5,000 to $100,000, with terms ranging from 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 traditional business loan?
You can apply to your Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes on the phone. You’ll receive an answer within the same day and the funds could be available in just 24 hours. Traditional company loans refer to an interest rate per annum plus other fees and charges. Our company loan is a pre-paid loan so you will know in advance the amount you will have to pay, including the interest, fees and charges. This is then broken down into weekly or daily repayment figure.
What could the Small Business Loan be used for?
A Small Business Loan can be used for virtually any company need, such as managing cash flows, business renovations, marketing to purchase inventory, new equipment, for general working capital and much more. The loan cannot be used for personal use.
About the Larger Waiwhetu Business Loans
What is the Larger Waiwhetu Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger loan size to support business growth opportunities. Loans range between $100,000 and $500,000 with a term fixed up to 36 months. Repayments are weekly or fortnightly depending on you cashflow.
How is the Origination Fee determined?
The Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee, calculated at 2.5% of the loan amount.
Am I eligible for the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a loan that is this large, your business needs to be operating for at least three years and generate an annual revenue of $700,000. Your business must belong to a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) who is over the age of 18 as well as own a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able demonstrate at least 12 months of trading.
What can the funding be used for?
A Larger Business Loan is a great option for almost any business use, including business improvements, purchasing equipment or inventory, as general working capital and much more. The loan is not available for personal use.
Is the Larger Business Loan one that is secured?
Asset security is necessary for funding of more than $150,000. This can be done by taking a charge on assets, and could be registered with the PPSR or filing as a caveat.
A personal or director’s guarantee is a commitment to pay back a loan that is general in nature, rather than stipulating the security of a specific asset. The person who signs the ensure is personally responsible if the business creditor is unable to repay the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online, central registry run by the New Zealand Government. It contains security interests granted to individuals who own personal property (including the assets or goods). The PPSR gives the priority of personal property assigned depending on the date that a registration of a security interest.
Caveats are legal form of document to provide an official notice of a claim to a property.
What exactly is a preapproval without Credit Check?
If you’re applying for larger business loans of $250K or more we may be able to provide a preliminary pre-approval to help simplify the process. We might be able to apply for this without a credit verification and within 6 hours of your initial application. The pre-approval process is based on an initial assessment, which involves answering a couple of financial well-being questions. It’s not an offer of credit or guarantee of financing. Acceptance without condition is subject to an exhaustive credit evaluation, and any offer you may receive may be on different conditions.
The application process
Do I have the right to receive funds?
You are eligible to apply for an company loan if you:
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are at least 18 years old, have a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- can demonstrate at least 6 months worth of trade (for you to qualify for unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or 3 years of trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K - $500K)
How do I apply?
The process for applying is fast and easy. Simply complete the online form within a couple minutes, and a dedicated company loan 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 as well as at least 6 months’ worth of bank statements.
If you’re looking for loans with larger sizes, you’ll require:
$100K – $250K: Information about the application including credit approval, 6-12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if the loan is greater than $150K).
$250K to $500K: Application details including credit consent, 12 months of bank records, IRD statements and the last two years’ finalised financial statements, and interim financials from the current financial year including Aged Payables, Aged Receivables summaries.
What speed will I be able to get an answer?
For an unsecured loan ($5K or more) We can usually provide an answer within one hour if you submit your request during standard company time and you allow us to make use of the advanced bank verification system link to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you decide to send us copies of your bank statements we can offer an answer in as little as one business day.
For Larger Business Loans ($100K to $500K) we could be in a position to offer you with conditional pre-approval in around six hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is between 2 and 3 days for the final approval. However, it could be faster based on the circumstances of each application. Certain agreements have been approved in less than 24 hours.
The quickest method is to make sure you apply during standard company hours. You can also permit us to use the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank account information online. If you decide to upload duplicates of your banking accounts, it will take a little longer.
How fast will I get the money?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K to $100K) we usually offer an answer in just one hour if you make your application in standard business timings and permit us to make use of the advanced bank verification system to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you choose to upload copies of your bank statement, we’ll provide a decision in just one business day.
For Larger Business Loans ($100K and up) We may be likely to offer you with conditional pre-approval in around six hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is approximately 2-3 days to receive final approval, however this may be quicker depending on the particular circumstances of each application. Some transactions have received approval within just 24 hours.
The quickest method is to make sure you apply during standard business hours and allow us to use our modern bank verification link to instantly verify your bank information online. If you send us duplicates of your banking statements it can take a bit longer.
What is the maximum amount I can borrow?
We offer loans that range from $5,000 and $500,000. When you make an application for a certain amount we take into consideration a range of factors to determine your well-being of the company and the level of repayments your business is able to afford. The amount you receive from your loan will be contingent on the specifics that are unique to your business.
When you make an application for a certain amount, we will consider a number of elements to determine how much we can lend you such as well-being of your business and the amount of repayments your business is able to afford. The total amount of the loan will be determined by the particular circumstances for your company.
Fees & repayments
How much should you charge for the cost of a company loan?
When you apply for the business loan, we’ll assess the risk assessment that you have for your business and provide you with a tailored offer including loan amount, term and interest rates. A company loan is an upfront cost loan so you will know in advance the total amount payable including any interest rates, fees or charges.
What determines the rate that I will be charged?
Interest rates for business loans rates differ based on various factors like the amount of money borrowed, the business assets the funds are used to purchase and the sector the company operates in, the long the business has been running, what percentage of the company has enough cash flow to cover the loan, and also the general health and creditworthiness of the business.
What are the fees?
There are no hidden costs with our company loans. You’ll know exactly how much you’ll need to pay and when, from day one. There’s no compounding interest, and no additional fees (as as long as you pay your payments in time).
We do not charge an Application Fee. You are able to make an application for loans with absolutely no upfront cost and no commitment to apply.
The Origination Fee is the cost associated with setting up and managing the loan. You are only charged this fee if you proceed with the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5 percent of the loan amount.
Can I pay off the loan early?
You may choose to pay back the entire amount of your loan at any point in time.
If you are deciding to take this route, please speak to our friendly business loan professionals. The experts will offer you with the details of your repayment and an early payment figure. This is calculated as the sum of the principal balance and accrued interest to the time of early payment and 1.5% of the principal amount remaining plus any outstanding fees.
How do repayments work?
To help you avoid missing payment dates and to align with 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 information be protected?
Making sure that your information is secure, and knowing how we collect information, use it, and exchange it, as well as secure your information, is vital and a vital aspect of our relationship with you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We employ industry-recognised encryption standards to protect your personal, sensitive financial and other data. Our funders are ISO 27001 certified for our commitment to the security of our customers as well as their privacy. We utilise a sophisticated banking verification system to instantly verify your bank account details online to offer rapid response.
About business loans
How do you define asset-based lending (a secured loan)?
Asset-based borrowing is when the company owner utilises assets they own to secure the loan. The asset may be a personal asset like the family home or an company property like a truck or other piece of machinery.
The vast majority of the lenders even the major banks, prefer to secure loans against assets. If you have trouble paying back the loan, then your asset may be sold by the lender. In essence, it is the process of securing new funding using the worth of the asset you already own.
Do I need security to get an business loan?
For loans that exceed $150,000, it is not necessary to secure assets upfront to access the money but we do require an individual guarantee. So long as you comply with your loan obligations (as stated in the loan contract) the security of assets is not needed. For loans of over $150K generally there is a personal guarantee and security is provided in the form of the charge of assets.