FAQ: business lending & business loans for business owners
Business Loans Frequently Ask Questions
About The Bittern Small Business Loans
Let me know what you think of the Bittern Small Business Loans
Bittern unsecured loans offers amounts of between $5,000 and $100,000, with terms ranging from 3 and 24 months. They also offer cash flow friendly repayments, which are either daily or weekly.
What is the Unsecured Loan different from an ordinary business loan?
You can apply to get your Small Business Loan in under 10 minutes online or over the phone, receive an answer within the same day and funds may be in your account in 24 hours. Traditional business loans have an interest rate per annum together with additional fees and charges. Our business loan is a cash-based loan therefore you’ll know in advance the amount you will have to pay, including any interest, fees or charges. This is then divided into weekly or daily repayment figure.
What can the Small Business Loan be used for?
It is a Small Business Loan can be used to fulfill almost every business purpose including control of cash flow company remodels and marketing to purchase inventory, new equipment, or as general working capital, and much more. The loan is not available to fund personal expenses.
About the Larger Bittern Business Loans
What is the Larger Bittern Business Loan?
The Larger Business Loan is a larger amount of loan to help business growth opportunities. The loan ranges from $100,000 to $500,000 for a fixed period of with a maximum of 36 months. Repayments are scheduled weekly or fortnightly depending on you cashflow.
How’s the Origination Fee calculated?
The Larger Business Loan has an Origination Fee, determined at 2.5 percentage of the amount of the loan.
Can I get the Larger Business Loan?
To be eligible for a loan of this size, your company needs to be in operation for at least 3 years, and have an annual income of $700,000. You must be a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident) over 18 years as well as own a New Zealand company (with a valid NZBN/IRD) and be able to prove at the least 12 months of operating.
How can the funding be utilised?
A larger business loan can be used for almost all company use, including business remodeling, buying inventory or new equipment for general working capital and much more. The loan cannot be used for personal reasons.
Is the Larger Business Loan a secured loan?
Asset security is required to access funding over $150,000. This can be done by taking a charge over assets, and could include registration on the PPSR or the registration of as a caveat.
A personal or director’s guarantee is a guarantee to pay back a loan that is generally based rather than stating the security of a specific asset. The person who signs the guarantee is personally accountable if the company borrower is unable to pay back the debt.
The Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) is an online, central register that is operated by the New Zealand Government. It records security interests that have been which are registered with respect to personal property (including goods or assets). The PPSR permits preference over private property granted depending on the date that a security interest that is registered.
An affidavit is an official document that is filed to provide the legal claim to property.
What is a pre-approval that does not require Credit Check?
When you’re applying for a Larger Business Loan of $250,000 or more, we may offer an initial pre-approval that will help make the process. We might be able to get this done without a credit check and within 6 hours of your initial application. The pre-approval process is based on a preliminary assessment which includes answering a couple of financial well-being checks. It’s not an offer of credit or guarantee of finance. Acceptance without condition is subject to an exhaustive credit evaluation, and any offer that you are offered could be on different conditions.
The application process
Are I eligible for funding?
You may be eligible for an company loan if you;
- are a New Zealand Citizen (or Permanent Resident)
- are at least 18 years old, have a New Zealand business (with a valid NZBN/IRD)
- can demonstrate at least 6 months of trading (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 quick and simple. Just fill out the online application within a couple minutes, and a dedicated company lending specialist will call you to help you.
For a loan of up to $100,000, you’ll need identification details (valid Driver’s Licence), a valid NZBN/IRD and at least 6 months of bank statements.
Otherwise, for larger loan sizes, you’ll require:
$100K – $250K: Details of application, including credit approval, 6-12 months of bank statements, IRD statement (if credit is over $150K).
$250K-$500K: Application details including credit consent, 12 months bank statement, an IRD statements Last 2 years’ finalised financial statements, and interim financial statements for the current year as well as Aged Payables and Receivables summary.
How fast will I get a decision?
For an unsecured loan ($5K to $100K) We can usually offer a response in one hour, provided you submit your request in quality business time and permit us to make use of the advanced bank verification system to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you choose to send us copies of your bank statements , we’ll be able to offer a decision in as little as one business day.
For Larger Business Loans ($100K to $500K) we may be able to provide you with pre-approval conditional to your application within six hours. Once you have signed the pre-approval document, you will require to wait about 2-3 days for final approval. However, it could be faster based on the circumstances of each application. Some transactions have received approval in the space of 24 hours.
The most effective method can be make sure you apply during normal company hours, and permit us to use the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank account information online. If you send us the copies of bank statement, it can take a bit longer.
How soon will I receive the funds?
For the Small Business Loan ($5K up to $100,000) we usually offer an answer within one hour, provided you make your application within standard business hours and let us use the advanced bank verification system link to instantly verify your bank’s information online. If you decide to submit copies of your bank statement, we’ll provide the decision within 1 business day.
For the Larger Business Loans ($100K to $500K) we could be able to provide you with a conditional pre-approval in around 6 hours. After you’ve signed the pre-approval form, it will take approximately 2-3 days to receive final approval. However, this could be shorter based on the circumstances of each application. Some agreements have been approved in less than 24 hours.
The most efficient method would be to ensure you apply during standard business hours, and allow us to use the modern bank verification link to check your bank’s information online. If you send us duplicates of your banking statement, it will take a little longer.
How much can I borrow?
We provide loans that range from $5,000 to $500,000. When you submit an application for a certain amount, we consider a variety of factors to determine the well-being of the business as well as the amount of repayments that your business will be able to support. The amount you receive from the loan will be determined by the specific circumstances for your business.
When you apply for a particular amount, we will consider a number of factors to assess the health of the business as well as the amount of the repayments your business can support. The total amount of the loan will be determined by the specific circumstances for your business.
Fees & repayments
What is the cost for an company loan?
If you decide to request our business loans, we’ll assess the risk assessment that you have for your business and provide an individualised offer that includes loan amount, term and interest rates. It is a business loan is an upfront-priced loan therefore you will be aware of the total amount due, which includes any charges, interest rates or fees.
What determines the amount I pay?
The interest rates on business loans rates vary due to factors like the amount of money borrowed, the company assets the funds are used to purchase and the sector the company is operating in, how long the company has been running as well as whether 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 costs for our business loans. You’ll know exactly how much you’ll 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 punctually).
We do not charge an Application Fee. You are able to apply for a loan with no upfront cost or commitment to apply.
The Origination Fee is the cost associated with setting up and managing the loan. The only way to pay this fee if you decide to take the loan. Our Origination Fee is 2.5 percent of the loan amount.
Do I have the option of paying off the loan earlier?
You can repay the total amount of your loan early at any time.
If you choose to do this please speak to our friendly company lending experts. They will offer you with details on repayment and an early payment figure. This will be calculated as the sum of the principal amount remaining plus any accrued interest as of the date of early payout, plus 1.5% of the remaining principal and any fees that remain unpaid.
How do you make repayments work?
To ensure that you don’t miss repayments and to fit in with your cash flow cycle we provide payments that are either daily or weekly. These are automatically deducted from your company account.
Security & privacy
Will my data be protected?
The security of your personal information, as well as knowing the ways we gather information, use it, and exchange it, as well as safeguard your data, is of paramount importance and is an essential element of our relationship with you.
Is it safe to link my bank account to the platform?
Yes. We use industry recognised encryption techniques to protect your personal, sensitive financial and other data. Our funders are ISO 27001 certified for our commitment to customer security and privacy. We use an advanced banking verification system to instantly verify the bank account details online. This allows us to offer quick responses.
About business loans
What is asset-based borrowing (a secured loan)?
Asset-based borrowing occurs when the company owner utilises an asset that they own to get the funding. The asset may be an individual property, such as the family home, or an company asset such as a truck as well as a piece of machine.
The vast majority of lenders, including the largest banks, are inclined to make loans secured by assets. If you have trouble paying back the loan, then your assets could be offered for sale by the lender. In essence it is an opportunity to secure new funding making use of the value of what you already have.
Are I require security for an company loan?
For loans up to $150K it is not necessary to secure assets prior to the loan’s access However, we do need the personal guarantee. If you adhere to your loan commitments (as specified in your loan contract document) Asset security will never be required. For loans that exceed $150K, generally, there is personal ensure and security is provided in the form of a charge over assets.