FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
More about the Houghton Small Business Loans
Tell me more about Houghton Small Business Loans
Houghton unsecured loans provides amounts between $5,000 and $100,000. The terms range between 3 and 24 months. They also offer cash flow friendly repayments that are either daily or weekly.
How is how is the Unsecured Loan different from an ordinary company loan?
You can apply to get this Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes over the phone. You’ll get an instant response and the money could be in your account within 24 hours. Traditional company loans are based on an annual interest rate together with additional fees and charges. We offer a company loan is a cash-based loan so you will know ahead of time the amount you will have to pay, including any fees, interest or charges. This is then broken down into weekly or daily amount to be paid back.
What can the Small Business Loan be used for?
A Small Business Loan can be used for virtually any company need, such as control of cash flow business improvements, advertising for purchasing inventory or new equipment, to fund general working capital and much more. The loan cannot be used for personal purposes.
About Larger Houghton Business Loans
What is the Larger Houghton Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger loan size to support business expansion opportunities. The loan ranges from $100,000 to $500,000 with a fixed-term with a maximum of 36 months. The repayments are made weekly or fortnightly to work with your situation.
How is the Origination Fee calculated?
The Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee which is calculated at 2.5% of the amount of the loan.
Am I eligible for the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a loan that is this large the business needs to be in operation for at least 3 years and generate an annual revenue of $700K. It is necessary to 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 least 12 months of trading.
How can the funding be used for?
A large company loan is a great option for almost every business use, including business renovations, purchase of new equipment or inventory, as general working capital and much more. The loan cannot be used to fund personal expenses.
Is the Larger Business Loan a secured loan?
Asset security is needed to obtain funding above $150,000. It is usually by way of charge over assets, and may include registering this through the PPSR or the registration of as a caveat.
A personal or director’s ensure is a promise to pay off a credit line that is generally in nature rather than stipulating security over a particular asset. The person who is signing the ensure is personally liable if the company the borrower fails to pay back the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online, central register run by the New Zealand Government. It reflects security interests granted to individuals who own personal property (including goods or assets). The PPSR permits the priority of personal property assigned according to the date a security interest was registered.
Caveats are legal document that is filed to offer the public notice of a legal claim to a property.
What exactly is a preapproval without Credit Check?
If you’re seeking the Larger Business Loan of $250K or more it is possible to offer an initial pre-approval that will help smooth out the process. It is possible to make this decision without a credit verification and within six hours of your initial application. The pre-approval process is based on an initial evaluation that involves the answer to a series of financial health checks. It is in no way an offer, nor is it a guarantee of finance. Acceptance without condition is subject to an exhaustive credit evaluation, and any offer that you receive could be based on different conditions.
The application process
Do I qualify for funds?
You can apply for an business 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 prove at least 6 months worth of trade (for a unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or 3 years of trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K to $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is simple and simple. Complete the online form in few minutes and a dedicated company credit specialist will call you to guide you through the process.
To apply for up $100,000 you’ll need proof of identity (valid Driver’s License) along with a valid NZBN/IRD and at least 6 months of bank statements.
In addition, for larger loan sizes, you’ll need:
$100K-$250K: Application details including credit consent, 6 – 12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if credit is over $150K).
$250K – $500K: Details of the application, including credit consent and 12 months of bank statements, IRD statements, last 2 years finalised financial statements, and interim current financial year financials as well as Aged Payables and Receivables Summary.
How fast will I get an answer?
For an unsecured loan ($5K to $100K) we typically provide an answer in just one hour, provided you submit your request within quality business hours and you allow us to utilise the bank verification system to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you want to submit copies of your bank statements , we are able to provide a decision in as little as 1 company day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K up to $500,000) we may be able to provide you with conditional pre-approval in about six hours. After you’ve signed your pre-approval, turnaround times are about 2-3 days for final approval, however it could be faster based upon the circumstances for each application. Certain transactions have received approval within less than 24 hours.
The fastest way can be make sure you apply during standard company hours, and let us use the modern bank verification link to instantly verify your bank account information online. If you send us documents from your account statements , it may take a bit longer.
How fast will I get the funds?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K and up) we typically offer an answer within an hour – as long as you make your application in normal business times and let us make use of the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you want to send us copies of your bank statements we can offer an answer within the span of one business day.
For Larger Business Loans ($100K up to $500,000) we may be likely to provide the conditional pre-approval in around 6 hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval document, you will require to wait approximately 2-3 days to receive final approval. However, it could be faster based on the circumstances of each application. Some offers have been approved in the space of 24 hours.
The most efficient method for you to apply is make sure you apply during normal business hours. You can also allow us to use the sophisticated bank verification link to instantly check your bank’s information online. If you decide to upload the copies of bank statements it may take a bit longer.
How much can I borrow?
We provide loans ranging from $5,000 and $500,000. If you apply for a particular amount, we consider a variety of elements to determine the health of the business as well as the amount of repayments that your company can support. The total amount of your loan will depend on the specifics the business.
When you apply for a certain amount, we will consider a number of variables to assess how much we can lend you such as health of the business and the amount of the repayments your business is able to afford. The total amount of the loan will be determined by the particulars of your business.
Fees & repayments
What is the cost for an company loan?
If you decide to make an application for the company financing, we will 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. It is a business loan is an upfront priced loan therefore you will know in advance the total amount due, which includes any charges or interest.
What is the factor that determines the price I am charged?
Interest rates for business loans rates vary due to factors such as the amount that is borrowed, the company assets the money are used to purchase, the industry the business operates in, the long the company has been operating, whether the business has sufficient cash flow to fund the loan, as well as the overall health and creditworthiness of the business.
What are the cost?
There aren’t any hidden costs for our business loans. You’ll know precisely what you’ll need to pay and when, right from the first day. There’s no compounding and no extra fees (as as you make your payments in time).
We don’t charge an Application Fee. You can apply for a loan with absolutely no upfront cost and no the obligation to take action.
The Origination Fee includes the expenses associated with the setting up and management of the loan. This is only a fee if you choose to proceed with the loan. Our Origination Fee is 2.5% of the loan amount.
Can I pay out the loan earlier?
You can decide to repay all of your loan early at any time.
If you decide to pursue this option, please talk to one of our helpful business loans specialists. They will offer you with details on repayment and an early payout figure. This is calculated as the sum of the principal balance and any accrued interest at the date of early payout plus 1.5 percent of the principal balance as well as any outstanding fees.
How do repayments work?
To ensure that you don’t miss payment dates and to align with your cash flow cycle we offer repayments either daily or weekly. These are automatically deducted from the nominated business account.
Security & privacy
Will my data be secure?
Protecting your information, and knowing the ways we gather, use, exchange and protect your information, is of paramount importance and is an essential part 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 the security of our clients as well as their security. We make use of an advanced banking verification system to instantly verify your bank account details online to offer a fast response.
About business loans
How do you define asset-based lending (a secured loan)?
Asset-based borrowing is when a business owner makes use of an asset they own to make the funds for a loan. The asset can be an individual asset, such as the family home, or an company asset like a truck or piece of equipment.
The majority of banks, including the major banks, prefer to make loans secured by an asset. If you’re having trouble paying back the loan then your assets could be sold by the lender. In essence, it’s means of securing new financing by using the worth of the asset you already have.
Do I require security for a company loan?
For loans that exceed $150,000, the requirement for asset security is not required upfront to access the money but we do require the personal guarantee. If you adhere to the terms of your loan (as detailed in the loan contract), asset security will never be needed. For loans that exceed $150,000, generally, you can get personal ensure and security in the form the charge of assets.