FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
Details of The Schofields Small Business Loans
Let me know more about Schofields Small Business Loans
Schofields unsecured loans provides the range of $5,000 to $100,000 with terms between 3 and 24 months, cash flow friendly repayments that are either per day or weekly.
How is the Unsecured Loan different from a traditional company loan?
You can apply to get the Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes on the phone. You’ll receive an immediate response, and have the funds available in just 24 hours. Traditional business loans reference an annual rate of interest as well as other fees and charges. The company loan is an upfront priced loan so you will be aware of the total amount to be paid, including any fees, interest or charges. This is then broken down into weekly or daily payment amount.
What could the Small Business Loan be used for?
The Small Business Loan can be used for almost every company use, including control of cash flow business remodeling, marketing for purchasing inventory or new equipment, to fund general working capital, and much more. The loan is not available for personal reasons.
Concerning Larger Schofields Business Loans
What is the Larger Schofields Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger size loan to aid in business growth opportunities. Loans range from $100,000 to $500,000 for a fixed period of up to 36 months. The repayments are made weekly or fortnightly to work with the flow of cash.
How is the Origination Fee calculated?
This Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee, calculated at 2.5% of the amount of the loan.
Can I get the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a credit that is this large, your business needs to have been operating for at least three years, and have an annual income of $700K. It is necessary to be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) at least 18 years old and have a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able of proving at minimum 12 months of business.
How can the funding be utilised?
A Business Loan of a larger size can be used to fund almost any business use, including business renovations, purchase of equipment or inventory as well as for general working capital, and much more. The loan cannot be used for personal reasons.
Is the Larger Business Loan one that is secured?
Asset security is required for funding of more than $150,000. It’s by way of charge over assets, which could also include registering this through the PPSR or the registration of a caveat.
A director’s or personal ensure is a promise to pay off a credit line that is general in nature, rather than defining the security for a particular asset. The person who is signing the ensure is personally liable in the event that the business the borrower fails to re-pay the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online, central register operated by the New Zealand Government. It reflects security interests which are registered with respect to personal property (including the assets or goods). The PPSR permits preference over private property granted depending on the date that a security interest that is registered.
The caveat can be described as a formal form of document to offer the legal claim against a property.
What is a pre-approval without Credit Check?
When you’re applying for larger business loans that exceeds $250K, we may offer an initial pre-approval in order to smooth out the process. It is possible to do this without a credit check, and within 6 hours of the initial application. The pre-approval is based upon an initial assessment that includes answering a couple of financial well-being questions. It is neither an offer nor a guarantee of financing. Acceptance without condition is subject to a full credit assessment and any offer you might receive could be subject to different terms.
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 18 years or older, own a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- must show at least six months’ worth of transactions (for the unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or 3 years of trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K or $500K)
How do I apply?
The process for applying is fast and simple. Just fill out the online application within a few minutes and an experienced company credit specialist will contact you to help you.
To be eligible for up to $100,000 you’ll need proof of identity (valid Driver’s License) as well as a valid NZBN/IRD as well as at least six months of bank statements.
For larger loan sizes, you’ll need:
$100K – $250K: Information about the application including credit consent, 6 – 12 months of bank statements, IRD statement (if you have a loan of more than $150K).
$250K – $500K: Information on the application including credit consent, 12 months of bank records, IRD statement, last 2 years finalised financial statements, and interim financial statements for the current year such as age-related payables and aged Receivables reports.
How quickly will I receive a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K or more) we can often provide a response in one hour if you apply at standard company times and you allow us to use the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank details online. If you want to upload copies of your banking statements , we will be able to provide a decision within just one company day.
If you are applying for a Larger Business Loan ($100K or more) we may be likely to offer you with a conditional pre-approval within about six hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval form, it will take around 2-3 days for final approval, however this could be shorter based on the particular circumstances of each application. Some offers have been approved in less than 24 hours.
The quickest way to apply for you to apply is ensure you apply during standard company hours. You can also allow us to use the modern bank verification to instantly verify your bank account information online. If you send us copies of your bank statement, it will take a little longer.
How fast will I get the cash?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K up to $100,000) we typically provide an answer in just one hour – as long as you submit your request during normal business time and allow us to make use of the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you choose to upload copies of your banking statements we can offer a decision in just 1 business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K or more) we might be likely to offer you with a conditional pre-approval within about 6 hours. Once you’ve signed your pre-approval, turnaround times are approximately 2-3 days to receive final approval. However, this can be faster depending on the specifics of each application. Certain offers have been approved within less than 24 hours.
The most efficient method would be to ensure you apply during normal business hours and let us use the sophisticated bank verification link to verify your bank information online. If you upload the copies of bank statements, it may take a bit longer.
How much can I borrow?
We provide loan amounts between $5,000 and $500,000. When you make an application for a particular amount, we consider a variety of aspects to determine the well-being that is your company and the amount of payments your business can support. The total amount of your loan will be contingent on the specifics the business.
When you submit an application for a particular amount, we consider a variety of aspects to determine your health of your business as well as the amount of repayments that your business will be able to support. The amount you receive from your loan will be determined by the particular circumstances for your business.
Fees & repayments
How much should you charge for a company loan?
If you decide to apply for one of our business loans, we will assess the risk assessment of your company and offer you with a tailored offer, including loan amount, term and the interest rates. This business loan is an upfront cost loan and you’ll be aware of the total amount you will have to pay, including costs, fees, or interest rates.
What determines the rate that I will be charged?
Business loan interest rates depend on several factors such as the amount that is borrowed, what company assets the money are used to purchase in addition to the industry that the business operates in, the long the business is in operation, whether the company has sufficient cash flow to pay for the loan, and also the overall health or financial standing of the business.
What are the cost?
There are no hidden costs with our company loans. You’ll know exactly how much you’ll be required to pay and at what time, from the day you sign up. There’s no compounding and there are no additional charges (as long as you make your payments punctually).
We do not charge an Application Fee. You can apply for a loan with without any upfront costs or commitment to apply.
The Origination Fee includes the expenses associated with the setting up and management of the loan. This is only a cost if you take out the loan. Our Origination Fee is 2.5% of the loan amount.
Can I repay the loan earlier?
You may choose to pay back the entire amount of your advance loan at any time.
If you are deciding to pursue this option, please talk to one of our helpful company loans experts. They’ll offer you with the details of your repayment along with an early payout estimate. This is calculated as the sum of the principal amount remaining and the accrued interest up to the time of early payment, plus 1.5 percent of the principal remaining and any fees that remain unpaid.
What are the repayment methods?
To help you avoid missing repayments and to fit in your cash flow schedule, we provide payments that are either weekly or daily. These are automatically withdrawn from your company account.
Security & privacy
Will my data be protected?
The security of your personal information, as well as knowing the ways we gather information, use it, and exchange it, as well as secure your information, is vital and a vital part of our relationship with you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We utilise industry-recognised encryption standards to secure your personal, sensitive financial and other data. Our funders are ISO 27001 certified for our commitment to security for our clients and privacy. We utilise a sophisticated banking verification system to immediately verify your bank account details online, allowing us to provide a fast response.
About business loans
What’s an asset-based borrow (a secured loan)?
Asset-based borrowing occurs when an business owner borrows from the assets they have to secure the loan. The asset may be a personal asset like the family home or an business asset such as a vehicle or other piece of machinery.
The majority of lenders, even the banks with the biggest size, prefer to guarantee loans against an asset. If you’re having trouble paying back the loan, the asset might be transferred to the lender. In essence it is means of securing new financing by making use of the value of what you already own.
What do I need security for an business loan?
For loans of up to $150K, there is no requirement for asset security upfront to access the money, however we do need a personal guarantee. In the event that you fulfill your loan obligations (as stipulated in the loan contract) the security of assets will never be required. If you take out loans in excess of $150,000 generally, there is the option of a personal guarantee and security is provided in the form of charges on assets.