FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
More about the Gwelup Small Business Loans
Tell me what you think of the Gwelup Small Business Loans
Gwelup unsecured loans offers amounts between $5,000 and $100,000 with terms between 3 and 24 months and cash flow friendly repayments, which are either daily or weekly.
How is what makes the Unsecured Loan different from the traditional business loan?
You can apply to the Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes on the phone. You’ll receive an answer within the same day and funds may be in your account in 24 hours. Traditional business loans have an annual interest rate together with additional fees and charges. The business loan is an upfront priced loan so you will be aware of the total amount payable including any fees, interest or charges. This is then divided into a daily or weekly payment amount.
What could you use the Small Business Loan be used for?
It is a Small Business Loan can be used for almost every business need, such as cash flow management, business improvements, advertising to purchase inventory or new equipment, for general working capital and much more. The loan is not available for personal reasons.
Concerning Larger Gwelup Business Loans
What is the Larger Gwelup Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger size of loan that can be used to fund company growth opportunities. Loans range from $100,000 to $500,000 with a fixed-term for up to 36 months. Repayments are weekly or fortnightly depending on you cashflow.
How’s the Origination Fee determined?
It is important to note that the Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee which is calculated at 2.5% of the loan amount.
Am I eligible for the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a loan in this amount, your company needs to have been in operation for at least 3 years, and have an annual income of $700,000. The applicant must also be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) with a minimum age of 18 years old as well as own a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able to demonstrate at minimum 12 months of continuous trading.
How can the funds be utilised?
A Business Loan of a larger size can be used for nearly any company use, including business renovations, purchase of inventory or new equipment, as general working capital, and much more. The loan cannot be used to fund personal expenses.
Is the Larger Business Loan a secured loan?
Asset security is necessary for funding of more than $150,000. This can be done by taking a charge on assets and can be registered in the PPSR or making a caveat.
A director’s or personal ensure is a promise to repay a loan which is generally in nature rather than stating the security for a particular asset. The person who signs the ensure is personally liable in the event that the company the borrower fails to repay the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online central register operated by the New Zealand Government. It records security interests that have been which are registered with respect to personal property (including the assets or goods). The PPSR allows the priority of personal property granted depending on the date that a security interest was registered.
A caveat is a legal form of document to offer the public notice of a legal claim against a property.
What is a pre-approval minus Credit Check?
If you’re seeking a Larger Business Loan of more than $250K we can offer an initial pre-approval that will help ease the process. We might be able to make this decision without a credit check and within 6 hours of the initial application. This pre-approval is made based on a preliminary assessment which includes you answering some financial health questions. It is not an offer or guarantee of financing. The approval of a conditional loan is subject to an assessment of your creditworthiness and any offer that you are offered could be based on different terms.
The application process
Do I qualify for funds?
You can apply for an company loan if you;
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are over 18 years, own a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- you must prove at least 6 months worth of trade (for for the unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or three years of trade (for the Larger Business Loan $100K up to $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is simple and easy. Just complete the online application within a few minutes and a dedicated company lending specialist will contact you to guide you.
To be eligible for up to $100,000 you’ll require the right identification documents (valid Driver’s License) as well as an NZBN/IRD that is valid and at least six months of bank statements.
In addition, for larger loan sizes, you’ll also 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 for application including credit consent, 12 months bank statement, an IRD statement and the last two years’ finalised financial statements, in addition to interim current financial year financials as well as Aged Payables and Receivables reports.
How soon will I hear a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K to $100K) we typically offer an answer within one hour if you apply at standard company hours and you allow us to use the advanced bank verification system to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you decide to upload copies of your banking statements , we are able to provide an answer in just an business day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K to $500K) we may be likely to provide you with conditional pre-approval in about six hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval, turnaround times are between 2 and 3 days for the final approval, however this can be quicker based upon the circumstances for each application. Certain offers have been approved in just 24 hours.
The fastest way for you to apply is make sure you apply during normal company hours. You can also allow us to use the advance bank verification to instantly confirm your bank details online. If you opt to send us the copies of bank accounts, it will take a little longer.
How soon will I receive the cash?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K up to $100,000) we usually offer a response in one hour – provided you make your application at normal business times and you allow us to make use of the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you opt to submit copies of your bank statements we can offer a decision in as little as the span of one business day.
For Larger Business Loans ($100K up to $500,000) we could be likely to provide you with a conditional pre-approval within about six hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval, turnaround times are around 2-3 days for final approval, however it could be faster based on the particular circumstances of each application. Certain agreements have been approved in the space of 24 hours.
The fastest method would be to ensure you apply during normal business hours and allow us to use our advance bank verification to instantly check your bank’s information online. If you choose to upload documents from your account statements it will take a little longer.
How much can I borrow?
We provide loans that range from $5,000 and $500,000. If you apply for a particular amount, we look at a variety of aspects to determine what is the health of your company and the amount of payments your business is able to afford. The amount you receive from your loan will depend on the specific circumstances that are unique to your business.
If you apply for a certain amount, we take into consideration a variety of factors to assess the well-being of your company and the extent of the repayments your company is able to afford. The total amount of your loan will be determined by the particular circumstances of your company.
Fees & repayments
What is the cost for the cost of a business loan?
If you decide to apply for one of our company credit, we’ll assess the risk profile that you have for your business and provide you with a tailored offer, including the amount of the loan, the duration and the interest rates. The business loan is an upfront priced loan so you will be aware in advance of the total amount payable including any charges, interest rates or fees.
What determines the rate that I will be charged?
The interest rates on business loans rates differ based on various factors including the amount that is borrowed, what company assets the money are used to purchase in addition to the industry that the company operates in, the long the business has been running as well as what percentage of the business has sufficient cash flow to cover the loan, and the general health or financial standing of the company.
What are the costs?
There are no hidden costs with our business loans. You’ll know exactly how much it is that you need to pay, and when, starting from day one. There’s no compounding interest, and there are no additional charges (as long as you make your payments on time).
We do not charge an Application Fee. You can make an application for loans absolutely no upfront cost and no commitment to apply.
The Origination Fee includes the expenses associated with the setting up and management of the loan. The only way to pay this cost if you take out the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5% of the amount of the loan.
Can I pay off the loan earlier?
You can choose to repay the entire amount of the loan early at any time.
If you do decide to do this please talk to one of our helpful business credit experts. We will provide you with the details of your repayment and an early payout figure. The figure will be calculated as the total of the remaining principal amount and any accrued interest at the date of early payout and 1.5 percent of the principal balance as well as any outstanding fees.
How do repayments work?
In order to help you avoid missing payments and to work your cash flow schedule, we provide repayments either daily or weekly. These are automatically deducted from the nominated business account.
Security & privacy
Will my data be protected?
Protecting your information, and being clear about how we collect, use, exchange and safeguard your data, is of huge importance and an integral part of our relationship you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We employ industry-recognised encryption standards to protect your sensitive, personal financial and other data. Our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our commitment to customer security and privacy. We employ an exceptionally sophisticated bank verification system to instantly confirm your bank account information online, allowing us to offer quick responses.
About business loans
What is asset-based borrowing (a secured loan)?
Asset-based borrowing is when the business owner uses an asset that they own to obtain the loan. The asset could be an individual asset, such as the family home, or it could be a company asset such as a vehicle 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’re having trouble paying back the loan then your asset may be taken over by the lender. In essence, it’s means of securing new funding using the value of what you already own.
Should I need security to get an business loan?
For loans that exceed $150,000, it is not necessary to secure assets upfront to access the money However, we do need the personal guarantee. If you adhere to your loan obligations (as stated in the loan contract) Asset security will never be needed. If you take out loans in excess of $150K generally, you can get the option of a personal guarantee and security that is in the form an asset charge.