FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
About The Austral Small Business Loans
Let me know how you are able to avail the Austral Small Business Loans
Austral unsecured loans provides the range of $5,000 to $100,000. The terms range between 3 and 24 months, cash flow-friendly repayments, which are either daily or weekly.
How is the Unsecured Loan different from a traditional business loan?
The application to get your Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes over the phone, receive an answer within the same day and the funds could be in your account in 24 hours. Traditional business loans refer to an interest rate per annum as well as other fees and charges. Our company loan is a pre-paid loan therefore you’ll be aware of the total amount to be paid, including any fees, interest or charges. Then, it is broken down into a daily or weekly amount to be paid back.
What could the Small Business Loan be used for?
The Small Business Loan can be used for almost every business use, including managing cash flows, business remodels and marketing to purchase inventory or new equipment, for general working capital and much more. The loan cannot be used for personal reasons.
About larger Austral Business Loans
What is the Larger Austral Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger size loan to aid in business expansion opportunities. Loans are between $100,000 and $500,000 with a term fixed for up to 36 months. The repayments are made 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 that is calculated at 2.5 percentage of the amount of the loan.
Am I eligible for the Larger Business Loan?
To qualify for a loan that is this large, your company needs to be trading for at least 3 years and generate an annual revenue of at least $700,000. It is necessary to be 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 to demonstrate at the least 12 months of operating.
What can I use the funding for?
A Larger Business Loan is a great option for almost every business purpose including company renovations, purchase of new equipment or inventory for general working capital and so much more. The loan is not available for personal purposes.
Is the Larger Business Loan a secured loan?
Asset security is necessary for accessing funds over $150,000. This can be done in the form of a charge against assets, which could also include the registration of this on the PPSR or filing as a caveat.
A personal or director’s ensure is a guarantee to pay off a credit line that is general in nature rather than specifying security over an asset. The person who is signing 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 operated by the New Zealand Government. It contains security interests granted to individuals who own personal property (including objects or assets). The PPSR gives the priority of personal property granted according to the date the registration of a security interest.
The caveat can be described as a formal document filed to offer the public notice of a legal claim against a property.
What is a pre-approval without Credit Check?
If you’re requesting larger company loans of more than $250,000 it is possible to offer an initial pre-approval that will help smooth out the process. We might be able to get this done without a credit check, and within 6 hours of the initial application. The pre-approval process is based on a preliminary assessment which includes you answering a few financial health questions. It is in no way an offer, nor is it a guarantee of finance. A conditional approval is subject an exhaustive credit evaluation, and any offer that you are offered could be based on different terms.
Application process
Do I qualify for funds?
You may apply for an business loan if you:
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are 18 years or older, own a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- you must demonstrate at minimum 6 months’ worth of transactions (for you to qualify for unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or three years of trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K or $500K)
How do I apply?
The process for applying is fast and simple. Complete the online form within a couple minutes, and a dedicated company lending specialist will call you to help you.
To be eligible for up to $100,000 you’ll need identification details (valid Driver’s License) as well as an active NZBN/IRD, and at least 6 months of bank statements.
In addition, for larger loan sizes, you’ll require:
$100K to $250K: Application details including credit consent, 6 – 12 months of bank statements, IRD statement (if credit is over $150K).
$250K to $500K: Details of the application, including credit consent and 12 months bank statement, an IRD statement, last 2 years finalised financial statements, in addition to interim current financial year financials, Aged Payables and Aged Receivables summary.
How fast will I get an answer?
For an unsecured loan ($5K or more) we typically provide an answer within one hour if you make your application at standard company times and let us make use of the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you choose to upload copies of your bank statements we can provide a decision within just an business day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K to $500K) we may be likely to provide you with conditional pre-approval within about 6 hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is between 2 and 3 days for the final approval, however this could be shorter based upon the circumstances for each application. Certain offers have been approved in just 24 hours.
The quickest way to apply is to ensure you apply during standard business hours, and allow us to use our advanced bank verification system to verify your bank information online. If you opt to send us copies of your bank statements it takes a bit longer.
How fast will I get the money?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K up to $100,000) we usually provide a response in one hour – provided you make your application during normal business timings and you allow us to make use of the advanced bank verification system link to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you want to send us copies of your bank statement, we’ll offer an answer within 1 business day.
For Larger Business Loans ($100K to $500K) we might be able to offer you with pre-approval conditional to your application within about 6 hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval form, it will take approximately 2-3 days to receive 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 normal business hours. Also, allow us to use our sophisticated bank verification link to confirm your bank details online. If you upload copies of your bank statement, it can take a bit longer.
How much can I borrow?
We offer the loan amount between $5,000 and $500,000. When you make an application for a certain amount we will consider a number of variables to determine the well-being of the business and the level of payments your company can support. The amount you receive from your loan will depend on the particular circumstances of your business.
If you apply for a particular amount, we consider a variety of aspects to determine the health that is your company and the level of the repayments your company is able to afford. The total amount of your loan will depend on the specific circumstances of your company.
Fees & repayments
How do you charge for the cost of a company loan?
If you decide to request business loans with us business financing, we will assess the risk assessment for your business and provide you with a customised offer, including loan amount, term and interest rates. This business loan is an upfront priced loan therefore you will know in advance the total amount payable including any charges or interest.
What determines the amount I am charged?
Business loan interest rates depend on several variables like the amount to be borrowed, the company assets the funds are used to purchase as well as the field the company is operating in, how long the business has been running as well as in the event that the business has sufficient cash flow to cover the loan, as well as the general health and creditworthiness of the business.
What are the fees?
There are no hidden fees with our company loans. You’ll know precisely how much you need to pay and when, from the very first day. There’s not any compounding interest and no extra fees (as long as you are able to make your payments on time).
We don’t charge an application fee. You can request a credit loan with no cost upfront or any obligation to sign up.
The Origination Fee is the cost associated in establishing and managing the loan. The only way to pay this fee if you proceed with the loan. Our Origination Fee is 2.5 percentage of the amount of the loan.
Can I pay out the loan in advance?
You can choose to repay the entire amount of your advance loan at any time.
If you are deciding to take this route, please speak to our friendly company loans professionals. The experts will offer you with details on repayment and an early payout figure. This will be calculated as the sum of the principal amount remaining plus any accrued interest as of the time of the early payout and 1.5% of the remaining principal and any outstanding fees.
What are the repayment methods?
To help you avoid missing payment dates and to align with your cash flow general, we provide payments that are either daily or weekly. They are automatically deducted from your business account.
Security & privacy
Will my data be secure?
The security of your personal information, as well as knowing how we collect information, use it, and exchange it, as well as safeguard your data, is of huge importance and a vital part of our relationship with you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We employ industry-recognised encryption techniques to protect your personal, sensitive as well as financial data. Our funders are ISO 27001 certified for our commitment to the security of our clients as well as their security. We make use of an advanced bank verification system to instantly confirm your bank account information online so we can offer quick responses.
About business loans
What is asset-based borrowing (a secured loan)?
Asset-based borrowing occurs when a business owner borrows from an asset they own to secure the loan. The asset could be an individual asset, such as the family home, or a company asset such as a vehicle or piece of equipment.
The vast majority of lenders, even the largest banks, are inclined to make loans secured by assets. If you are having difficulty paying back the loan then your assets could be taken over by the lender. In essence it is the process of securing new financing using the value of what you already own.
Are I require security for a business loan?
For loans up to $150K there is no requirement for asset security in advance to gain access to the funds, however we do require the personal guarantee. In the event that you fulfill the loan terms (as detailed in the loan contract), asset security will never be needed. For loans that exceed $150K, generally, there is a personal ensure and security in the form of charges on assets.