FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
About The Ashfield Small Business Loans
Tell me about the Ashfield Small Business Loans
Ashfield unsecured loans provides the range of $5,000 to $100,000. Terms range from 3 and 24 months, cash flow-friendly repayments that are either per day or weekly.
What makes what makes the Unsecured Loan different from an traditional company loan?
You can apply to get your Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes on the phone. You’ll receive an answer within the same day and funds may be on your account within 24 hours. Traditional business loans reference an annual interest rate together with additional fees and charges. This business loan is an upfront priced loan which means you know ahead of time the total amount payable including any interest, fees or charges. This is then broken down into either a daily or weekly installment amount.
What can be the Small Business Loan be used for?
The Small Business Loan can be used for nearly every business need, such as the management of cash flow, company remodels and marketing for purchasing inventory or new equipment, or as general working capital and so much more. The loan is not available for personal purposes.
About larger Ashfield Business Loans
What is the Larger Ashfield Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger loan size to support company growth opportunities. The loan ranges from $100,000 to $500,000 with a term fixed up to 36 months. Repayments are either weekly or fortnightly depending on your situation.
How is the Origination Fee calculated?
It is crucial to note that the Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee, which is determined at 2.5 percent of the amount of the loan.
Can I get the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a credit of this size, your business needs to be operating for a minimum of 3 years and have an annual turnover of $700,000. The applicant must also be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) over 18 years as well as own a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able to prove at the least 12 months of operating.
How can the funds be used for?
A Larger Business Loan can be used to fund almost every company purpose including business renovations, purchase of new equipment or inventory, as general working capital, and much more. The loan cannot be used for personal purposes.
Is the Larger Business Loan one that is secured?
Asset security is necessary for funding of more than $150,000. This is by way of charge on assets and can include the registration of this on the PPSR or registering a caveat.
A personal or director’s guarantee is a promise to pay back a loan that is general in nature rather than stipulating security over an asset. The person who is signing the guarantee is personally liable if the business creditor is unable to repay the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is a central, national online register that is operated by the New Zealand Government. It reflects security interests which are registered with respect to personal property (including items or assets). The PPSR grants the priority of personal property granted in accordance with the date on which a security interest was registered.
An affidavit is an official document lodged to offer the public notice of a legal claim against a property.
What is a pre-approval that does not require Credit Check?
If you’re applying for larger company loans of more than $250K, we may offer an initial pre-approval in order to make the process. We might be able to do this without a credit check, and within 6 hours of the initial application. The pre-approval process is based on an initial assessment, which involves the answer to a series of financial well-being questions. It’s neither an offer nor a guarantee of finance. Unconditional approval is subject to an assessment of your creditworthiness and any offer you receive could be based on different terms.
The application process
Do I have the right to receive funds?
You can apply for an business loan if you;
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are 18 years or older, have a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- you must prove at least 6 months’ worth of transactions (for for the unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or three years of trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K - $500K)
How do I apply?
The process for applying is fast and easy. Complete the online form in few minutes and a dedicated business expert in lending will be in touch to guide you through the process.
To apply for up to $100,000 you’ll need ID details (valid Driver’s License) along with an NZBN/IRD that is valid and at least six months worth of bank statements.
For larger loan sizes, you’ll require:
$100K to $250K: Information about the application including credit consent, 6-12 months of IRD statements, bank statements (if credit is over $150K).
$250K to $500K: Application details including credit consent and 12 months of bank statements, IRD statements as well as the two most recent years’ financial statements, and interim financial statements for the current year including Aged Payables, Aged Receivables summary.
How quickly will I receive a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K and up) We can usually provide a response in one hour, provided you make your application during standard company timings and allow us to utilise the bank verification system to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you decide to upload copies of your bank statements , we are able to offer a decision within just the span of one business day.
If you are applying for a Larger Business Loan ($100K up to $500,000) we may be likely to provide you with conditional pre-approval within 6 hours. After you’ve signed your pre-approval, the turnaround time is about 2-3 days for final approval. However, this could be shorter based on the particular circumstances of each application. Certain agreements have been approved in just 24 hours.
The quickest method is to make sure you apply during normal business hours and let us use the modern bank verification to instantly verify your bank information online. If you upload copies of your bank statements it can take a bit longer.
What is the time frame to receive the cash?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K or more) we usually offer an answer within an hour – as long as you apply during normal business hours and you allow us to utilise the advanced bank verification system to immediately verify your bank account information online. If you opt to upload copies of your bank statement, we’ll provide an answer in as little as 1 business day.
For the Larger Business Loans ($100K and up) we may be capable of provide you with a conditional pre-approval in about 6 hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is between 2 and 3 days for the final approval, however this could be shorter based on the circumstances of each application. Some offers have been approved within just 24 hours.
The most efficient method for you to apply is ensure you apply during normal business hours and let us use the advanced bank verification system link to verify your bank information online. If you send us the copies of bank accounts, it may take a bit longer.
What is the maximum amount I can borrow?
We provide loan amounts between $5,000 and $500,000. When you make an application for a certain amount, we take into consideration a range of factors in order to assess the well-being of your company and the extent of the repayments your company can afford. The amount you receive from the loan will be determined by the specific circumstances for your business.
When you submit an application for a specific amount we consider a variety of factors to determine the well-being of the business as well as the amount of repayments your company will be able to support. The total amount of the loan will be determined by the specific circumstances of your business.
Fees & repayments
What is the cost for the cost of a company loan?
When you request the company loan, we’ll assess the risk profile of your company and provide you with a tailored offer including the loan amount, the terms and the interest rates. The company loan is an upfront priced loan therefore you will know in advance the total amount payable including any charges, interest rates or fees.
What determines the rate that I will be charged?
The interest rates on company loans rates differ based on various factors like the amount of money borrowed, what business assets the funds are used to purchase as well as the field the company operates in, the long the company is in operation as well as how long the business has enough cash flow to cover the loan, and the overall health or creditworthiness of the business.
What are the cost?
There aren’t any hidden charges with our business loans, and you’ll know precisely how much you be required to pay and at what time, from the day you sign up. There’s not any compounding interest and there are no additional charges (as as you make your payments punctually).
We don’t charge an Application Fee. You can request a credit loan with absolutely no upfront cost and no any obligation to sign up.
The Origination Fee includes the expenses associated with establishing and managing the loan. It is only charged for this cost if you take out the loan. Our Origination Fee is 2.5% of the loan amount.
Can I repay the loan earlier?
You can repay all of your loan in full at any time.
If you choose to pursue this option, please speak to our friendly business lending experts. We will offer you with details on repayment along with an early payout estimate. The figure will be calculated as the sum of the principal amount remaining and accrued interest to the time of early payout, plus 1.5 percent of the principal remaining and any fees that remain unpaid.
How do repayments work?
To make sure you do not miss payments and to work your cash flow cycle we provide payments that are either daily or weekly. They will be automatically deducted from your business account.
Security & privacy
Will my information be secure?
Security of your data, and being transparent about how we collect the information we collect, use, share and protect your information, is vital and an integral part of our relationship you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We utilise industry-recognised encryption protocols to safeguard your personal, sensitive financial information and our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our commitment to the security of our customers as well as their privacy. We make use of an advanced bank verification system to immediately confirm your bank account information online, allowing us to provide a fast response.
About business loans
What exactly is an asset-based loan (a secured loan)?
Asset-based borrowing occurs when the company owner makes use of an asset they own to get a loan. The asset can be either an individual property, such as the family home or a company asset such as a truck or piece or equipment.
The majority of lending institutions, even the major banks, prefer to guarantee loans against an asset. If you have trouble paying back the loan, the asset could be transferred to the lender. In essence, it is an opportunity to secure new funding making use of the value of what you already have.
Should I need security to get a company loan?
For loans up to $150,000 there is no requirement for asset security upfront to access the money, however we do need the personal guarantee. In the event that you fulfill your loan obligations (as detailed in the loan contract) the security of assets will never be needed. For loans that exceed $150,000, generally, you can get personal guarantee and security in the form of a charge over assets.