FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
About The Athelstone Small Business Loans
Let me know about the Athelstone Small Business Loans
Athelstone unsecured loans provides amounts between $5,000 and $100,000 with terms between 3 and 24 months and cash flow-friendly repayments that are either per day or weekly.
What is the Unsecured Loan different from a traditional company loan?
Apply for the Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes over the phone. You’ll get an answer within the same day and the funds could be available in just 24 hours. Traditional company loans reference an annual interest rate together with additional fees and charges. This business loan is a pre-paid loan therefore you’ll be aware in advance of the amount you will have to pay, including any interest, fees or charges. This is then broken down into a daily or weekly payment amount.
What can be the Small Business Loan be used for?
It is a Small Business Loan can be used for almost any business reason, such as control of cash flow company renovations, marketing for purchasing inventory or new equipment, as general working capital and so much more. The loan is not available for personal reasons.
About the Larger Athelstone Business Loans
What is the Larger Athelstone Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger loan size to support company expansion opportunities. Loans are between $100,000 and $500,000 for a fixed period of for up to 36 months. Repayments are weekly or fortnightly depending on your situation.
How’s the Origination Fee calculated?
A Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee that is calculated at 2.5 percent of the amount of the loan.
Can I get the Larger Business Loan?
In order to be eligible for a loan that is this large the company needs to be in operation for at least 3 years and generate an annual revenue of $700K. Your company must belong to a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) over 18 years and have a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able of proving at least 12 months of trading.
How can the funding be utilised?
A large business loan can be used to fund almost every company need, including company renovations, to purchase equipment or inventory for general working capital, and much more. The loan cannot be used for personal purposes.
Is the Larger Business Loan a secured loan?
Asset security is needed to obtain funding above $150,000. This can be done by way of charge over assets and can be registered with the PPSR or the registration of as a caveat.
A director’s or personal guarantee is a guarantee to pay off a credit line that is general in nature, rather than stipulating the security for a particular asset. The person signing the ensure is personally liable if the business the borrower fails to pay back the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is a central, national online register that is operated by the New Zealand Government. It records security interests that have been registered in respect of personal property (including objects or assets). The PPSR grants priority over personal property to be granted in accordance with the date on which a security interest has been registered.
A caveat is a legal document lodged to provide notice of a legal claim on a property.
What exactly is a preapproval without Credit Check?
When you’re applying for larger business loans of more than $250K it’s possible to offer a preliminary pre-approval to help ease the process. We might be able to do this without a credit verification and within 6 hours of your initial application. This pre-approval is based on an initial assessment that includes answering a couple of financial health questions. It’s not an offer or guarantee of financing. Acceptance without condition is subject to an assessment of your creditworthiness and any offer you are offered could have different conditions.
Application process
Do I qualify for funds?
You can apply for an company loan if you:
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are over the age of 18 and have a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- you must demonstrate at minimum 6 months of trading (for the unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or three years of trade (for the Larger Business Loan $100K - $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is quick and easy. Complete the online form in few minutes and a dedicated company credit specialist will contact you to guide you through the process.
For a loan of up to $100,000 you’ll need proof of identity (valid Driver’s Licence) along with an active NZBN/IRD, and at least 6 months’ worth of bank statements.
In addition, for larger loan sizes, you’ll also require:
$100K – $250K: Details of application, including credit consent, 6-12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if the loan is greater than $150K).
$250K – $500K: Details for application including credit consent, 12 months of bank statements, IRD statement and the last two years’ finalised financial statements, plus interim financials for the current financial year, Aged Payables and Aged Receivables reports.
How soon will I hear a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K up to $100,000) we usually provide a response in one hour – as long as you apply within standard company times and you allow us to make use of the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank information online. If you want to submit copies of your bank statements , we are able to offer the decision within one company day.
If you are applying for a Larger Business Loan ($100K up to $500,000) we may be likely to offer you with conditional pre-approval in about six hours. Once you have signed the pre-approval document, you will need to wait about 2-3 days for final approval, however this could be shorter based on the specifics of each application. Some offers have been approved in 24 hours.
The fastest way is to make sure you apply during standard business hours. Also, let us use the modern bank verification to verify your bank information online. If you upload the copies of bank accounts, it can take a bit longer.
What is the time frame to receive the cash?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K to $100K) we usually offer an answer within an hour – as long as you submit your request during normal business hours and permit us to use the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank details online. If you opt to submit copies of your bank statements, we’ll be able to provide an answer within the span of one business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K or more) we could be likely to provide the conditional pre-approval within six hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval document, you will need to wait around 2-3 days for final approval, however this may be quicker depending on the specifics of each application. Certain deals have been approved in just 24 hours.
The most effective method for you to apply is ensure you apply during standard business hours, and let us use the advance bank verification to instantly verify your bank account information online. If you send us copies of your bank statements it takes a bit longer.
How much can I borrow?
We offer loans that range from $5,000 to $500,000. When you make an application for a particular amount, we take into consideration a range of elements that determine the health of the business and the level of repayments your company can afford. The total amount of your loan will depend on the specific circumstances for your business.
If you apply for a set amount, we consider a variety of variables to determine how much we can lend you such as well-being that is your business and the extent of the repayments your company can support. The total amount of your loan will depend on the specifics that are unique to your company.
Fees & repayments
How much do you charge for an business loan?
If you decide to request one of our company loans, we’ll assess the risk profile that you have for your company and provide you with a customised proposal that includes the amount of the loan, the duration and interest rates. A company loan is an upfront priced loan so you will be aware in advance of the total amount due, which includes any charges or interest.
What is the basis for the rate I’m charged?
The interest rates on company loans rates depend on several factors such as the amount that is that is borrowed, what company assets the funds are used to purchase as well as the field the business is operating in, how long the company has been in operation and whether the business has sufficient cash flow to cover the loan, as well as the general health or financial standing of the business.
What are the fees?
There aren’t any hidden costs with our business loans. You’ll be aware of the amount you need to pay, and when, right from the very first day. There’s not any compounding interest and the loan comes with no additional fees (as long as you make your payments on time).
We don’t charge an Application Fee. You can get a cash loan with with no upfront cost or obligation to proceed.
The Origination Fee covers the costs associated with the setting up and management of the loan. This is only a fee if you proceed with the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5 percentage of the loan amount.
Do I have the option of paying off the loan early?
You can repay the entire amount of the advance loan at any time.
If you decide to do this please speak to our friendly business lending professionals. They will provide you with the details of your repayment and an early payment figure. This will be calculated as the total of the principal balance plus any accrued interest as of the time of early payout in addition to 1.5 percent of the principal amount remaining and any fees that remain unpaid.
What are the repayment methods?
In order to help you avoid missing payment dates and to align your cash flow cycle we provide repayments either weekly or daily. They will be automatically deducted from your designated business account.
Security & privacy
Will my information be protected?
The security of your personal information, as well as knowing how we collect, use, exchange and secure your information, is of paramount importance and a vital aspect of our relationship with you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We use industry recognised encryption protocols to safeguard your sensitive, personal as well as financial data. Our funders are ISO 27001 certified for our commitment to protecting the security of clients and privacy. We employ an exceptionally sophisticated banking verification system to instantly verify the bank account details online to provide quick responses.
About business loans
What’s an asset-based borrow (a secured loan)?
Asset-based borrowing occurs when the business owner makes use of assets they own to get the funds for a loan. The asset can be an individual property, such as the family home or it could be a business asset like a truck or other piece of machinery.
The majority of lending institutions, not just the largest banks, are inclined to guarantee loans against assets. If you’re having trouble paying back the loan, then the asset could be offered for sale by the lender. In essence it is an opportunity to secure new financing by using the value of what you already have.
Are I require security for an business loan?
For loans that exceed $150K, the requirement for asset security is not required prior to the loan’s access however, we do need a personal guarantee. If you adhere to the loan terms (as specified in your loan contract document) Asset security will never be required. If you take out loans in excess of $150,000 generally there is a personal ensure and security that is in the form an asset charge.