FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
More about the Arakura Small Business Loans
Tell me more about Arakura Small Business Loans
Arakura unsecured loans provides amounts between $5,000 and $100,000. The terms range between 3 and 24 month and cash flow-friendly repayments that are either daily or weekly.
What is this Unsecured Loan different from an traditional business loan?
Apply to the Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes online or by phone. You will receive an instant response and have the funds on your account within 24 hours. Traditional company loans reference an annual rate of interest together with additional fees and charges. Our business loan is a pre-paid loan and you’ll know in advance the total amount due, which includes any interest, fees or charges. This is then broken down into either a daily or weekly repayment figure.
What can be the Small Business Loan be used for?
The Small Business Loan can be used to fulfill almost any business reason, such as cash flow management, business remodels and marketing to purchase inventory or new equipment, for general working capital, and much more. The loan cannot be used for personal use.
About Larger Arakura Business Loans
What is the Larger Arakura Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger amount of loan to help company growth opportunities. The loan ranges from $100,000 to $500,000 with a fixed-term up to 36 months. The repayments are made weekly or fortnightly, depending on your situation.
How is the Origination Fee determined?
The Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee which is determined at 2.5 percent of the amount of the loan.
Am I eligible for the Larger Business Loan?
In order to be eligible for a loan in this amount the business needs to be operating for at least three years and have an annual turnover of $700K. Your business must belong to a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) at least 18 years old, own a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able demonstrate at minimum 12 months of business.
What can the funds be used for?
A Business Loan of a larger size can be used for almost all business reason, such as business renovations, to purchase new equipment or inventory as well as for 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 to access funding over $150,000. This is in the form of a charge over assets and can include registering this in the PPSR or the registration of as a caveat.
A personal or director’s ensure is a commitment to pay back a loan that is general in nature, rather than defining security over a particular asset. The person signing the ensure is personally accountable if the business the borrower fails to make the repayment.
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 items or assets). The PPSR gives priority over personal property to be assigned according to the date a security interest has been registered.
A caveat is a legal document filed to offer the public notice of a legal claim against a property.
What exactly is a preapproval without Credit Check?
If you’re seeking larger business loans that is greater than $250,000 we may be able to provide an initial pre-approval in order to ease the process. It is possible to make this decision without a credit verification and within 6 hours of your initial application. This pre-approval is based on an initial assessment that includes the answer to a series of financial health checks. This is not an offer or guarantee of finance. A conditional approval is subject a full credit assessment and any offer you receive could be subject to different terms.
Application process
Can I be eligible for funding?
You are eligible to apply for a company loan if you;
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are over 18 years, own a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- you must prove at least 6 months of trading (for you to qualify for unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or three years of trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K to $500K)
How do I apply?
The process for applying is fast and easy. Complete the online form in few minutes and an experienced company credit specialist will call you to assist you.
For a loan of up to $100,000, you’ll require ID details (valid Driver’s Licence) along with an active NZBN/IRD, and at least six months of bank statements.
If you’re looking for loans with larger sizes, you’ll also need:
$100K – $250K: Application requirements, including credit consent, 6 – 12 months of bank statements, IRD statement (if the loan is greater than $150K).
$250K to $500K: Details for application including credit consent as well as 12 months of bank statements, IRD statement and the last two years’ finalised financial statements, in addition to interim financials from the current financial year including Aged Payables, Aged Receivables summaries.
What speed will I be able to get a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K to $100K) we usually offer a response in one hour – as long as you apply at standard business times and let us utilise the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you opt to send us copies of your bank statements , we’ll be able to offer an answer in as little as the span of one company day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K and up) we could be likely to offer you with pre-approval conditional to your application in about six hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is about 2-3 days for final approval, however it could be faster based on the circumstances of each application. Some offers have been approved in less than 24 hours.
The most effective method can be ensure you apply during normal business hours, and allow us to use our advance bank verification link to confirm your bank details online. If you decide to upload the copies of bank statements it may take a bit longer.
How quickly will I receive the cash?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K up to $100,000) we typically provide an answer in just one hour if you make your application in normal business times and let us use the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you opt to upload copies of your bank statements we can offer a decision in as little as an business day.
For the Larger Business Loans ($100K up to $500,000) we could be in a position to offer the conditional pre-approval within about six hours. Once you’ve signed your pre-approval form, it will take about 2-3 days for final approval. However, this may be quicker depending on the circumstances of each application. Some agreements have been approved within the space of 24 hours.
The fastest method would be to make sure you apply during standard business hours, and allow us to use our advance bank verification link to instantly verify your bank information online. If you decide to send us the copies of bank statements it takes a bit longer.
How much can I borrow?
We provide loan amounts between $5,000 and $500,000. If you apply for a certain amount we will consider a number of factors for determining how much we can lend you well-being of your business as well as the amount of payments your business can afford. The amount you receive from your loan will depend on the specifics of your company.
When you apply for a certain amount, we take into consideration a variety of elements to determine your health for your business and the extent of payments your company can support. The total amount of your loan will be determined by the specific circumstances that are unique to your company.
Fees & repayments
How much should you charge for the cost of a company loan?
If you decide to request our company financing, we will assess the risk assessment that you have for your business and offer you with a tailored proposal that includes the loan amount, the terms and interest rates. The business loan is an upfront-priced loan therefore you will be aware of the total amount to be paid, including any charges, interest rates or fees.
What determines the rate that I pay?
The interest rates on company loans rates depend on a variety of factors like the amount of money borrowed, the business assets the money are used to purchase and the sector the business is in, how long the company is in operation for, in the event that the business has enough cash flow to pay for the loan, and overall well-being or creditworthiness of the company.
What are the cost?
There aren’t any hidden charges with our business loans. You’ll be aware of the amount you’ll need to pay and when, right from day one. There’s no compounding interest, and the loan comes with no additional fees (as long as you are able to make your payments on time).
We do not charge an Application Fee. You can request a credit loan with without any upfront costs or the obligation to take action.
The Origination Fee is the cost associated in establishing and managing the loan. It is only charged for this cost if you take out the loan. The Origination Fee for us is 2.5% of the loan amount.
Can I pay off the loan in advance?
You can choose to repay the total amount of your loan early at any time.
If you do decide to pursue this option, please contact our helpful business loans experts. The professionals will provide you with the details of your repayment and an early payout figure. This is calculated as the sum of the principal amount remaining and the accrued interest up to the time of early payout and 1.5% of the principal remaining and any outstanding fees.
What is the process for repayments?
In order to help you avoid missing due dates and also to be in line with your cash flow cycle we provide repayments either weekly or daily. These are automatically deducted from your business account.
Security & privacy
Will my information be protected?
Making sure that your information is secure, and knowing how we collect, use, exchange and safeguard your data, is of paramount importance and an integral part of our relationship you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We make use of industry-standard encryption protocols to safeguard your sensitive, personal as well as financial data. Our funders are ISO 27001 certified for our commitment to the security of our customers as well as their security. We utilise a sophisticated bank verification system that allows you to instantly verify your bank account details online to provide rapid response.
About business loans
What’s an asset-based borrow (a secured loan)?
Asset-based borrowing occurs when an company owner borrows from an asset they own to obtain the funds for a loan. The asset could be an asset belonging to the personal, like the family home or it could be a business property like a truck or piece of equipment.
The vast majority of lenders, not just the major banks, prefer to guarantee loans against an asset. If you’re struggling to pay back the loan, then your asset may be sold by the lender. In essence, it is an opportunity to secure additional financing using the worth of the asset you already have.
Should I need security to secure a company loan?
For loans up to $150,000 the requirement for asset security is not required in advance to gain access to the funds However, we do need a personal guarantee. So long as you comply with the terms of your loan (as detailed in your loan contract) Asset security will never be needed. For loans of over $150K generally there is an individual ensure and security is provided in the form of a charge over assets.