FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
Information About The Westmeadows Small Business Loans
Tell me how you can avail the Westmeadows Small Business Loans
Westmeadows unsecured loans offers amounts between $5,000 and $100,000 with terms between 3 and 24 month and cash flow friendly repayments that are either daily or weekly.
What makes the Unsecured Loan different from an ordinary business loan?
Apply for your Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes over the phone, receive an immediate response, and the funds could be in your account in 24 hours. Traditional business loans refer to an annual interest rate along with other charges and fees. The business loan is a pre-paid loan and you’ll be aware of the total amount to be paid, including the interest, fees and charges. This is then divided into weekly or daily repayment figure.
What could the Small Business Loan be used for?
It is a Small Business Loan can be used for nearly any company need, such as managing cash flows, company improvements, advertising for purchasing inventory or new equipment, to fund general working capital, and much more. The loan cannot be used to fund personal expenses.
About the Larger Westmeadows Business Loans
What is the Larger Westmeadows Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger size loan to aid in company expansion opportunities. Loans range from $100,000 to $500,000 with a fixed-term for up to 36 months. The repayments are made weekly or fortnightly, depending on your cash flow.
How’s the Origination Fee calculated?
The Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee, which is determined at 2.5 percentage 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 company needs to have been operating for at least three years and generate an annual revenue of $700K. You must be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) over 18 years as well as own a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able to prove at minimum 12 months of continuous trading.
What can I use the funding for?
A Business Loan of a larger size can be used for nearly any business use, including company renovations, to purchase equipment or inventory for general working capital and so much more. The loan cannot be used for personal purposes.
Is the Larger Business Loan a secured loan?
Asset security is needed for accessing funds over $150,000. This is as a result of an charge over assets, and could include registration with the PPSR or the registration of as a caveat.
A director’s or personal guarantee is a guarantee to pay back a loan that is general in nature rather than specifying security over a particular asset. The person who signs the guarantee is personally accountable if the company creditor is unable to repay the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online central registry run by the New Zealand Government. It contains security interests registered in respect of personal property (including objects or assets). The PPSR grants prioritisation over property that is personal to be assigned in accordance with the date on which a security interest was registered.
Caveats are legal document filed to offer the public notice of a legal claim on a property.
What is a pre-approval without Credit Check?
If you’re seeking the Larger Business Loan of $250,000 or more we can offer an initial pre-approval to ease the process. We could be able to get this done without credit checks and within 6 hours of your initial application. This pre-approval is made based on an initial assessment, which involves the answer to a series of financial health checks. This is neither an offer nor a guarantee of finance. The approval of a conditional loan is subject to an exhaustive credit evaluation, and any offer that you might receive could have different terms.
The application process
Are I eligible for funding?
You are eligible to apply for a company loan if you;
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are at least 18 years old, have a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- must show at least six months’ worth of transactions (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 simple and simple. Just complete the online application within a couple minutes, and a dedicated business lending specialist will be in touch to guide you through the process.
To be eligible for up to $100,000, you’ll need ID details (valid Driver’s Licence) along with a valid NZBN/IRD as well as at least six months worth of bank statements.
In addition, for larger loan sizes, you’ll also need:
$100K-$250K: Details of application, including credit approval, 6-12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if loan above $150K).
$250K – $500K: Details for application including credit consent, 12 months of bank statements, IRD statements and the last two years’ finalised financial statements, and interim financials for the current financial year as well as Aged Payables and Receivables summary.
How soon will I hear an answer?
For an unsecured loan ($5K to $100K) We can usually offer an answer within an hour, provided you apply during standard company timings and allow us to utilise the bank verification system to instantly verify your bank information online. If you want to send us copies of your bank statements , we are able to provide an answer within just an business day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K and up) we may be able to provide the conditional pre-approval in around six hours. After you’ve signed your pre-approval document, you will need to wait around 2-3 days for final approval. However, this may be quicker depending on the particular circumstances of each application. Certain deals have been approved in 24 hours.
The quickest way to apply for you to apply is make sure you apply during standard company hours, and allow us to use our advance bank verification to instantly verify your bank information online. If you decide to upload duplicates of your banking statement, it may take a bit longer.
How quickly will I receive the money?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K or more) we typically offer a response in one hour if you submit your request within standard business time and let us utilise the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank information online. If you choose to upload copies of your banking statements, we are able to provide the decision within an business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K and up) we might be able to provide you with a conditional pre-approval in about 6 hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval document, you will need to wait about 2-3 days for final approval. However, this can be faster depending on the circumstances of each application. Certain agreements have been approved in just 24 hours.
The fastest method would be to make sure you apply during standard business hours. Also, let us use the advanced bank verification system to verify your bank information online. If you choose to upload documents from your account accounts, it can take a bit longer.
How much can I borrow?
We provide loans ranging from $5,000 to $500,000. When you make an application for a certain amount we will consider a number of aspects to determine the health of the business and the amount of repayments your business is able to afford. The total amount of your loan will depend on the specific circumstances that are unique to your business.
When you apply for a specific amount we will consider a number of factors to assess the well-being for your company as well as the amount of the repayments your business is able to afford. The total amount of the loan will be determined by the specific circumstances for your business.
Fees & repayments
How much do you charge for an business loan?
When you request our business financing, we’ll assess the risk assessment that you have for your business and offer you with a customised proposal that includes the loan amount, the terms and the interest rates. A company loan is a loan that is priced upfront and you’ll be aware in advance of the total amount due, which includes any interest rates, fees or charges.
What is the factor that determines the price I pay?
The interest rates on business loans rates differ based on various factors such as the amount that is borrowed, the business assets the money are used to purchase, the industry the business operates in, how long the business has been running for, whether the business has enough cash flow to support the loan, and also the overall health and creditworthiness of the business.
What are the costs?
There are no hidden costs with our company loans. You’ll be aware of the amount you be required to pay and when, from the day you sign up. There’s no compounding and no extra fees (as long as you make your payments on time).
We don’t charge an application fee. You are able to request a credit loan without any upfront costs or commitment to apply.
The Origination Fee covers the expenses involved with setting up and managing the loan. You are only charged this cost if you take out 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 decide to repay the total amount of your loan in full at any time.
If you do decide to do this please speak to our friendly company loan experts. They’ll offer you with details on repayment along with an early payout estimate. It will be calculated using the total of the remaining principal amount and any accrued interest at the time of early payment, plus 1.5% of the principal amount remaining plus any outstanding fees.
How do you make repayments work?
To make sure that you don’t miss 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 secure?
Protecting your information, and being clear about the ways we gather the information we collect, use, share and protect your information, is crucial and is a crucial element 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 financial and other data. Our funders are ISO 27001 certified for our commitment to customer security and security. We make use of an advanced banking verification system to immediately verify your bank account details online to provide a fast response.
About business loans
What exactly is an asset-based loan (a secured loan)?
Asset-based borrowing is when an company owner borrows from the assets they have to secure the funding. The asset can be an individual property, such as the family home, or it could be a company asset such as a vehicle or piece or equipment.
The vast majority of lending institutions, even the big banks, tend to guarantee loans against an asset. If you have trouble paying back the loan then your assets could be sold by the lender. In essence it’s an opportunity to secure new funding using the value of what you already own.
Should I require security to get an company loan?
For loans up to $150,000 it is not necessary to secure assets before you can access the money, however we require a personal guarantee. need a personal guarantee. If you adhere to the loan terms (as stated in your loan contract) Asset security is not required. For loans that exceed $150K, typically, you will need personal ensure and security is provided in the form of charges on assets.