FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
Details of The Western Heights Small Business Loans
Let me know how you are able to avail the Western Heights Small Business Loans
Western Heights unsecured loans offers amounts between $5,000 and $100,000, with terms ranging from 3 and 24 months, cash flow-friendly repayments that are either per day or weekly.
What is what makes the Unsecured Loan different from a traditional business loan?
It is imaginable to apply for this Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes on the phone. You’ll receive a same day response and funds may be in your account in 24 hours. Traditional business loans reference an annual interest rate as well as other fees and charges. Our business loan is a pre-paid loan therefore you’ll be aware in advance of the total amount due, which includes any interest, fees or charges. Then, it is divided into a daily or weekly installment amount.
What can the Small Business Loan be used for?
A Small Business Loan can be used to fulfill almost every business need, such as control of cash flow company remodeling, marketing to purchase inventory, new equipment, for general working capital and so much more. The loan cannot be used for personal use.
About larger Western Heights Business Loans
What is the Larger Western Heights Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger amount of loan to help company expansion 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 in order to accommodate you cashflow.
How’s the Origination Fee determined?
This Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee which is calculated at 2.5 percent of the amount of the loan.
Do I qualify for the Larger Business Loan?
In order to be eligible for a loan in this amount, your company needs to have been trading for at least 3 years with an annual turnover of $700K. You must be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) who is over the age of 18 as well as own a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able to prove at minimum 12 months of continuous trading.
What can the funds be used for?
A large business loan can be used for nearly all company purpose including business improvements, purchasing inventory or new equipment for general working capital and much more. The loan cannot be used for personal use.
Is the Larger Business Loan one that is secured?
Asset security is needed for accessing funds over $150,000. This is by taking a charge on assets, and may include registering this in the PPSR or registering as a caveat.
A director’s or personal ensure is a guarantee to pay back a loan that is general in nature, rather than stipulating the security for a particular asset. The person who is signing the ensure is personally accountable if the business lender is not able to re-pay the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online central register run by the New Zealand Government. It lists security interests that are registered in respect of personal property (including goods or assets). The PPSR grants prioritisation over property that is personal to be granted depending on the date that a security interest was registered.
Caveats are legal document filed to offer the legal claim to property.
What exactly is a preapproval without Credit Check?
If you’re requesting larger company loans of $250K or more we can offer an initial pre-approval that will help ease the process. We may be able to do this without a credit check, and within 6 hours of the initial application. This pre-approval is based on a preliminary assessment which includes you answering some financial well-being checks. It is in no way an offer, nor is it a guarantee of financing. The approval of a conditional loan is subject to an exhaustive credit evaluation, and any offer that you may receive may be based on different terms.
Application process
Can I be eligible for funding?
You may apply for a company loan if you:
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are over 18 years, have a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- can demonstrate at least 6 months’ worth of transactions (for you to qualify for unsecured loan $5K – $100K) or 3 years of continuous trading (for the Larger Business Loan $100K or $500K)
How do I apply?
The application process is fast and easy. Complete the online form in few minutes and an experienced company loan specialist will contact you to guide you.
To apply for up $100,000 you’ll need proof of identity (valid Driver’s License) as well as a valid NZBN/IRD and at least 6 months’ worth of bank statements.
In addition, for larger loan sizes, you’ll require:
$100K – $250K: Information about the application 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 and 12 months bank statement, an IRD statement and the last two years’ finalised financial statements, and interim financials for the current financial year, Aged Payables and Aged Receivables summaries.
How fast will I get an answer?
For an unsecured loan ($5K to $100K) we usually provide an answer within one hour, provided you submit your request at quality business timings and allow us to utilise the bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you want to send us copies of your bank statement, we’ll offer a decision in just the span of one business day.
For the Larger Business Loan ($100K and up) we may be likely to provide you with conditional pre-approval in around six hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is around 2-3 days for final approval, however this could be shorter based upon the circumstances for each application. Some transactions have received approval in just 24 hours.
The quickest way to apply for you to apply is ensure you apply during standard business hours. You can also allow us to use our advanced bank verification system to confirm your bank details online. If you opt to upload the copies of bank statements , it may take a bit longer.
What is the time frame to receive the cash?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K or more) we typically offer an answer within an hour – as long as you apply during normal business hours and let us use the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank information online. If you choose to upload copies of your bank statement, we’ll provide a decision within the span of one business day.
If you are applying for Larger Business Loans ($100K up to $500,000) we could be likely to offer you with conditional pre-approval in around 6 hours. Once you’ve signed the pre-approval, the turnaround time is about 2-3 days for final approval, however this may be quicker depending on the specifics of each application. Some transactions have received approval within the space of 24 hours.
The most efficient method can be make sure you apply during normal business hours. Also, permit us to use the modern bank verification to instantly verify your bank information online. If you choose to send us documents from your account statements it may take a bit longer.
What’s the minimum amount I can borrow?
We offer loans that range from $5,000 to $500,000. If you apply for a certain amount, we look at a variety of factors that determine your well-being that is your company as well as the amount of repayments that your company will be able to support. The total amount of your loan will be contingent on the particular circumstances of your company.
When you submit an application for a specific amount we consider a variety of elements to assess how much we can lend you such as well-being of your business as well as the amount of repayments your business will be able to support. The amount you receive from your loan will be determined by the specific circumstances the company.
Fees & repayments
How much should you charge for a company loan?
When you apply for business loans with us business loans, we’ll assess the risk profile that you have for your company and offer you with a customised proposal that includes loan amount, term and the interest rates. The business loan is an upfront-priced loan therefore you will know in advance the total amount you will have to pay, including interest rates, fees or charges.
What determines the amount I’m charged?
The interest rates on company loans rates differ based on various factors such as the amount that is borrowed, what company assets the money are used to purchase and the sector the company operates in, the long the business has been operating, how long the company has enough cash flow to support the loan, and also the general well-being or financial standing of the company.
What are the cost?
There aren’t any hidden costs with our business loans, and you’ll know precisely how much it is that you need to pay and when, starting from the very first day. There’s no compounding and the loan comes with no additional fees (as as long as you pay your payments on time).
We do not charge an application fee. You can request a credit loan with with no upfront cost or obligation to proceed.
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. Our Origination Fee is 2.5 percent of the loan amount.
Can I repay the loan earlier?
You may choose to pay back the entire amount of your loan at any point in time.
If you choose to take this route, please contact our helpful business lending specialists. The specialists will offer you with the details of your repayment and an early payout figure. It will be calculated using the total of the principal remaining and the accrued interest up to the time of early payout plus 1.5 percent of the principal balance plus any outstanding fees.
What are the repayment methods?
To make sure that you don’t miss repayments and to fit in your cash flow schedule, we provide payments that are either weekly or daily. These are automatically deducted from your company account.
Security & privacy
Will my information be secure?
The security of your personal information, as well as knowing the ways we gather data, process, exchange and secure your information, is vital and is an essential aspect of our relationship with you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We employ industry-recognised encryption standards to protect your personal, sensitive as well as financial data. Our funders are ISO 27001 qualified for our commitment to customer security and privacy. We utilise a sophisticated banking verification system to instantly verify your bank account information online to provide a fast response.
About business loans
What’s an asset-based borrow (a secured loan)?
The term "asset-based" refers to borrowing where an company owner borrows from the assets they have to make a loan. The asset can be either an individual property, such as the family home or an business asset like a truck or piece of equipment.
The majority of the lenders not just the major banks, prefer to make loans secured by an asset. If you are having difficulty paying back the loan, the asset could be offered for sale by the lender. In essence, it’s a way of securing additional financing making use of the value of what you already have.
Do I need security to get a company loan?
Up to $150K in loans no asset security is required before you are able to access the money, however we do need an individual guarantee. As long as you follow the loan terms (as specified in your loan contract) the security of assets is not needed. For loans over $150,000 generally there is the option of a personal guarantee and security in the form a charge over assets.