FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
More about the Atwell Small Business Loans
Let me know how you are able to avail the Atwell Small Business Loans
Atwell unsecured loans provides amounts between $5,000 and $100,000, with terms ranging from 3 and 24 month and cash flow friendly repayments that are either daily or weekly.
What makes the Unsecured Loan different from an traditional business loan?
The application to get your Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes on the internet or by phone. You will receive an instant response and funds may be in your account in 24 hours. Traditional company loans reference an annual interest rate together with additional fees and charges. The company loan is a loan that is priced upfront therefore you’ll know in advance the amount you will have to pay, including any fees, interest or charges. This is then broken down into weekly or daily installment amount.
What can be the Small Business Loan be used for?
The Small Business Loan can be used for almost every business need, such as the management of cash flow, company renovations, marketing for purchasing inventory or new equipment, or as general working capital and much more. The loan cannot be used to fund personal expenses.
About larger Atwell Business Loans
What is the Larger Atwell Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger amount of loan to help company growth opportunities. Loans are between $100,000 and $500,000 over a fixed term for up to 36 months. Repayments are weekly or fortnightly, depending on you cashflow.
How’s the Origination Fee calculated?
It is crucial to note that the Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee which is calculated at 2.5 percent of the amount of the loan.
Am I eligible for the Larger Business Loan?
To qualify for a loan in this amount, your company needs to have been trading for at least 3 years and generate an annual revenue of at least $700,000. You must 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 minimum 12 months of continuous trading.
What can I use the funds for?
A large company loan can be used for almost every business purpose including business remodeling, buying inventory or new equipment, as general working capital, and 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 can be done in the form of a charge over assets, and may include registering this through the PPSR or making a caveat.
A personal or director’s ensure is a promise to repay credit that is generally in nature rather than stating the security of a specific asset. The person signing the guarantee is personally accountable if the company lender is not able to make the repayment.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is a central, national online register run by the New Zealand Government. It lists security interests that are granted to individuals who own personal property (including objects or assets). The PPSR permits priority over personal property to be assigned depending on the date that a registration of a security interest.
A caveat is a legal document lodged to provide notice of a legal claim to property.
What is a pre-approval minus Credit Check?
When you’re applying for the Larger Business Loan that is greater than $250K, we may offer a preliminary pre-approval to help make the process. We could be able to do this without a credit check and within six hours of your initial application. This pre-approval is made based on a preliminary assessment which includes answering a couple of financial health questions. It’s not an offer or guarantee of financing. The approval of a conditional loan is subject to a full credit assessment and any offer you may receive may be subject to different terms.
The application process
Can I be eligible for funding?
You can apply for an business loan if you:
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are 18 years or older, own a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- you must demonstrate at minimum 6 months of trading (for a unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or three years of trade (for the Larger Business Loan $100K or $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is quick and easy. Just fill out the online application in few minutes and an experienced company lending specialist will contact you to assist you.
To apply for up to $100,000, you’ll need identification details (valid Driver’s License) along with an active NZBN/IRD, and at least 6 months of bank statements.
In addition, for larger loan sizes, you’ll need:
$100K-$250K: Details of application, including credit approval, 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 and 12 months of bank statements, IRD statements, last 2 years finalised financial statements, and interim financials from the current financial year, Aged Payables and Aged Receivables reports.
How soon will I hear an answer?
For an unsecured loan ($5K or more) we can often provide an answer within one hour, provided you make your application at standard business hours and permit us to make use of the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank information online. If you choose to upload copies of your bank statements , we’ll be able to offer an answer in as little as 1 company day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K and up) we may be likely to provide you with conditional pre-approval in about six hours. After you’ve signed your pre-approval document, you will need to wait approximately 2-3 days to receive final approval. However, this may be quicker depending on the circumstances of each application. Certain deals have been approved in less than 24 hours.
The most efficient method would be to ensure you apply during normal company hours and allow us to use our advance bank verification to confirm your bank details online. If you opt to upload the copies of bank statement, it will take a little longer.
How fast will I get the cash?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K or more) we typically provide an answer in just one hour, provided you make your application at normal business hours and allow us to make use of the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank details online. If you opt to submit copies of your bank statements, we are able to offer the decision in just one business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K and up) we could be likely to offer you with conditional pre-approval in about 6 hours. Once you’ve signed your pre-approval form, it will take approximately 2-3 days to receive final approval, however this can be faster depending on the particular circumstances of each application. Some agreements have been approved within 24 hours.
The quickest method would be to ensure you apply during normal business hours, and allow us to use our advanced bank verification system to verify your bank information online. If you opt to send us duplicates of your banking statement, it may take a bit longer.
What is the maximum amount I can borrow?
We offer loan amounts between $5,000 to $500,000. When you make an application for a certain amount we look at a variety of factors in order to assess your health of your company and the level of repayments that your company can support. The amount you receive from the loan will be determined by the specifics the company.
When you apply for a particular amount, we look at a range of factors to determine how much we can lend you such as well-being for your company as well as the amount of repayments your business can afford. The amount you receive from your loan will be contingent on the particulars that are unique to your company.
Fees & repayments
How much should you charge for a business loan?
If you decide to request one of our business loan, we will assess the risk profile the business and provide you with a tailored offer that includes loan amount, term and interest rates. This business loan is an upfront priced loan therefore you will be aware in advance of the total amount to be paid, including any charges, interest rates or fees.
What is the basis for the rate I will be charged?
Business loan interest rates vary due to factors such as the amount that is borrowed, the company assets the money are used to purchase in addition to the industry that the company operates in, the long the business has been in operation as well as how long the company has enough cash flow to pay for the loan, as well as the overall well-being as well as creditworthiness company.
What are the charges?
There are no hidden fees with our business loans. You’ll know exactly how much you’ll be required to pay and when, starting from the first day. There’s not any compounding interest and no extra fees (as as long as you pay your payments punctually).
We don’t charge an application fee. You can request a credit loan with without any upfront costs or commitment to apply.
The Origination Fee is the cost associated with setting up and managing the loan. It is only charged for this fee if you decide to take the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5% of the amount of the loan.
Can I pay off the loan in advance?
You can decide to repay the entire amount of the loan at any point in time.
If you decide to take this route, please talk to one of our helpful business credit specialists. They’ll offer you with the details of your repayment and an early payout figure. This will be calculated as the total of the principal remaining plus any accrued interest as of the time of early payout in addition to 1.5% of the principal amount remaining and any fees that remain unpaid.
What is the process for repayments?
To ensure that you don’t miss due dates and also to be in line your cash flow cycle we provide payments that are either weekly or daily. These are automatically withdrawn from your designated company account.
Security & privacy
Will my data be protected?
Security of your data, and being clear about how we collect, use, exchange and protect your information, is crucial and is an essential aspect of our relationship with you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We utilise industry-recognised encryption standards to protect your personal, sensitive financial information and our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our dedication to security for our clients and privacy. We utilise a sophisticated bank verification system that allows you to immediately verify your bank account details online, allowing us to offer quick responses.
About business loans
What is asset-based borrowing (a secured loan)?
An asset-based loan is when a company owner makes use of an asset that they own to secure the funding. The asset may be an individual asset, such as the family home or it could be a company asset like a truck as well as a piece of machine.
The majority of banks, even the largest banks, are inclined to make loans secured by assets. If you are having difficulty paying back the loan, your asset may be transferred to the lender. In essence it’s an opportunity to secure additional financing using the value of what you already have.
Are I need security for an business loan?
Up to $150K in loans it is not necessary to secure assets in advance to gain access to the funds, however we do require a personal guarantee. If you adhere to your loan obligations (as specified in your loan contract) Asset security is not required. For loans that exceed $150K, generally, there is a personal ensure and security in the form of the charge of assets.