FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
Details of The Freshwater Small Business Loans
Tell me more about Freshwater Small Business Loans
Freshwater unsecured loans offers amounts of between $5,000 and $100,000. The terms range between 3 and 24 months. They also offer cash flow friendly repayments that are either per day or weekly.
What makes what makes the Unsecured Loan different from the traditional company loan?
The application for your Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes via the internet or by phone. You will receive a same day response and the money could be in your account within 24 hours. Traditional business loans are based on an interest rate per annum plus other fees and charges. Our business loan is an upfront priced loan so you will know in advance the total amount to be paid, including the interest, fees and charges. Then, it is broken down into a daily or weekly repayment figure.
What can the Small Business Loan be used for?
It is a Small Business Loan can be used for almost any company need, such as managing cash flows, company remodeling, marketing to purchase inventory or new equipment, or as general working capital and much more. The loan is not available for personal purposes.
About larger Freshwater Business Loans
What is the Larger Freshwater Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger loan size to support company expansion opportunities. Loans range from $100,000 to $500,000 with a fixed-term up to 36 months. The repayments are made weekly or fortnightly to work with the flow of cash.
How is the Origination Fee calculated?
It is crucial to note that the Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee, calculated at 2.5 percentage of the loan amount.
Do I qualify for the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a loan that is this large the company needs to have been operating for a minimum of 3 years and generate an annual revenue of $700,000. The applicant must also be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) who is over the age of 18 or have a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able demonstrate at least 12 months of trading.
What can the funds be used for?
A large business loan can be used to fund almost every company use, including business renovations, to purchase new equipment or inventory or as general working capital, and much more. The loan cannot be used for personal reasons.
Is the Larger Business Loan a secured loan?
Asset security is needed to access funding over $150,000. It’s as a result of an charge against assets, and may include registration with the PPSR or the registration of a caveat.
A personal or director’s ensure is a guarantee to repay a loan which is generally based rather than defining security over an asset. The person who is signing the guarantee is personally liable if the company lender is not able to make the repayment.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online central register operated by the New Zealand Government. It lists security interests that are which are registered with respect to personal property (including goods or assets). The PPSR allows prioritisation over property that is personal to be granted according to the date a security interest has been registered.
Caveats are legal document that is filed to offer the legal claim to a property.
What is a pre-approval without Credit Check?
If you’re seeking larger company loans that exceeds $250,000, we may offer an initial pre-approval that will help simplify the process. It is possible to get this done without a credit check, and within six hours of your initial application. This pre-approval is based on a preliminary assessment which includes you answering a few financial health questions. It’s not an offer of credit or guarantee of finance. The approval of a conditional loan is subject to a full credit assessment and any offer that you may receive may have different terms.
Application process
Do I have the right to receive funds?
You can apply for a company loan if you:
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are over the age of 18 and have a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- you must demonstrate at minimum 6 months of business (for you to qualify for unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or three years of trade (for the Larger Business Loan $100K to $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is fast and simple. Just fill out the online application in few minutes and an experienced business lending specialist will contact you to assist you.
To apply for up $100,000 you’ll need proof of identity (valid Driver’s License), an NZBN/IRD that is valid and at least 6 months’ worth of bank statements.
For larger loan sizes, you’ll also need:
$100K to $250K: Application details including credit consent, 6 – 12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if you have a loan of more than $150K).
$250K to $500K: Information on the application including credit consent, 12 months of bank records, IRD statement and the last two years’ finalised financial statements, and interim financial statements for the current year as well as Aged Payables and Receivables Summary.
How soon will I hear a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K to $100K) We can usually offer an answer within an hour – as long as you make your application at quality company time and allow us to utilise the bank verification system link to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you want to submit copies of your bank statements we can provide a decision in as little as one company day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K or more) we might be able to offer the conditional pre-approval in around 6 hours. Once you have signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is about 2-3 days for final approval, however this may be quicker depending on the particular circumstances of each application. Some agreements have been approved in less than 24 hours.
The fastest way is to ensure you apply during normal business hours, and let us use the modern bank verification to instantly confirm your bank details online. If you send us the copies of bank statements , it will take a little longer.
How fast will I get the funds?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K up to $100,000) we usually provide a response in one hour – provided you submit your request during normal business time and permit us to utilise 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 1 business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K to $500K) we could be able to provide you with pre-approval conditional to your application within 6 hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval form, it will take between 2 and 3 days for the final approval, however this could be shorter based upon the circumstances for each application. Some transactions have received approval within just 24 hours.
The quickest method can be make sure you apply during normal business hours and permit us to use the sophisticated bank verification to verify your bank information online. If you opt to send us the copies of bank statement, it takes a bit longer.
What’s the minimum amount I can borrow?
We provide loans ranging from $5,000 and $500,000. If you apply for a certain amount we consider a variety of factors to determine what is the health that is your business and the level of repayments that your business can support. The amount you receive from your loan will be contingent on the particular circumstances the company.
When you apply for a set amount, we will consider a number of elements to assess your well-being for your company and the amount of repayments that your company can support. The amount you receive from your loan will be determined by the particular circumstances for your business.
Fees & repayments
How do you charge for an business loan?
When you request our business loans, we will assess the risk profile for your company and provide you with a tailored offer including the amount of the loan, the duration and interest rates. The business loan is an upfront cost loan so you will be aware of the total amount you will have to pay, including interest rates, fees or charges.
What is the factor that determines the price I’m charged?
Interest rates for company loans rates depend on several variables like the amount to be of money borrowed, the company assets the money will be used for and the sector the company operates in, how long the company is in operation for, what percentage of the company has sufficient cash flow to support the loan, and also the overall well-being or financial standing of the company.
What are the cost?
There aren’t any hidden costs for our business loans, and you’ll know exactly how much it is that you be required to pay and at what time, from day one. There’s no compounding interest, and there are no additional charges (as long as you are able to make your payments in time).
We don’t charge an Application Fee. You can get a cash loan with no cost upfront or any obligation to sign up.
The Origination Fee includes the expenses associated in establishing and managing the loan. It is only charged for this fee if you proceed with the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5 percent of the amount of loan.
Can I repay the loan earlier?
You can repay the total amount of your loan early at any time.
If you do decide to pursue this option, please talk to one of our helpful business loans experts. The experts will provide you with details on repayment and an early payment figure. This is calculated as the total of the principal balance and the accrued interest up to the time of early payout, plus 1.5 percent of the remaining principal plus any outstanding fees.
What are the repayment methods?
To help you avoid missing due dates and also to be in line with your cash flow routine, we provide payments that are either daily or weekly. They are automatically deducted from your nominated company account.
Security & privacy
Will my data be protected?
Security of your data, and being clear about how we collect information, use it, and exchange it, as well as safeguard your data, is vital and a vital part of our relationship you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We use industry recognised encryption protocols to safeguard your personal, sensitive as well as financial data. Our funders are ISO 27001 certified for our dedication to the security of our clients as well as their security. We make use of an advanced bank verification system link to immediately confirm your bank account information online. This allows us to provide a fast response.
About business loans
What’s an asset-based borrow (a secured loan)?
An asset-based loan is when a business owner borrows from assets they own to secure the funding. The asset could be a personal asset like the family home or a company asset such as a truck or piece or equipment.
The vast majority of the lenders including the largest banks, are inclined to secure loans against an asset. If you have trouble paying back the loan, your assets could be offered for sale by the lender. In essence it is the process of securing new financing by making use of the value of what you already have.
Do I require security to get a company loan?
For loans up to $150,000 the requirement for asset security is not required prior to the loan’s access, however we do require a personal guarantee. If you adhere to the loan terms (as detailed in the loan contract) and you are able to meet your obligations, asset security will never be required. For loans of over $150,000 typically, you will need the option of a personal ensure and security in the form of charges on assets.